I picked up a UK paperback of Sahara with its cover art depicting a speed boat firing a missile. That sucked me in! :lol:

Sahara was great. My first was Shock Wave. I have searched for Clive's older books, and have read them. I am waiting for Lost City to be released.

Welcome Loren !!

Shock Wave was a book close to home here in Australia, thats why I enjoyed it so much. Here's a line you might remember ;

"You're American," she said, shivering from the cold.
"And you're Australian."
"It's that obvious?"
"You pronounce a like i."
She held out a gloved hand. "You don't know how glad I am to see you, Mr... ?"
"My name is Dirk Pitt."
"Maeve Fletcher."

Australia? That is far away from Louisiana. What is someone like me from the bayou, called 'swampland' reading Clive Cussler? Because nobody does it better than him!
I am a true fan.
Mauve Fletcher was truely great! Al can make anyone laugh, and Sandecker sets the record straight! Here's to a great forum! :D

What is it about Sahara.Its the first Clive Cussler book i read also.I agree the dust jacket on the english edition also sucked me in and i've never stopped reading cussler books.Bring on the next one! ;)

Welcome mr periwinkle !!

That would be named after that burro that Cussler led through the Sahara ... right ?

Thats what makes Cussler's books unique, how he introduces himself in his own books.

Wasn't the burro, Mr. Periwinkle, also in Inca Gold? Loren asked the old cook, as he was carrying a bowl of carrots and lettuce if he was feeding a rabbit. He answers, "No, my burro. Mr. Periwinkle is getting up there in age and can't graze too well on his own."
Loren held out her hand. "It's been fun listening to your stories, Mr..."
"Cussler, Clive Cussler. Mighty nice to have met you, ma'am."

Cussler wrote himself into this book as well!! Isn't he awesome??

Yes, Cyclops would be a great film. I would also like to see if Inca Gold could be made into a film. Too much action and way too much water, probably will never happen!! Sahara is mostly land based..which most likely was easier to film!

Loren ... your amazing !! :)

I've just spent ages looking for that part in INCA GOLD and finally found it. I completely forgot that Clive mentioned his burro again in that book.

I'll transfer this info over to the other string.

Well I'm new to the forum, but I guess we all are! My first Cussler novel was Valhalla Rising and it sucked me into Dirk Pitt's world. I'm now going back and reading all of his Pitt novels and I'm glad I came in late in the game because there's so many great books out there I know I'll like! I'm only 20 so it's not my fault I didn't discover him sooner, I'm just glad I did!

Valhalla Rising was amazing and I couldn't put it down. I went to bed with a head ache and bloodshot eyes for three or four days until I finished it. I then went back and read Atlantis Found. When I finished that one I looked online to see when his next novel would be complete and lucky for me it was only a month wait. Trojan Odessey was amazing and I'm now reading Sahara, which I believe will be a great flick!

Welcome Calypso !!

Valhalla Rising was a fantastic book ! Inter-weaving the Vikings was a work of art.

If you are just starting out reading Clive's books, a good starting point is Pacific Vortex. It was the 6th book published BUT it was the very first Dirk Pitt adventure. From there you go to Mediterranean Caper then Iceberg etc.

Cheers B)

:rolleyes: I just joined a few minutes ago.I started reading Clive Cussler with "Raise The Titanic" and was hooked.Naturally I have read everyone of his Pitt adventures and always look forward to the next one with great anticipation.It's become like seeing and talking to an old friend every year or so.My curiosity was piqued when I saw the reference to "Lost City".Is that new Pitt book,or a Kurt Austin book?I have also become an Austin-Zavalla fan so if that's what Lost City is,that's fine with me.

Welcome gil santos !!

Yes, "Lost City" will be a Kurt Austin book. It'll be out in July this year.

Oh, and Dirk Cussler's new book will be out later this year ... finger's crossed.

I love it how the son of Clive Cussler will now be writing about the son of Dirk Pitt !! :)

Thanks for the info on "Lost City".

I think it's amazing that so many people jumped onto this site so quickly and are writing in.

I would have to believe they are, like me, big fans of Cussler-Pitt-Giordino-Austin-Zavala and look at them as old friends who live in a world of Cusslers and our imaginations. A world that we can immerse ourselves in and enjoy away from everyday life. I particularly enjoy the way Cusslers books begin with an occurence from years back, then goes into the story based on and surrounding the long ago event. That way I can enjoy the trip into history and see how it impacts today.
Thanks for starting the site, I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun with it.

My own first book was Raise The Titanic. As a fan of anything to do with the Titanic, I was intrigued by Cussler's style of including facts within a fictional novel. In my opinion, this is one of his best works and my personal favorite. I would like to see more of his stories (Cyclops, perhaps?) made into feature-length films.

Welcome sandecker !!

Yes, Raise the Titanic is a true Cussler Classic. That is the book that launched Clive into the world of adventure writing. Viking Press printed 65,000 of the RTT books back in 1976 with a $40,000 advertising campaign. They had confidence in Clive's work and it certainly paid off !!

dirkpitt,

as i mentioned earlier, my first cussler book was iceberg. and from the order of its publishing it was the second. i haven't read mediterranean caper yet but i scanned the pages and i saw that al giordino is part of the story. i wonder why al giordino was not in the 2nd book (iceberg) while he was in the others. do you or somebody out there who has any idea?


austin dirkie

Hello folks,
Iceberg was my first Cussler book...and the rest is history. Back in 78 or 79 when I was early in my teens, I would hear my brother and his friend making statements such as, "What would Dirk and Al do in this situation." or "Boy I wish Dirk were here right now."
Well I had always wondered about "Dirk and Al" and who they were, so one day when my brother left his book on the table, I figured it was time to find out. I have been hooked ever since.
Take care
Mike

The first CC book that i read was raise the titanic and shortly there after i picked every other CC book that i could find . I've read them all and look forward to each new book that comes out allthough i'm partial to the dirk pitt novels I have enjoyed the kurt astin novels also. TATA for now Buzz

Welcome NUMA_Diver !!

Everytime I see the title "Iceberg" it excites me ! especially if its got "Dodd Mead" in the same sentence.

And I just want to say that pic you chose for yourself is the coolest !! I'm jealous :D

Welcome buzzardluck !!

a little secret ... Kurt Austin I like ... but its Dirk Pitt adventures any day of the week for me ;)

Ummm, it was so long ago I'm not sure if I can remember what book I read first. I believe I have read them mostly in order though Raise the Titanic was the one I read first. I think... :D

I too, being a big Titanic buff, was fisrt introduced to Cussler by Raise The Titanic. But it was the movie, not the novel. I was maybe 10 or 11 and watched it at a friends house.
Then four or five years ago I saw the novel in a used bookstore. It rekindled memories of the movie....Hooked on Clive's work since.

Welcome Foss Gly !!

I remember you !! I battled with you in Cyclops ... correct ? :D

What stands out in your post is the fact that you saw the RTT movie first THEN read the book. Thats the first instance of that I've heard of, I'm glad you enjoyed the movie and I bet you found the book even better ! ;)

Of course! And thanks for the welcome. :)

Edit: And we also battled in Night Probe!

Hi y'all, Treasure was my first Cussler book... GREAT BOOK, as they all are :D

Welcome VIXON 03 !!

Ahh ! The story that incorporates the Great Library of Alexandria in its plot.

I just watched a documentry on Alexandria and its amazing the stuff their finding as they dig foundations for modern buildings. Its a race between concrete pouring and archaeology to discover the hidden treasures of that ancient city.

I stole my firstcopy of INCA GOLD from a friend who was moving out of town and they forgot a box of books in my living room. So I raided the box, and thought hey this looks cool, looking at the paperback copy of INCA GOLD. Been hooked ever since.

Hello All! Wow - how cool is it to have a Clive Cussler Forum?!!

First book i read was an old copy of Dragon (i think! - The one about the A-bombers?) that my dad gave me and i've been hooked ever since, stolen all his books and will read them again and again!!
I love his books and am really looking forward to the new series of Dirk Pitt Jr books - I hope he makes good use of Summer Pitt as well - definate potential!

Hope to have lots of good memories brought back on here!!

K.A.

Welcome KurtAustin !!

I too am looking forward to the new Dirk and Summer series.

I just gotta get my head around the three Dirks ;

Dirk Cussler
Dirk Pitt
Dirk Pitt jr.

If they introduce a bad guy called Dirk Gly or something ... I'm outa here ! :D

I just started Cussler's books recently. My husband had most of them but I'm an engineer and of course had to put them in chronological order before reading them. We didn't have Pacific Vortex yet, so I read Mediterranean Caper first. That was all she wrote. I read them in about 2 days. I just had a baby in December so I'll read while I feed her. I just can't put them down. My favorites are Vixen 03, Night Probe, Cyclops, and Sahara. Most of the newer ones are good too, but a little different so it's hard to compare. I like the Kurt Austin books after reading them all, the first one did not grab me. But I like the foursome aspect.

Now, when I am reading, I can put a face to Al!!! :P

Great pic.

I kinda thought it would fit. :)

The first book I read was Fire Ice, which I believe was a Kurt Austin adventure. A week later, I picked up Dragon, and I was hooked on Dirk Pitt forever.

As you can tell from my user-name, Hiram (and Max :rolleyes: ) are my favorite Cussler characters

My first book was Treasure. That hooked me! Might make a good movie as well. Like so many of you, I have collected and read all of the books.

My first book Was Raise The Titanic, which I bought from a mail order book clearing house. I think it was called Publishers Central Bureau or something like that. This was around 20 years ago and I have been a fan ever since. I have all Mr. Cusslers books and have enjoyed every one. Once I start reading I can't stop until I'm through and am left wanting more. I think all of his books would make a great movie. I just rewatched Raise The Titanic and after reading the book, It is kind of lame.

Welcome curtisrc1 !!

I just gotta comment here on what I do after I read a new Dirk Pitt adventure. I try to read through them in a few sittings and after I'm finished the last page, I turn the book upside down and inside out looking for more.

Hah! Ya, i just joined a few minutes ago =D Finally got your email... First of course was Shockwave while i was in camp.. I'm willing to bet that i'm the youngest member here :D . My dad had read a few of them and he gave me... I don't remember it was like 3 years ago.. I didnt read it because i thought the historical beginning was boring. Than of course, i saw at camp another kid had a childrens version of the book Shock Wave. So, i started reading than finished at home with a regular book and was hooked from the first page. Who can give up reading a Clive Cussler book! Hah, i've been caught loads of time in school :P . Wasn't too smart but i just couldn't stay away from them! An obsession!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOOD for you WNG-A-Pitt, You have impressed me! Keep reading kid, it only gets better!! :D

WNG-A-Pitt,
I have been trying to get my 13 yo son interested in reading....any suggestions? He has all of the Cussler young editions. Maybe if Dirk would ride a skateboard....naaaah
Take care
Mike