Treasure of Khan
By Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler
Putnam 2006

I have been fascinated by Mongolia, the Gobi desert and Genghis & Kublai Khan for many years. So I leapt on the chance to read this book when I found it last week at the library. Besides, Clive Cussler is one of my favourite authors and I have been reading his series about Dirk Pitt for many years. This one is just the latest.



Although Dirk Pitt usually sticks to discoveries under water, this book was a little unusual in that most of the action takes place in the Gobi desert.

When Dirk Pitt is nearly killed rescuing an oil survey team from a freak wave on Russia's Lake Baikal, it appears a simple act of nature. After the wave, the survey team disappears from Pitt's research boat. The same vessel nearly sunk, and Pitt starts asking questions.

At the same time three major oil refineries are destroyed by mysterious earthquakes - the loss of all three causing major global oil shortages. A mysterious offer is made to the Chinese government to supply oil to that country at market prices. With one major condition. That the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia be given back to Mongolia. China is crippled without oil, so the government agrees.

The action jumps from Siberia to the hot sands of the Gobi Desert, to Hawaii.

Pitt and his good friend Al Giordino, spend more time in the Gobi desert this time around, than they do underwater. They are in a race to stop the next earthquake. Along the way Pitt finds the tomb of Genghis Khan. The treasure of Genghis Khan has already been stolen, used to finance the search for oil in Mongolia. Pitt's children Dirk and Summer handle the Hawaii end of the search in which they prevent another earthquake, and find the final resting place of Kublai Khan and his treasure.