June 2011 NY: Penguin/Norwood Press

The thrilling new adventure from the number-one New York Times-bestselling author! The husband-and-wife team of Sam and Remi Fargo are used to hunting for treasure, but they aren’t used to hunting for people-until an investigator friend of their goes missing, and they promise to search for him.

What they discover, however, will be beyond anything they could have imagined.

On a journey that will take them to Tibet, Nepal, China, Italy, and Siberia, the Fargos find themselves embroiled with black-market fossils, an ancient Tibetan kingdom, a lost landmass in the North Sea, Stone Age ostrich egg shards inscribed in a cryptic language, a pair of battles separated by thousands of miles and hundreds of years . . . and a skeleton that could just turn the history of human evolution on its head.

John interviews Clive Cussler and Jack DuBrul about their newest (The Jungle) as well as interviews with Grant Blackwood and Kerry Frey from the Adventure Writer’s Competition.

Click to see the fun that was had in Arizona at the 2010 Cusslercon!

Today is the official laydown date for THE JUNGLE, so I thought I’d give Jack DuBrul a call and see how he feels about his latest collaboration with Clive Cussler. It seemed a shame to take him away from his writing, but I always enjoy talking with him.

Jack says that THE JUNGLE is probably his favorite Oregon Files book, and he sounds pleased with the twist he adds to the ending of the story.

From the “news fit to print” category, Phil Mercer lives! Jack is “hard” at work on the long awaited new Phil Mercer story. He is unwilling to share his working title, but did say that I can report that the story revolves around the global warming controversy, and starts with the long lost aviation pioneer, Amelia Earhart. As a long time fan of the series I was pleased to learn last fall that Jack would take a break from the Oregon Files to flesh out the Mercer tale that has been rattling around in his head for a couple of years.

So save a weekend sometime in the months ahead to head back to Tiny’s Bar, where you can slide onto a stool next to Harry White, order a Vodka Gimlet and wait for Phil Mercer to make an appearance.

I have it on good authority that he is on his way.

- John

Clive Cussler is the author of many New York Times bestsellers and is an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA).

Clive Cussler and Grant Blackwood now bring us the action-packed Lost Empire featuring treasure hunters Sam and Remi Fargo who first appeared in Cussler’s Spartan Gold (2009: Penguin).

In Lost Empire, Sam and Remi Fargo come upon a relic belonging to a long-lost Confederate ship. An anomaly about the relic sets them off chasing a mystery-but unknown to them, a much more powerful force is engaged in the same chase. Mexico’s ruling party, the ultranationalist Mexica Tenochca, is intent on finding that artifact as well, because it contains a secret that could destroy the party utterly.  Through Tanzania and Zanzibar, into the rainforests of Madagascar, and across the Indian Ocean to Indonesia and the legendary site of the 1883 Krakatoa explosion, the Fargos and their ruthless opponents pursue the hunt-but only one can win. And the penalty for failure is death.

(Click here if you’re looking for Signed, Collectible or Limited Editions of Lost Empire or other Clive Cussler books.)

Clive Cussler’s books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. See below for a chronological list of Clive Cussler books and series.

The Dirk Pitt Adventures novels

Pacific Vortex (this is the first book that Cussler wrote but it was published in 1983), Mediterranean Caper (1973), Iceberg (1975), Raise the Titanic (1976), Vixen 03 (1978), Night Probe (1981), Deep Six (1984), Cyclops (1986), Treasure (1988), Dragon (1990), Sahara (1992), Inca Gold (1994), Shock Wave (1996), Flood Tide (1997), Atlantis Found (1999), Valhalla Rising (2001), Trojan Odyssey (2003) and Black Wind (2004), Treasure of Khan (2006), and Arctic Drift (2008).  Crescent Dawn, the latest of The Dirk Pitt Adventures, is set to release November 2010.

The NUMA Files novels

Serpent (1999), Blue Gold (2000), Fire Ice (2002), White Death (2003), Lost City (2004), Polar Shift (2005), The Navigator (2007), and Medusa (2009)

The Oregon Files novels

Golden Buddha (2003), Sacred Stone (2004), Dark Watch (2005), Skeleton Coast (2006), Plague Ship (2008), Corsair (2009), and The Silent Sea (2010)

The Isaac Bell Detective novels

The Chase (2007), The Wrecker (2009), and The Spy (2010)

The Fargo Adventure novels

Spartan Gold (2009) and Lost Empire (2010)

Clive Cussler has also written single books in Non-Fiction and Children Classics.  His Non-Fiction books include The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed.  His stand-alone Children Classics include The Adventures of Vin Fiz (2009) and The Adventures of Hotsy Totsy (2010).

Grant Blackwood has written three espionage thrillers including The End of Enemies, The Wall of Night, and An Echo of War in addition to co-authoring Spartan Gold and Lost Empire with Clive Cussler.

When Finn, a former British spy, is poisoned by a Russian assassin, his ex-boss Adrian, the chief of MI6, wants vengeance. He also wants answers-information that only Finn’s widow knows. But Anna, a former KGB colonel who betrayed her country for love, vanished with her child shortly after Finn’s death.Moving from Paris to New York, from the Kremlin to the American Southwest, Moscow Sting is an absorbing and timely tale of intrigue, betrayal, fatal lies, and complex truths, told with the authentic detail and chilling insight of an experienced insider.

The Adventures of Hotsy Totsy, Clive Cussler’s rollicking sequel to The Adventures of Vin Fiz (2006), has just been released.  Signed editions and exclusive signed limited editions of The Adventures of Hotsy Totsy are available at VJ Books (http://www.vjbooks.com).

In The Adventures of Hotsy Totsy (May 2010: Penguin), Casey and Lacey Nicefolk are two regular, all-American brother-and-sister twins who have a secret.  In their barn there is a mysterious widget that can turn any small object into a life-size replica.

Since their parents are out-of-town, the twins decide to have some fun and create a real working powerboat using a model boat and their newly found gizmo.  Casey and Lacey take their new powerboat and enter a race up the Sacramento River.  But during the race, they find that their powerboat is no ordinary boat and that the race is no ordinary race.  This is a romping adventure where being the first to cross the finish line is not the only prize.

Clive Cussler is the bestselling author of the Dirk Pitt series, the Oregon Files series, and the Numa Files series–all nautical mystery/thriller novels.  Some of the novels in the Dirk Pitt adventures include… (more…)

A Book Review from David!

This book was my first Clive Cussler novel, and I really liked the way he went about telling the story.  I had been told that all of his books are regarding end of the world type scenarios, and this one was no different.  Although to me it seemed a bit of a reach, it was a good plot point nonetheless.

As it was my first exposure to his storytelling I was unsure what I would find, but I found did like the action/adventure mixed with suspense style of writing.

I will definitely purchase more Cussler books in the near future.  Thanks John/Virginia

Order your signed edition of The Naviagator by Clive Cussler here

See other reviews from David here.

Review a book here

New To Cussler and Lik’in Him!

I took the plunge and dove into Atlantis Found. Though not the first book of the Dirk Pitt series, it was very readable as a standalone novel. I’m sure the more Pitt novels I read, the more familiar I will become with his personality and habits.  For a first time reader of Cussler, I really enjoyed this book. The combination of action, maritime folklore, and ancient legends was well melded into an adventure in which Pitt must prevent the end of civilization. Dirk Pitt carries a certain “je ne sais quoi” in the likeness of an American James Bond or Jack Ryan. The plot leads you in one direction and suddenly you find yourself being lead in another. These twists certainly keep you from predicting the outcome of the story!

Order your autographed copy of Atlantis Found by Clive Cussler at www.vjbooks.com

See other reviews by Nikki C., or become a Reader Reward member yourself by clicking here

Former ITW (International Thriller Writers) co-presidents, Steve Berry and James Rollins continue to dominate the thriller genre with new releases this month. 

Berry continues his bestselling Cotton Malone series with the release of The Paris Vendetta (Random House), now shipping from VJ Books (www.vjbooks.com; signed $29.99).   When Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile in 1821, he took to the grave a powerful secret. As general and emperor, he had stolen immeasurable riches from palaces, national treasuries, and even the Knights of Malta and the Vatican. In his final days, his British captors hoped to learn where the loot lay hidden. But he told them nothing, and in his will he made no mention of the treasure. Or did he?  “All the Berry hallmarks are here: scale, scope, sweep, history – plus breathless second-by-second suspense. I love this guy.” — Lee Child (Gone Tomorrow; Delacorte).  

On December 29^th James Rollins releases The Altar of Eden (HarperCollins), taking a breather from his Sigma Force adventures (Map of Bones, Black Order, The Judas Strain, et al) bringing us a stand alone novel (signed $29.99 at www.vjbooks.com).  With his latest breathtaking blockbuster, Rollins delivers all the action, surprise, and intensity for which he’s well known—and loved. Combining science, history, and breakneck suspense—and a secret tied to the Book of Genesis—Altar of Eden is sure to satisfy every James Rollins fan while winning over a slew of new converts.  VJ Books is taking reserve orders for what will surely be a chart topping book.

ITW writers continue to be the dominate force in the thriller genre.  In addition to Berry and Rollins many other members of the society have contributed bestsellers in 2009.  Clive Cussler has teamed with Grant Blackwood and Justin Scott with, Spartan Gold and The Wrecker, adding two new authors to his franchise, joining Paul Kemprecos, Jack DuBrul and Dirk Cussler. 

VJ Books has specialized in signed and collectible fiction titles from the mystery, science fiction and horror genres for over 13 years.  Sign up for the weekly newsletter at http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001IQ4Q15knkjNta2lbpVcky1fBzD50BxcT.