Crusader Gold (Jack Howard)

by David Gibbins

Book Overview

From the fall of the Roman Empire to the last days of Nazi power, marine archaeologist Jack Howard and his team of adventurers are hot on the trail of history's most elusive and desired treasure: the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0440243939
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Dell
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 0.48 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.7" x 1.1" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Thanks and God Bless

Thanks and God Bless y'all and your families, friends, etc... for this much appreciated product.

Good "historical fiction" thriller!

A very interesting read for those who like historical fiction! Obviously not for everyone but if you like Crusader history and Norse mythology with a little Nazi history and Mayan sacrificial lore thrown in for good measure, this will be the book for you! He mixes a bit of Clive Cussler-style adventure in also! I actually liked this one better than Atlantis; that one seemed even more "over the top". He does get a bit detailed with the technology (ships, guns, etc.) which can make it drag a bit!

Great book - can't wait to see if there are more to come

I have now read all three books by David Gibbins and loved them all. (it helps if you read them in order though!) Lots of action and adventure - sort of like the DaVinci Code in that the author proposed alternate (believable) theories. I hope to see more from this author in the future.

crusaders gold

David Gibbens is a new favorite author for me. The action is gut wrentching and the outcome always great. Thank you LaMerne Kozlowski

A classic adventure story

One thing certainly leads to another in marine archeologist Jack Howard's world! In the beginning of the book, he and his team, the International Maritime University, are prowling the waters off Istanbul, discovering relics from the great Venetian naval battles of the 1400s. It's nice that they discover an old cannon, possibly used on a Venetian ship during the Great Siege of 1453, but Jack is looking for relics far older. He is on the trail of King Harald Sigurdsson, otherwise known as Harald Hardrada (or Harald the Ruthless), legendary Norse king who started his career as a member of Emperor Constantine's Varangian guard. Jack's theory is that Harald made off with the Menorah, looted from the Jewish temple in Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D. Made of pure gold, it's considered one of the great lost treasures of the world, and it disappeared at about the same time Harald went north to lay his claim to the throne of Britain. Harald is purported to have died in battle with the English king, but Jack isn't so sure. He thinks Harald survived the battle and held onto the menorah, using it to attract followers and build a new army. Unfortunately for the IMU team, Jack isn't the only one to have this idea. The concept of a félag, a secret society of warrior-brothers, has been around since the time of the Vikings, and a lone rogue member of an ancient félag survives, with links to the Vatican and the Nazi Party. He is obsessed with the Menorah and will stop at nothing to get it. The final confrontation takes place in what must have been Harald's last stand --- Mexico. Yes, Mexico. Blown off course, Harald and his fellow Vikings fall into the hands of people even more violent than they are, the Toltecs. Judging by some cave paintings, the Toltecs made short work of the Vikings and the Menorah must remain at the bottom of a cozy little blood-drenched spot called the Well of Sacrifice. As the Well is now underwater, Jack and his team must take the dive of their lives, to find the Menorah and save the life of a team member fallen into enemy hands. David Gibbins himself is a marine archeologist, and he is clearly inspired by his work. Both this book and his first novel, ATLANTIS, draw heavily on his field research and academic training to weave stories in which the facts inform the fiction. Comparisons with Clive Cussler and Dan Brown are inevitable. This is a classic adventure story, scrupulously researched and enthusiastically told. --- Reviewed by Colleen Quinn