Spartan Gold

By: Clive Cussler, Grant Blackwood

Narrated by: Scott Brick

The debut of a brand-new, action-packed series from the #1 New York Times bestselling master of ?pure entertainment? (People).

Thousands of years ago, the Persian king Xerxes the Great was said to have raided the Treasury at Delphi, carrying away two solid gold pillars as tribute. In 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte and his army stumble across the pillars in the Pennine Alps. Unable to transport them Napoleon creates a map on the labels of twelve bottles of rare wine. And when Napoleon dies, the bottles disappear?

Treasure hunters Sam and Remi Fargo are exploring the Great Pocomoke Swamp in Delaware when they are shocked to discover a World War II German u-boat. Inside, they find a bottle taken from Napoleon?s ?lost cellar.? Fascinated, the Fargos set out to find the rest of the collection. But another connoisseur of sorts has been looking for the bottle they?ve just found. He is Hadeon Bondaruk?a half- Russian, half-Persian millionaire. He claims to be a descendant of King Xerxes himself.

And he wants his treasure back?©2009 Clive Cussler; (P)2009 Penguin

Action Packed Treasure Hunt

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) A non stop action packed packed treasure hunt that left few if any loose ends and kept me wanting to listen for what was coming around the bend.

Plot: I almost gave the book four stars because I like to reserve 5 for books I couldn't put down, but at the end of the day this was one of them. A husband and wife team wind up following clues, with historic references to Napoleon, the Spartans and Xerxes all the while trying to dodge, outsmart and stay one step ahead a vicious Ukrainian mob boss that is on the same trail. If you like the movie National Treasure or the Dan Brown books (Angels & Demons or Da Vinci Code) I would put this in that same category.

Narrator: I think Scott Brick does a very good job, as he does with the other Cussler books he reads. He is a solid narrator that I find few flaws with a very rarely take issue with any of his voices. I don't believe he has the range or difference in tones that some other narrators do, but all in all I enjoy his work.

Great read

This is a great listen. Suspence with musical magic. Perfect for a break at the office or on the road.

Our heros should have been dead twice over

Nobody gets that lucky that often and professionals that often unprofessional. There were too many cases were our heros should have just gotten shot by the "professionals" and what ever they had in treasures been taken. Also I loved the history lesson the author did not spend enough time developing plausible scenarios how our heros get out of sticky situations.

Not bad.

Any additional comments?

I've always wanted to read Cussler and found this on Audible. It's good not great. Worth trying another Cussler.

Cussler creates another series to read.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, if you like Cussler's work in the past, i.e. Dirk Pitt, then you will enjoy meeting the Fargos. A married couple with no need to really work anymore, they go adventuring (my fantasy by the way) and have a love for history and history's secrets. So let the adventures begin.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Salma-the Fargos research assistant who is a computer hacker, forensics genius, and anything the Fargos need her to be.

Any additional comments?

Good introduction book for this series. Enough adventure mixed in with intrigue and comedy to keep the reader interested.