Ideally read in bursts: on Clive Cussler’s ‘Golden Buddha’
Heyo, lovely people. Wherever you are, whoever you are, whatever the colour of your skin or the orientation of your sexuality or gender, I hope you are safe and well. To those who are in the face of COVID-19, who are in the heart of marches and protests, I hope you are okay. I had been recommended Clive Cussler’s books in my conquest of reading all the books throughout all the genres. This has been my first proper adventure thriller novel since beginning that. Granted, I’m not necessarily the target audience for his books; I’m not exceptionally versed in the sciences or military, but having chosen the first instalment of the Oregon Files, Golden Buddha, I didn’t feel especially shut out. There’s a lot to enjoy about this book, though where I’d hoped to read it in a day, it was over a week before I reached the end. Masterful? I’d be hesitant to agree, though I certainly enjoyed this instalment.
The concept is relatively straight-forward. Introduced in Cussler’s perhaps most-well-known series, the Dirk Pitt Adventures (seen in book 14, Flood Tide), a group known as the Corporation completes various missions for a profit. Self-branded mercenaries with morals, as Cussler has branded them, they are based in a ship that at first, appears like a giant rust bucket on its last legs; beyond the rust paint, however, is a state-of-the-art ship that can effectively do it all. At the head is Juan Cabrillo, who looks like a stereotypical idealised American male. In Golden Buddha, their primary mission is simple: steal the famous 600-pound Golden Buddha, lost to the Dalai Lama in 1959, return it to the holy leader, and help him return to Tibet.
Golden Buddha is a plot-driven book. Though there are many characters in the crew, and I can sort of remember their names, there’s little genuine development given to any of them. They have specific jobs, they crack a few jokes, all get along, and that’s it. Granted, one can discern a lot from one’s sense of humour, but there’s so much going on in Golden Buddha that it all drifts over one’s head. The plot garners all the attention; being a writer who is the exact opposite (I write character-driven books, with stories and worlds to serve the characters’ developments), I found the characters disappointing. However, I imagine they’ll probably receive more development in future instalments. I hope. Yet for a 525-page novel, I do somewhat expect more than just names with jobs attached.
More so, I would argue that 75-100 pages could have been shaved away. There are so many extraneous POVs in this that could have been explored in two/three sentences elsewhere. To the point, the pacing stalls. The result is an overall speed that ought to be at 150km/hr but instead, repeatedly stutters at 85. It’s the main reason this book took so long for me to consume.
Another of the main issues for me is that some of the content does feel dated. In particular, the subtle homophobia and the sexist representation of otherwise active female characters. Neither are problematic enough to convince me not to pick up another of Cussler’s books, but it’s present enough that I felt it was important to mention. That being said, while this book is essentially 93% male characters, there are female characters who play distinct roles in the Corporation. They have reasons to be there beyond just being there. Ultimately, I don’t think this should deter you from checking any of his novels out, but I also felt it was warranted I include a disclaimer.
The writing itself is solid enough. I was able to read the pages pretty quickly, and the more technological and military-based terminology is written in such a way that I could follow everything that was happening. I had moments where I was skimming the denser sections, but this wasn’t a regular ordeal.
And indeed, this book is written in such a way that it does feel like pure escapist fiction. Solid plot hooks established early on, pieces being set up consistently throughout — all leading to a solid finish that was satisfying to behold. Better yet, nothing is established without some manner of payoff. Every plot point has a beginning, a middle, and an end, all woven together to serve the greater story.
Perhaps it is because I am not this book’s target audience that I couldn’t down it in a day. Maybe it is because I just found it too long for its own benefit. If I were to read another of Cussler’s books, I would only read a chapter here, a chapter there; if the others are improvements and I find myself inhaling an entire novel in a day, then that’s fantastic. But I wouldn’t try and read one in a few short days. Golden Buddha is the kind of book to read when there’s a spare ten minutes, perhaps on a flight or road trip. It is a book to read around other books over one, two weeks; I didn’t fear to lose my place or forgetting what was happening, because it is all well-plotted and established before the reader’s very eyes. Indeed, I am glad I read this Oregon Files novel, and I will undoubtedly revisit the series at one point down the track.
So… yeah. In summary, a solid, escapist, plot-driven novel with minor representation issues and maybe 100 pages too many, but otherwise an enjoyable read. I would recommend Golden Buddha if you’ve got some time free.
But that’s all from me today! I’d love to hear your thoughts on Clive Cussler’s books! Love them? Hate them? Would you recommend a different launching point? Let me know in the comments! All the same, thank you for reading, and I hope you have a most beautiful day!
— Charis.
