WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is it.My fav Cussler book.
This book has everything.It's just a great story from beginning to end.The Texas,Lincoln,Mannock,the Calliope,the Kid ;),Fort Foreau,Tebezza,the Land Yacht,cannabalism, and a hell of an ending.The scenes at Tebezza and Fort Foreau are amazing and I still to this day sigh with relief when Pit and Giordino are picked up in the land yacht after reaching the Trans-Saharan Track.


10/10 for me



I once lent this book to a friend as his introduction to Pitt/Cussler and to his credit he read it.But he came to me after he finished it and said that nobody could have done the things that Pitt had done(walking across the Sahara).I just smiled and asked him if he had enjoyed it and he said yes.So I started him at the beginning with PV.I told him to keep his comments in mind as he read the rest of the books in order.Sure enough he came to me after he had finished them all and said that if anyone could have walked out of the Sahara it was Pitt and Giordino.
I just smiled and walked away.
Thats was the first of quite a few converts I have made.

9.9/10 ;)

This was my very first Cussler read and I must admit I had never read anything like it before in my life, although I did enjoy it, this wasn't the book that hooked me completely, sure it made me want to read another to see what it would be like but for me it did have that WOW factor!

What an ending? :o I cried my eyes out :unsure:

I just sent my Dad this book though, so we'll see if we have another convert ;)

No movie could ever do this book justice, but hopefully it'll be entertaining nonetheless. Anyway, Sahara included one of my favorite CC trademarks: A special forces unit. Whenever Pitt gets to run with the big guns I find myself even more on the edge of my seat. I also enjoy when Al gets into fisticuffs with powerful women who think they're so tough. Plus all those other masterfully crafted scenes that could be penned by none other than Dr. Cussler. 10/10

9.9/10

My top 2 favorite books of all time have to go to Inca Gold and Sahara. Absolutely brillant!!!!! th:

Sahara was also my first cussler book, from year 8, just finished yr 12 this year, and ever since i read that book, i went n got the other 3 books the school library had, and within a week, they two were finished. The scale in which everything is put into, eg, how sahara has almost everything in it, is what got me hooked, and have loved clive cussler very since. th:

I enjoyed this book very much when it came out!!!! p: It gets a 10 from me!!!! p:

Confession time.
Ever since Deep Six came out, I had been eagerly visiting bookstores with my eye on the next Cussler. I shelled out more money than I could afford for the hardcover releases, and invariably came away feeling disappointed. After Dragon, I said: : "You will have no more of my money, Clive Cussler." And so, depsite an interesting premise, I passed on Sahara for more than a year. It's time on the bestseller list came and went, but I would have nothing to do with it.
But when it finally came out in paperback, I got over myself and picked it up.
Ah, it is a great thing to rediscover your faith.
But since it is suce a great read, I'm going to start with the negatives.
You may throw stones if you wish, but I was unmoved by the Lincoln subplot. It could have been cut from the story and not made a shred of difference. Similarly, the Kitty Mannock arc had no purpose other than to facilitate Dirk and Al's escape from the harshest environment on Earth. So to be fair, I will start with a two point deduction.
But if I wanted to be disappointed with Sahara, I had to face the simple truth that this was Dirk in finest form. The battle with the Benin Navy was classic... in fact, the entire voyage up the Niger was perfect, right down to Pitt and Giordino crashing the party on Massarde's yacht. And I really felt like Rudi and Al were more than just sidekicks making an appearance here. Al's chemistry with Melika was also perfect. And the last stand at Beau Geste--brutal, gritty, awesome. I don't think he's ever topped that one. For adventure above and beyond expectations, I return one whole point.
This one also marked the first time that Clive addressed an environmental concern; although the specifics of the crisis were fabricated, the reality of one simple fact really hit home, and it is this: Environmental problems are exponential. Whether it's population growth or global warming, when the problem reaches halfway to critical mass, it's already too late. As a budding environmental engineer, I can attest that we are darn close to halfway there. If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention. For promoting the good of the planet over profit, I reward thee with half a point.

It wasn't Deep Six, but it brought me back into the fold. Sahara gets a well deserved 9.5 and earns a solid place at the head of the pack.

Thank you, Nick, for your well versed and well informed review. While I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of the civil war battles and was taken aback by the Lincoln twist, I too didn't think it was too vital to the health of the story.

Basically, I concur. beer:

A big 10 for this book. Actually, it is difficult to find the best book. They are all so good.

Yes, this book rates 10 with me!

And Rudi Gunn delivers one of my all time favorite lines:

"If anyone can enter hell and walk out again carrying a glass of tequila over ice, it's Dirk Pitt." Sahara (26) ;)

This novel is my favorite as well. And it seems I'm in good company.
So much goes on in this novel. The way everything molds into one storyline is not only a superb achievement in writing, but a helluva trip for the reader. I loved the alternate history aspect introduced in the Lincoln subplot,
I remeber when I first read the novel I had to search the web to see if Kitty Mannock was an actual historical figure or a figment of Clive's active imagination. And if a novel can enrapture you that much,...well, then it's done it's job, eh?

Not my favorite (I think Shock Wave is better) but it's different from other Cussler novels. Nick is right this was Dirk in finest form as an adventure hero. Great reading experience.

15/10. The opening with the Texas and Lincoln was incredibly well written. The battle, the mine, UNICRATT, Eva, the Red Tide, and of course their infamous Sahara trek, were all great. I don't think Dr. Cussler has done better YET.

Not much more I can add to the glowing reviews above this one... suffice it to say that Sahara is my favorite Clive Cussler book, and one that is gradually being read to tatters (and that's a HARDCOVER book!).

I'm the kind of person that finds fault with just about anything... but NOT THIS TIME!! I don't spoon around "perfect 10" ratings very often, but this definitely is a case of "perfect 10" fitting the bill.

The great thing about Dirk Pitt and Al is they are what Most of us would strive to be. In Sahara, there are so many times when no mere mortal could escape, but for a true follower of these books, there is never a doubt that it will end up as a side note in a later tale. That is what I have told many people over the years, and one of them is an avid historian and teacher of history that became a convert after reading of Lincoln's demise in the book. Sahara is to me the ultimate Clive Cussler tale, but it would not bother me if he or Dirk were to one day surpass it. Also, Anytime I run across a copy in a used bookstore, I pick it up. (currently four of the nine copies I've owned are on the shelf) Because you never know who will be looking at the bookshelf and ask why there are so many books by the same author. Long story short, I think Sahara rocks! And eagerly await the movie.

I was searching airport bookstores on my way home during break and there is a new edition of Sahara. The jacket cover is based on the fact that it's being made into a movie. The description on the back is even the movie-version description. Whatever it takes to get people to read this spectacular book, I guess, is fine by me.

I think the cover is certainly eye-catching and should "catch the eye" of a significant number of new readers. ...

USA TODAY currently has Sahara at # 33 (down from 29) on this week's list of bestsellers ...

Just finished Sahara a couple of days ago and it was a great book. I really wish I hadn't watched any of the trailers for the movie because the characters now have a face I didn't want them to have. Same with all the Anne arice novels I've read, I never pictured Tom Cruise as LeStat and for the longest time that was all I could picture in the books. Once again the plot interweaved with the subplots beautifully and I rushed out to buy a book called "War in the Ironclad Age" because I wanted to know more. It was a very well written book but I believe "Night Probe" is still my favorite.

9/10 for me

Good point! I had the same impression when I saw the trailer. Always I read a Cussler book, I image Mathew McConoughey as Dirk. I don't have problems because I think MC is a good Dirk, but I see an other problem: What happens if there are more Dirk Pitt Adventures on cinema and Mc doesn't play Dirk. A New face! I compare that often with James Bond. Who's the real Bond face? Roger Moore or Pierce Brosnan?

cheers, ralf

10 points for Sahara anyway ;)

Sean Connery :)

... early Sean Connery ...

Yes you are right! when I was writing my statement I thought that I forgot a important Bond Face... ;)

my vote for Pierce ;)

In my opinion it was the best book. I loved the scene where they were on the Mali River in the cool boat!! th: th:

This is the greatest book I have ever read in my life!! I've read it another time in preperation for the movie, and it was even better!! I loved the trek up the Niger river and the crashing of Massarde's houseboat party (and especially the affection Giordino had for the piano player). The chemistry between Giordino and Melika was hilarious (until Giordino got too cockey). I loved the final battle between the UNICRATT force and General Kazim. Pitt's tank destoyer was ingenious. The end of the book where they buried Lincoln moved me, and I was proud to be an American. All in all, if I could shake Clive Cussler's hand right now, I'd instead give him a hug and say "thanks for a great book". 10 out of 10 th:

9.5/10

Definately one of my favorites. Dirk and Al were on a roll in this book and I just couldn't put it down. A great read, the plot moved along nice and smoothly with a few twists and turns along the way. I'd recommend this book to everyone, get ready to have a fun weekend! p:

Like a lot of other people lately I'm sure, this was the first Clive Cussler book I've read. I've picked up the books at the bookstore several times before, but could just never get past the somewhat cheesy name "Dirk Pitt" (sorry longtime fans). I'm thrilled that with the hype of the movie, I finally decided to give one a try. It was great! I can't tell you how many books over the years I have started and never finished because they just couldn't hold my interest (damned ADD!). This definately wasn't the case with "Sahara". I was hooked from the beginning wondering how the story of the Texas was going to tie back into the plot. Even though I'm sure it won't live up to the book, I'm looking foward to seeing the movie and am going to try to judge it on it's own merits. I just started "Pacific Vortex" and am looking foward to working my way through the series. It's kind of nice coming in late and already having so many books to catch up on instead of waiting with anticipation for the next one to come out (OK, I admit it, Harry Potter is about the only other series of books that has been able to hold my attention). Is it important to read the books in the order they came out or do they all pretty much stand on their own?

Welcome to the forum dcox! w: w:

Welcome dcox! The books pretty much stand up on their own but do make some pretty random references to the earleir books. If nothing else, some of the stunts Dirk and Al pull off in later books seem more plausible if you've read about everything they did in the earlier books. :lol:

Enjoy your time here and post often!

(Off-topic)
I just bought that book. It´s the first english copy that i have seen so i have to buy it. I have allways wondered why everybody talks about Lincoln plot when they are having a discussion about Sahara. It is a strange thing that local publisher has dropped whole sub-plot out of the translation. I have to send e-mail to the publisher some day and ask why they have done that.
(/off-topic)

Well, first i have to say that this is THE best book that Dr. Cussler has ever wrote. Now that i know the whole story, i don´t think that the Lincoln sub-plot was crucial to the story. It gives a nice touch but nothing more. Events in Tebezza and Fort Foureau were well-written and i almost could sense the atmosphere in these places. There is nothing to complaint in this book, except few minor things but i think that they are freedom of the writer(or something like that). I hope in the future we will see UNICRATT again.

10/10

I think it's interesting (Disappointing?) that publishers can just drop major/minor elements of an author's book for no apparent reason. I guess for people outside of the U.S. who may not be wholly familiar with US history that the Lincoln subplot might not make sense, but this is someone's work. Doesn't that infringe on copyright law or something? :blink:

Glad you could finally read the whole story, Sapper! :)

I think they cover their base with the phrase "...based on...", instead of saying "...the complete novel..." :P
While I'm in complete agreement that the elements removed shouldn't have been (Dayna Cussler, for instance), it would have been impossible to put everything in the movie that appeared in the novel in some for without making a movie that cost four times as much to film and would be eight hours long!

I'm glad you were able to read the whole story finally, Sapper :)

For the life of me I cannot figure out why they would leave elements like that out of the translated book (the movie I can understand) very odd indeed :unsure:

I was wondering if there is version of Sahara without Lincoln? That is the only reason i can think of why they have left that out.

I'm not sure if there is another version without Lincoln. One reason why they might've left that subplot out would be to conserve time and money. Adding Lincoln would've taken another ten minutes to explain, and it wouldn't have really added to the total effect of the movie.

Just an idea. :)

It also would have caused many critics and viewers to find the plot even more unrealistic and unbelievable, which is what many of them are saying. It would have been fun to watch for us Cussler fans though, and I think that's all that counts! p:

Just want to make sure everyone understands that we're not talking about the movie. Sapper has been reading the Finnish translations of the book SAHARA and the publisher left out the Lincoln subplot from that translation. I totally understand why they left Lincoln out of the movie, just not the book.

WOW :o

Indescribebly good, defiantely the best one.

10/10

Has there been any word about making another movie......maybe they could remake 'rise the Titantic' (and giving it the attention it deserves........after watching Sahara.... My first repsonse was (abourt from going WOW) was when will there be another movie!!!

Which do you think is the better hero.....Dirk Pitt or Kurt Austan?

It is the book I have re-read the most. I also thouroughly enjoyed the film (went in with an open mind) and after a few "Thats just so wrong" sat back and enjoyed it.

I think I have read it once a year since 1993, it is just so good.

10 doesn't justify it so 11/10 is what its at. I have erm three copies... is that sad or just selfish?