The SEA HUNTERS

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Summary: Great True Adventure/History
Review: Clive Cussler's adventures that he relates in "The Sea Hunters" are as fascinating as any of the fictional adventures in his novels - at least when one factors in that the "Sea Hunters" adventures are true. After vignettes that speculate on the likely final moments of a ship or other item of historical interest, Cussler describes the efforts of NUMA to locate these artifacts. These efforts are alternately dangerous, frustrating, and humorous, and Cussler's descriptions of them are consistently entertaining. "The Sea Hunters" provides a great adventure read, and also serves as a reminder of some forgotten or underappreciated historical episodes.

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Summary: This is the life story of all the Cussler Characters!
Review: Before purchasing the above mentioned book I read some of the customer reviews. Most were dissapointed in that they thought this was another Dirk Pitt mystery. Some people never understood what they were reading. I am a Clive Cussler fan, and have been since day one. I have read all thirteen books at least twice, and have been facinated by his tales. My personal favorites are "Vixon-03, and Treasure." I am a writer, not an author, but a writer. I have learned the importance of cliff-hanging your readers. I seldom put a Cussler book down until I have finished it. However, getting back to "The Sea Hunters." If the reader would only look at what they are reading they will meet every standard character ever written in a Cussler/Pitt novel. They are there in real life, and the adventures of each book are present in what Cussler is accomplishing. It is evident they cannot see past the word on the page. My humble suggestion to them is to please look at the book as one of the best action novels of non-fiction Cussler has penned.If I am lucky enough to be published someday, I would like to keep the same thought taught to me by Cussler, and repeated by him in the book. "You can never do enough research." (C Cussler) Read the book and please with an open mind understand: 1 - you first do it because it's there, 2 - It always makes a good story afterward, 3 - you can never do enough research! Somday I hope these ideals will turn me from a writer into an author. Thank you for you time.

Rating:
Summary: Hunley's Hero
Review: Clive Cussler deserves everyone's thanks for not only finding the Hunley but taking the steps necessary to insure that it would be protected from salvagers, responsibly recovered and carefully preserved. Cussler and his band of NUMA divers are living the dreams of every recreational wreck diver (including me), and doing so in a way that both increases public knowledge of these historical artifacts and increases the likelihood that they will be preserved. The book itself is a fascinating series of stories about some of NUMA's most notable shipwreck projects, including the stories of the ships, the circumstances surrounding their sinkings, and NUMA's search for and discovery of the ships. All of this is told with Cussler's considerable talents for adventure writing. A fascinating and impossible-to-put-down book!!

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Summary: Dirk Pitt's real adventures?
Review: Cussler (along with Craig Dirgo) recounts the real-life searches for a number of famous shipwrecks (and a lost locomotive) in this non-fiction book. You'll see the inspiration for a lot of the fictional Dirk Pitt's adventures in Cussler's narratives.

While the book is enjoyable, some of the searches are given a shorter shrift, and others are longer, leaving you wanting more. Also, each section is preceded by a "dramatic" rendering of how a ship was lost, and some of these sections are a bit flat. Actually, I wanted more detail on Cussler's searches and his adventures with his NUMA buddies.

Still, if you like Cussler's Pitt adventures, and love sea stories, you'll want to at least give this a look.

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Summary: The Real Dirk Pitt
Review: Great Book. I'm not one for non-fiction, but this is an exception. It has exciting historical-fiction stories about actual sunken ships and a non-fiction account of how the author, Clive Cusser (Dirk Pitt) and his band of actual NUMA sub-mariners were able to search for, and find these historical relics. A must read!

Rating:
Summary: These are better than some of his novels!
Review: I have always had a strong interest in shipwrecks, partly because of my reading "Raise the Titanic" as a teenager.

Cussler's books have always been good reads, with some very well done characters.

But I really enjoyed the "Sea Hunters," as I liked very much to read about the finding of these vessels.

The history of the Civil War gunboats, the passengers vessels and the others are all great reading, though I think Cussler may have taken some liberties with trying to reset the scenes as those ships met their ends. You never can tell with those.

What I also enjoyed were some of the escapades Clive and the gang got up to while searching. Makes you want to get a second-hand magnetometer and go looking.

Rating:
Summary: Light reading for history buffs
Review: In his spare time Clive Cussler, the renowned author of adventure stories starring Dirk Pitt, hunts for historic ships that went down at sea or on rivers, by the hand of nature or man. In this first book he describes the explorations of the volunteers of NUMA to trace those ships. The ships are mainly 19th and 20th century warships. In about ten short stories he first very vividly describes what may have happened on board of the boats based on historical facts combined with fantasy and then the tedium and excitement of searching for and finding the ships (plus one train engine).

Clive Cussler has a very funny style of writing which makes this book light reading, even though content-wise it is mainly for the really historically interested.

Rating:
Summary: I Wanna Go...I Wanna Go !
Review: Not the usual Pitt novel, but a true life telling of Mr. Cusslers' attempts to find historys' lost pages. Several of the tales are engrossing and tense, but the one involving the altercation with the French Navy is a tickle, believe me. I was especially thrilled when Cusslers' name came up on news reports regarding the Hunley ( the search is recounted here ) and he was given the credit due him and his team. I once told my son that the best stories are true and this book proves my point. I'd sell my Mother to an Albanian circus for one NUMA trip !

Rating:
Summary: No Credit??
Review: This book was incredible. I thought it was very enjoyable. The book's author takes you with him in investigating and searching for some of the most interesting ship wrecks in history. The way the author includes you in his personal excitement over these adventures is most satisfying. I would recommend this book to any one who enjoys adventure and true life stories.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Subject
Review: When I found this book in the discount bin at Wal-Mart, I knew nothing about Cussler or his other books. I have since read all of his novels. This book is a real(istic) account of Cussler living out his Dirk Pitt fantasies of hunting for lost ships. Each ship is dramatically depicted in its final moments before its tragic demise, followed by Cussler's band of merry men trying to locate the wreck. While the searches aren't nearly as exciting as the ones in his novels, they still held my interest.

Though based on actual events, this book shouldn't be confused with a reference book, its not. The author uses his talents as a fiction writer to breathe life into the unfortunate souls on board the doomed ships. Cussler is also very opinionated and doesn't hesitate to share his slant on a subject. Anybody dumb enough to base a college paper on this book alone, probably didn't have much chance of passing anyway (earlier review).

Its a nice insight into how Cussler comes up with ideas for his Pitt stories, but don't expect beautiful marine biologists being stalked by evil billionaires here.