Lost City: A Kurt Austin Adventure (The Numa Files) [Paperback]

Clive Cussler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 26, 2004 | Series: The Numa Files

When an enzyme capable of prolonging life is discovered deep beneath the North Atlantic, NUMA Special Assignments Team leader Kurt Austin and his colleague, Joe Zavala, investigate a killer who is targeting the enzyme's harvesters and researchers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Kurt Austin, leader of the National Underwater and Marine Agency's Special Assignments Team, battles international evildoers again in the fifth installment of this excellent series. There are several parallel plots: a mysterious aviator has been found frozen in a massive glacier; a mutant seaweed is threatening to choke the world's oceans; a giant submarine is roaming the thermal vents of the deep sea area known as the Lost City; and the secretive, arms-dealing Fauchard family, run by ruthless black-widow Racine and her homicidal son, Emil, is up to no good. Also there's a mysterious 16th-century helmet, a search for the philosopher's stone and an island of filthy, mutant cannibals. Austin's love interest is lush, sensual Skye Labelle, an archeologist specializing in arms and armor ("She had a good body, but it would never make the cover of Sports Illustrated"). Kidnappings, hair's-breadth escapes, fierce battles, strange science, beautiful women and plenty of action add up to vintage Cussler. Of course, one of the secrets of the genre is to waste no time on ancillary details: "Before long, a cigar-shaped object came into view"; "Before long, they were stepping out of the cockpit onto the deck." Readers will find that, before long, they're racing through the pages as Austin and his band of merry men fight to stop the Fauchards from reaching the ultimate evildoer's goal: world domination.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School–The Fauchards, successful developers and sellers of weapons, keep their place as a major power in the industry through many centuries. Kurt Austin and his crew of trained scientists and elite fighters from the National Underwater and Marine Agency begin investigating nefarious activities of the powerful Racine Fauchard and her son. Their dastardly project involves scientific experiments on humans in order to find an elixir of eternal youth. They are also leading a team of mercenaries who are melting down a massive glacier containing the remains of a Fauchard ancestor and a metal helmet on which is recorded the formula for the elixir. At the same time, the oceans of the world are under siege from a mutant strain of algae, one of the vile spin-off plots by the devilish Racine. Myriad subplots weave together until they form the ending. Along the way, the action fluctuates from a steady pace to racing forward when they intertwine. The story is set in the present, and historical events are added to help explain elements of the complex plot. Settings range from under the Atlantic Ocean to the French Alps and Greece. The Fauchards' creepy castle, complete with dungeon and torture chamber, increases the feeling of science fiction that often accompanies Cussler's stories. Interesting and entertaining reading.–Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Michael Joseph Ltd (August 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0718147359
• ISBN-13: 978-0718147358
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,202,465 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Great Plot Spoiled by Poor Writing and Editing, September 16, 2004

By 

Tucker Andersen (Wall Street) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lost City: From the NUMA Files - Kurt Austin (Hardcover)

This is the fifth book in the Kurt Austin series written by Clive Cussler and coauthor Paul Kemprecos. The prologue and first four chapters of this book do an excellent job of introducing the reader to many of the main characters and the various threads central to the plot of this action/adventure/scientific mystery. Immediately the reader meets Jules Fauchard, fighting for his life in an open cockpit plane over the French Alps in August 1914 on a secret mission as World War I is about to erupt. Chapter One then shifts to the present, and a "reality" TV show being filmed on a supposedly deserted island in The Scottish Orkneys becomes a little too real for the participants. In Chapter Two, research chemist Angus MacLean is confronted by the violence which he is trying to escape. The scene shifts again in Chapter Three to a research facility and powerplant located deep under the glacier Le Dormeur where a scientific research team makes a startling discovery. Finally, in the next chapter Kurt Austin and other members of his NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency) team are collaborating with Skye Labelle, an archeologist with the Sorbonne, to explore the frigid waters of Lac du Dormeur at base of the glacier for hidden evidence of early European civilizations. Thus, less than fifty pages into the story the reader has been skillfully introduced to several of the various threads that will eventually be woven together in the complicated plot which evolves.

And there are additional elements of the story still to be introduced. First, Kurt and his associate Joe Zavala are called upon to save Skye and several others trapped by an explosion deep underneath the glacier. The focus then shifts to Kurt's colleagues Paul and Gamay Trout, who are asked to join a NUMA team investigating an infestation of Gorgonweed threatening to choke the world's oceans and upset both the world's ecology and commerce. This threat has apparently originated in an area of the Atlantic named the LOST CITY due to the confluence of huge underwater towers and the microbe communities that have become attached to them. The microbial action and an enzyme found in the region have caused the seaweed to mutate into a species that has the potential to create immense havoc by clogging the oceans to the extent that all life on the planet might be seriously disrupted. In addition, it appears that the enzymes produced by these microbes are being secretly harvested by unknown predators. The plot will also be further complicated by the actions of the Fauchard family, many of whom are truly villainous and yet have wielded immense power for centuries.

Several segments of this book are very informative and truly fascinating, especially when dealing with subjects that demand the provision of detailed technical background information in order to make the story believable. I found some of the information on glaciology, oceanography and deep sea submersibles very interestingly presented. And such exotic topics as the features of the Morane-Saulnier N aircraft, ancient weapons, and early trade routes certainly added to the believability of the plot.

So, WHY JUST THREE STARS? Because inexplicably large sections of the book read like an unedited first draft. I have no idea whether there was a belief that the plot and the series' popularity were enough to make the book successful, whether there was a tight publication deadline, or if there is some other explanation, but the overall effect was very disappointing. Specifically, my criticisms are fourfold. First, a lot of the dialog is either stilted, childish, cliché filled or just plain ludicrous. (Most high school students could have made it more realistic.) Second, in several instances the characters actions make no sense. Individuals act with total disregard of the obvious dangers which they face, taking not even the most obvious precautions. Third, much of the backstory is provided by conversations which seem totally unlikely. I cannot go into detail without providing spoilers, but at one point one the villains (apparently fueled by egotism) willingly and totally superfluously engages in an extended dialog with one of her adversaries the only purpose of which is to enlighten the reader. Last, many of the escapes and much of the action, while wildly exciting and entertaining, are totally lacking in credibility, even for a novel of this genre.

In summary, the story has a hugely imaginative plot, full of the type of intrigue and conspiracy favored by readers of the genre. And there is certainly plenty of heartstopping action. But it is poorly written and obviously manipulative of the reader. In retrospect this is probably a book that will appeal much more to speed readers and individuals who are willing to just quickly skim through the sections to which I objected and concentrate on the action. So, a frustrating three stars, almost five stars for the plot and barely two stars for the authors' execution.

Tucker Andersen

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Pardon the pun - but this is the "Pitts", November 26, 2004

By 

Avid Reader (Franklin, Tn) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lost City: From the NUMA Files - Kurt Austin (Hardcover)

What an unmitigated disaster!! I have gotten used to Cussler's nutty plots, cardboard characters and over-the-top "prose". But this one takes the prize as far as disjointed action, absurd dialogue and craz, unrelated plots. The Sea Group (Dirk Pitt's pals)- for some reason - are in Switzerland(??) and discover the frozen body of a man from WWI with a strange, ancient helmet. It only goes downhill...the widow of the man is killing off alleged enemies to protect the "secret of the helmet" which is, preposterously, that ancient folks developed a way to preserve youth, i.e. eternal life and just needed some "enzymes" to complete their work.

One of these enzymes has turned folks into "half-human" monsters (it's so B-grade nutty that it's almost good) who then go about attacking "normal" people. A sub-sub-plot involves destroying the oceans for some nefarious reason. Of course, something goes wrong and the helmet's powers are reversed - sorta like a nuclear bomb that builds a city instead of destroying it. Old widow dies of old age prematurely (is that a contradiction?) and our forgettable hero goes on to new adventures.

What's pitiful is that there only a slight attempt to connect these hairbrained tales. And, of course, everything connected to the story is larger than life - eternal life, monsters, ruling the world, destroying the oceans. Absurd, ridiculous, poorly written - to be read only if one is trapped on a desert island.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lost City: A great book for a summer vacation, August 20, 2004

By 

Timothy J. Kindler (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lost City: From the NUMA Files - Kurt Austin (Hardcover)

Lost City, the fifth installment in the NUMA series, is another classic fantasy story of good versus evil, with the usual predecessor event setting the stage for an eventual tie-in to the main story. In this case, Cussler pits Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala against a highly secretive family with a long history of armament development and production and a desire to create the elixir of life. At the same time, their NUMA compatriots seek to find the source of a mutating plant life that threatens the world's oceans. As would be expected, Kurt and Joe again fight tremendous odds and calmly face down death repeatedly as they battle the demented antagonists. The novel is filled with all of the action, suspense, and frequent plot twists that have become Cussler's trademark. While the reader needs to suspend belief when reading Cussler's work, long-time fans will find Lost City to be an enjoyable summer read.