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An action-filled chase through the Amazon jungle for 16th Century Spanish treasure. Joining in the pursuit are Dirk Pitt, the hero, his congresswoman girlfriend, the FBI, the Customs Service, archaeologists, a tribe of local Indians, smugglers and various thieves. There's plenty of treasure for everyone, the gold requiring 200 men just to lift.Tags
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Neale Clive Cussler is the the modern day adventure writer - Inca Gold is a great read and has diving and other adventurous escapades. More action than Bagley.
Member Reviews
This book reminded me about what I like about Clive Cussler books. Everything: the adventure, cheesy romance, nuanced and thriller plot-line, gunfights, showdowns- it's all here. I was thoroughly intrigued by the story and what it held and some of the pieces of dialogue were especially fitting and appealing to me. This is one of Cussler's finer books and is not one to be missed. Read up!
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
The vast amounts of gold the Inca possessed at the time of Pizarro is legendary, yet even as the Spaniards plundered the riches they began wondering if they had found everything. Inca Gold is the twelfth book in the Dirk Pitt series by Clive Cussler as the titular character and his ever faithful friend Al Giordino begin their adventure with going on a rescue mission in the Andes only to end up needing rescue at the end in the Sea of Cortez.
In 1532 a fleet of ships sails in secret to an island in the middle of an inland sea. There they hide a magnificent treasure vaster than that any Pharaoh would ever possess. Then they disappear, leaving only a great stone demon to guard their hoard. In 1578 the legendary Sir Francis Drake captures a show more Spanish galleon filled with Inca gold and silver and the key to the lost treasure, which includes a gigantic chain of gold, a masterpiece of ancient technology so huge that it requires two hundred men to lift it and a large pile of diamonds worth more than 200 billion dollars that belonged to the last Inca. As the galleon is sailed by Drake's crew back to England, an underwater earthquake causes a massive tidal wave that sweeps it into the jungle. Only one man survives to tell the tale. In 1998 a group of archaeologists is nearly drowned while diving into the depths of a sacrificial pool high in the Andes of Peru. They are saved by the timely arrival of the renowned scuba diving hero Dirk Pitt, who is in the area on a marine expedition. Pitt soon finds out that his life has been placed in jeopardy as well by smugglers intent on uncovering the lost ancient Incan treasure. Soon, he, his faithful companions, and Dr. Shannon Kelsey, a beautiful young archaeologist, are plunged into a vicious, no-holds-barred struggle to survive. From then on it becomes a battle of wits in a race against time and danger to find the golden chain, as Pitt finds himself caught up in a struggle with a sinister international family syndicate that deal in stolen works of art, the smuggling of ancient artifacts, and art forgery worth many millions of dollars. The clash between the art thieves, the FBI and the Customs Service, a tribe of local Indians, and Pitt, along with his friends from NUMA, two of whom are captured and threatened with execution, rushes toward a wild climax in a subterranean world of darkness and death – for the real key to the mystery, as it turns out, is a previously unknown, unexplored underground river that runs through the ancient treasure chamber.
This is the book that originally got me into the Dirk Pitt series—via audiobook—and over twenty years later it very much holds up as a fun adventure yarn that keeps the pages turning. While the book isn’t perfect for various factors, the first being that the “main” antagonist went from being clever conman that kills when necessary to a raging would-be killer in one scene in the middle of the book that was jarring especially since his main henchman was already a wanton murderer who took pleasure in it. Cussler switches with his female “lead” with Dr. Kelsey being replaced mid-book with Pitt’s on-off flame Loren Smith, but for once Smith is fully fleshed out and not giving off damsel-in-distress vibe like previous books. The main positive of the book is that all the subplots are not only intriguing but have good characters like Billy Yuma that tie into the main plot as the book reaches its climax.
Inca Gold is the book I personally feel that the Dirk Pitt series began hitting its stride at least what I remember from the late-90s to the mid-00s. Clive Cussler mixes characters, plot, and action to create a real page-turning adventure that will make you take a look around for more of his titular character. show less
In 1532 a fleet of ships sails in secret to an island in the middle of an inland sea. There they hide a magnificent treasure vaster than that any Pharaoh would ever possess. Then they disappear, leaving only a great stone demon to guard their hoard. In 1578 the legendary Sir Francis Drake captures a show more Spanish galleon filled with Inca gold and silver and the key to the lost treasure, which includes a gigantic chain of gold, a masterpiece of ancient technology so huge that it requires two hundred men to lift it and a large pile of diamonds worth more than 200 billion dollars that belonged to the last Inca. As the galleon is sailed by Drake's crew back to England, an underwater earthquake causes a massive tidal wave that sweeps it into the jungle. Only one man survives to tell the tale. In 1998 a group of archaeologists is nearly drowned while diving into the depths of a sacrificial pool high in the Andes of Peru. They are saved by the timely arrival of the renowned scuba diving hero Dirk Pitt, who is in the area on a marine expedition. Pitt soon finds out that his life has been placed in jeopardy as well by smugglers intent on uncovering the lost ancient Incan treasure. Soon, he, his faithful companions, and Dr. Shannon Kelsey, a beautiful young archaeologist, are plunged into a vicious, no-holds-barred struggle to survive. From then on it becomes a battle of wits in a race against time and danger to find the golden chain, as Pitt finds himself caught up in a struggle with a sinister international family syndicate that deal in stolen works of art, the smuggling of ancient artifacts, and art forgery worth many millions of dollars. The clash between the art thieves, the FBI and the Customs Service, a tribe of local Indians, and Pitt, along with his friends from NUMA, two of whom are captured and threatened with execution, rushes toward a wild climax in a subterranean world of darkness and death – for the real key to the mystery, as it turns out, is a previously unknown, unexplored underground river that runs through the ancient treasure chamber.
This is the book that originally got me into the Dirk Pitt series—via audiobook—and over twenty years later it very much holds up as a fun adventure yarn that keeps the pages turning. While the book isn’t perfect for various factors, the first being that the “main” antagonist went from being clever conman that kills when necessary to a raging would-be killer in one scene in the middle of the book that was jarring especially since his main henchman was already a wanton murderer who took pleasure in it. Cussler switches with his female “lead” with Dr. Kelsey being replaced mid-book with Pitt’s on-off flame Loren Smith, but for once Smith is fully fleshed out and not giving off damsel-in-distress vibe like previous books. The main positive of the book is that all the subplots are not only intriguing but have good characters like Billy Yuma that tie into the main plot as the book reaches its climax.
Inca Gold is the book I personally feel that the Dirk Pitt series began hitting its stride at least what I remember from the late-90s to the mid-00s. Clive Cussler mixes characters, plot, and action to create a real page-turning adventure that will make you take a look around for more of his titular character. show less
Man these are getting long. 20 hours on the audiobook. Even at 2.5x, that's a while. It probably doesn't help that every. single. time. a measurement is mentioned, it has to be converted. Is that the same in the print version? Because it's maddening...
On the other hand, there are so very many quotes from these books that make them a joy to read:
Pitt's heart pumped a good five liters (a gallon) of adrenaline through his system, but he remained calm and clinically surveyed the towering figure that looked like a monstrosity out of a science fiction horror movie.
On the other hand, there are so very many quotes from these books that make them a joy to read:
The inside of her one-piece black Lycra swim suit was nicely filled by an hourglass figure with an extra twenty minutes thrown in for good measure, and when she moved it was withshow more
the fluid grace of a Balinese dancer.show less
What does it even mean?
Gunn shrugged. "He's my boss as well as yours. I'm an old navy man. I follow orders."
"I'm old air force," Pitt replied. "I question them."
Or ignore them for the greater good. Or a good action scene. Pitt in a nutshell.
For a moment she was too stunned to answer. Then finally, she stammered, "Dirk. . . is it really you?"
"If there's another one, I hope they catch him before he signs our name to a lot of checks. I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner."
Wonderful.
"It," he answered, "is a pre-Columbian antiquity that contains the directions to hidden riches worth so much money it would take you and your buddies in Congress all of two days to spend it."
She looked at him suspiciously. "You must be joking. That would be over a billion dollars."
"I never joke about lost treasure."
He's not even wrong.
Plotwise, it's pretty much a Dirk Pitt adventure in a nutshell, everything somehow linked and larger than life. This time around we're in South America, with an ancient sacrificial pool (Pitt to the rescue), kidnapped friends and new acquaintance (Pitt to the rescue), a crazy underground river chock full of gold (Pitt to the rescue?), and a crime family that deals in stole art (Pitt to the rescue!). It actually fits together than most of the Dirk Pitt plots, so I'll take it.
Charaterwise, it's pretty much the Pitt and friends we've come to know. We're seeing more and more of others such as Permutter and Yaeger and Gunn--and I like it. It's interesting to see how they are each fiercely, maddeningly loyal to Pitt yet each in their own way with their own strengths. I will say though (since computers are my thing), that Yaeger's tenth floor super computer system is getting a bit ridiculous. Breaking Incan quipu in a matter of hours? Finding a centuries old sea wreck? If you need something done, put the computers on it. It will be done in hours. Impossible. But it keeps the story moving, so it goes.
It's interesting to see a lamp hung on Pitt's increasingly vengeful solution to the baddies:These men had come to kill all witnesses to a criminal operation. Kill or be killed was a cliché, but it held true.
That doesn't mean it's necessarily the right thing to do.
Womenwise, Cussler has progressed a lot through this books. Heck, one of the main characters is a Congresswoman who sometimes at least can hold her own with Pitt. That being said, exactly how many times has she been kidnapped? This book alone? Oy.
It's also interesting that Pitt's pining for Summer (from [b:Pacific Vortex!|361081|Pacific Vortex! (Dirk Pitt, #1)|Clive Cussler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1269478239l/361081._SY75_.jpg|6841892]) has come up again. I don't recall that in any of the intervening books. It makes sense and it's making Pitt a more solid character, but ... now?
Oh. And of course Cussler is back:
Pitt smiled as he stared at the road ahead. "He could really spin the yarns, couldn't he?"
"The old cook? He certainly had an active imagination."
"I'm sorry I didn't get his name."
Loren settled back in the seat and gazed out her window as the dunes gave way to a tapestry of mesquite and cactus. "He told me what it was."
"And?"
"It was an odd name." She paused, trying to remember. Then she shrugged in defeat. "Funny thing . . . I've already forgotten it."
Of course.
Edit 2/27: It seems Clive Cussler has passed away. 80 books in 85 years. On top of starting a real life NUMA and finding numerous ship wrecks. Quite the life and quite the legacy.
This book is another typical addition to the Dirk Pitt series. An enjoyable romp, but after a while the MANY close calls of the invincible Dirk Pitt become a little tiring. There are no real surprises here, except that Clive Cussler writes himself into a very small vignette as the owner operator of a derelict lunch stop near Cabo.
Pretty much classic Dirk Pitt adventure.
There is little substance and a high degree of unbelivability. Thin characters, typically evil bad guys with no remorse -and an inability to shoot prisoners when it would be sensible to do so, little cunning etc etc. I also really hate the little CC cameos that he slips into just about every book. It's annoying.
However it's also a fun read. There are few descriptive passsages, the action flows smoothly from one page to the next.
Dirk Pitt is one of those quintasenual heros, lives life to the pull faces every danger with curiosity enjoys fine wine / food / vehicles /women whenever the plot permits and rashly risks his own life to save innocents the rest of the time.
On this occasion he happens to show more be in the area when a mayday call goes out fro two archeologists trapped in a sinkhole in Peru. Pitt braves the murky depths, rescues the lost, but has to make his own way out because just as it was his turn the bad guys turn up.
One of Cussler's occasional narrative errors occurs here - although Pitt has previously been able to climb sheer walls this time he can't instead he manages to dig a belt buckle into solid rock as a piton? wihout a hammer? Maby Clive has confused Sandstone (soft) with Limestone (hard). Oh well it doesn't spoil the book.
Pitt then drives off the guards who've conveniently fallen asleep, fails to kill or capture then main bad guy and escapes with his rescued friends in the hellicopters that a whole company of mercenaries couldn't shoot down. Who needs belivability?
Subsiquent action takes place in Mexico as PItt and co hunt for the missing and hidden Peruvian treasure at the same time as the rest of gang he's just disrupted in Peru, unitl the big showdown in the underground cave.
As someone who has done a fair amount of caving, I found his cave descriptions somewhat poor - mostly there is too much light, you just don't get to see area underground - vision is restricted to the tunnel your light can throw. Too many pretty formations, and an unbelivably big river. Again it is all minor stuff, Clive could have got it right, but it wouldn't have made the book much better. The focus is on Pitt and how he overcomes all these challenges that life keeps throwing at him.
Enjoyable - particularly good for trains, airports etc anywhere you don't need ot think and do want to be distracted. show less
There is little substance and a high degree of unbelivability. Thin characters, typically evil bad guys with no remorse -and an inability to shoot prisoners when it would be sensible to do so, little cunning etc etc. I also really hate the little CC cameos that he slips into just about every book. It's annoying.
However it's also a fun read. There are few descriptive passsages, the action flows smoothly from one page to the next.
Dirk Pitt is one of those quintasenual heros, lives life to the pull faces every danger with curiosity enjoys fine wine / food / vehicles /women whenever the plot permits and rashly risks his own life to save innocents the rest of the time.
On this occasion he happens to show more be in the area when a mayday call goes out fro two archeologists trapped in a sinkhole in Peru. Pitt braves the murky depths, rescues the lost, but has to make his own way out because just as it was his turn the bad guys turn up.
One of Cussler's occasional narrative errors occurs here - although Pitt has previously been able to climb sheer walls this time he can't instead he manages to dig a belt buckle into solid rock as a piton? wihout a hammer? Maby Clive has confused Sandstone (soft) with Limestone (hard). Oh well it doesn't spoil the book.
Pitt then drives off the guards who've conveniently fallen asleep, fails to kill or capture then main bad guy and escapes with his rescued friends in the hellicopters that a whole company of mercenaries couldn't shoot down. Who needs belivability?
Subsiquent action takes place in Mexico as PItt and co hunt for the missing and hidden Peruvian treasure at the same time as the rest of gang he's just disrupted in Peru, unitl the big showdown in the underground cave.
As someone who has done a fair amount of caving, I found his cave descriptions somewhat poor - mostly there is too much light, you just don't get to see area underground - vision is restricted to the tunnel your light can throw. Too many pretty formations, and an unbelivably big river. Again it is all minor stuff, Clive could have got it right, but it wouldn't have made the book much better. The focus is on Pitt and how he overcomes all these challenges that life keeps throwing at him.
Enjoyable - particularly good for trains, airports etc anywhere you don't need ot think and do want to be distracted. show less
Inca Gold is filled with fast-paced excitement, as Dirk Pitt races from the Andes to Mexico in order to stop a family of art stealers from getting their greedy hands on the largest treasure ever known. Also, the oceanography facts, and the comedy bits make it interesting the whole way through.Unpredictable, you never tire of of Pitt racing from one scene to the next, always laughing in the face of danger.
Adam S.
Adam S.
This was my first reading of a Cussler book, and now I recall what attracted me to buy it years ago. It's a suspenseful story, with plenty of historical and geological elements. Though the Dirk Pitt character is especially two-dimensional, the plot and history are rich enough to make this a better than average vacation read.
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Author Information
201+ Works 141,863 Members
Clive Cussler was born in Aurora, Illinois on July 15, 1931. He attended Pasadena City College for two years before enlisting in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. After his discharge from the military, he worked first as a copywriter and later as a creative director for two of the nation's most successful advertising agencies. At show more that time, he wrote and produced radio and television commercials that won numerous international awards, including one at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. He began writing in 1965 and published his first novel featuring Dirk Pitt in 1973. His first non-fiction work, The Sea Hunters, was published in 1996. He has written over 50 books including the Dirk Pitt series, the NUMA Files series, Oregon Files series, Isaac Bell series, and the Fargo Adventure series. He is the Chairman of NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency), a non-profit group which he founded. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers have discovered over 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites. Clive Cussler died on February 24, 2020 at the age of 88. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Awards and Honors
Awards
Distinctions
Series
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Inca Gold
- Original publication date
- 1994-04
- People/Characters
- Dirk Pitt; Al Giordino; Rudi Gunn; James Sandecker; Hiram Yeager; Dr. Shannon Kelsey (show all 17); Juan Chaco; Tupac Amaru; Miles Rodgers; Dr. Steven Miller; St. Julian Perlmutter; Loren Smith; Charles Zolar; Joseph Zolar; Cyrus Sarason; Henry Moore; Micki Moore
- Important places
- Baja California, Mexico; Washington, D.C., USA; Andes Mountains, Peru; Callao, Peru
- Dedication
- In memory of Dr. Harold Edgerton, Bob Hesse, Erick Schonstedt, and Peter Throckmorton, loved and respected by everyone whose lives they touched.
- First words
- They came from the south with the morning sun, shimmering like ghosts in a desert mirage as they slipped across the sun-sparkled water.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"Just think, we've got five thousand kilometers to find out just how lovable I am."
- Original language*
- English
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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