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Riptide
For centuries, treasure hunters have sought the lost horde of the notorious English pirate Edward Ockham. Clues led to the mysterious Water Pit on Ragged Island, Maine-but a curse left behind by the long-dead Ockham seems to be working. Every expedition has failed; the treasure seekers died in gruesome fashions. Now a new expedition has been mounted, using state-of-the-art computer technology and backed by tens of millions of dollars. It will all be worth it, if the treasure estimated to be worth $2 billion can be found. But modern technology, no matter how expensive, may not be enough to overcome the deadly secrets of the Water Pit.
417 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1998
1,048 people are currently reading
5,487 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Preston
228books13kfollowersDouglas Preston was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1956, and grew up in the deadly boring suburb of Wellesley. Following a distinguished career at a private nursery school--he was almost immediately expelled--he attended public schools and the Cambridge School of Weston. Notable events in his early life included the loss of a fingertip at the age of three to a bicycle; the loss of his two front teeth to his brother Richard's fist; and various broken bones, also incurred in dust-ups with Richard. (Richard went on to write The Hot Zone and The Cobra Event, which tells you all you need to know about what it was like to grow up with him as a brother.)
As they grew up, Doug, Richard, and their little brother David roamed the quiet suburbs of Wellesley, terrorizing the natives with home-made rockets and incendiary devices mail-ordered from the backs of comic books or concocted from chemistry sets. With a friend they once attempted to fly a rocket into Wellesley Square; the rocket malfunctioned and nearly killed a man mowing his lawn. They were local celebrities, often appearing in the "Police Notes" section of The Wellesley Townsman. It is a miracle they survived childhood intact.
After unaccountably being rejected by Stanford University (a pox on it), Preston attended Pomona College in Claremont, California, where he studied mathematics, biology, physics, anthropology, chemistry, geology, and astronomy before settling down to English literature. After graduating, Preston began his career at the American Museum of Natural History in New York as an editor, writer, and eventually manager of publications. (Preston also taught writing at Princeton University and was managing editor of Curator.) His eight-year stint at the Museum resulted in the non-fiction book, Dinosaurs in the Attic, edited by a rising young star at St. Martin's Press, a polymath by the name of Lincoln Child. During this period, Preston gave Child a midnight tour of the museum, and in the darkened Hall of Late Dinosaurs, under a looming T. Rex, Child turned to Preston and said: "This would make the perfect setting for a thriller!" That thriller would, of course, be Relic.
In 1986, Douglas Preston piled everything he owned into the back of a Subaru and moved from New York City to Santa Fe to write full time, following the advice of S. J. Perelman that "the dubious privilege of a freelance writer is he's given the freedom to starve anywhere." After the requisite period of penury, Preston achieved a small success with the publication of Cities of Gold, a non-fiction book about Coronado's search for the legendary Seven Cities of Cibola. To research the book, Preston and a friend retraced on horseback 1,000 miles of Coronado's route across Arizona and New Mexico, packing their supplies and sleeping under the stars--nearly killing themselves in the process. Since then he has published several more non-fiction books on the history of the American Southwest, Talking to the Ground and The Royal Road, as well as a novel entitled Jennie. In the early 1990s Preston and Child teamed up to write suspense novels; Relic was the first, followed by several others, including Riptide and Thunderhead. Relic was released as a motion picture by Paramount in 1997. Other films are under development at Hollywood studios. Preston and Child live 500 miles apart and write their books together via telephone, fax, and the Internet.
Preston and his brother Richard are currently producing a television miniseries for ABC and Mandalay Entertainment, to be aired in the spring of 2000, if all goes well, which in Hollywood is rarely the case.
Preston continues a magazine writing career by contributing regularly to The New Yorker magazine. He has also written for National Geographic, Natural History, Smithsonisan, Harper's,and Travel & Leisure,among others.
As they grew up, Doug, Richard, and their little brother David roamed the quiet suburbs of Wellesley, terrorizing the natives with home-made rockets and incendiary devices mail-ordered from the backs of comic books or concocted from chemistry sets. With a friend they once attempted to fly a rocket into Wellesley Square; the rocket malfunctioned and nearly killed a man mowing his lawn. They were local celebrities, often appearing in the "Police Notes" section of The Wellesley Townsman. It is a miracle they survived childhood intact.
After unaccountably being rejected by Stanford University (a pox on it), Preston attended Pomona College in Claremont, California, where he studied mathematics, biology, physics, anthropology, chemistry, geology, and astronomy before settling down to English literature. After graduating, Preston began his career at the American Museum of Natural History in New York as an editor, writer, and eventually manager of publications. (Preston also taught writing at Princeton University and was managing editor of Curator.) His eight-year stint at the Museum resulted in the non-fiction book, Dinosaurs in the Attic, edited by a rising young star at St. Martin's Press, a polymath by the name of Lincoln Child. During this period, Preston gave Child a midnight tour of the museum, and in the darkened Hall of Late Dinosaurs, under a looming T. Rex, Child turned to Preston and said: "This would make the perfect setting for a thriller!" That thriller would, of course, be Relic.
In 1986, Douglas Preston piled everything he owned into the back of a Subaru and moved from New York City to Santa Fe to write full time, following the advice of S. J. Perelman that "the dubious privilege of a freelance writer is he's given the freedom to starve anywhere." After the requisite period of penury, Preston achieved a small success with the publication of Cities of Gold, a non-fiction book about Coronado's search for the legendary Seven Cities of Cibola. To research the book, Preston and a friend retraced on horseback 1,000 miles of Coronado's route across Arizona and New Mexico, packing their supplies and sleeping under the stars--nearly killing themselves in the process. Since then he has published several more non-fiction books on the history of the American Southwest, Talking to the Ground and The Royal Road, as well as a novel entitled Jennie. In the early 1990s Preston and Child teamed up to write suspense novels; Relic was the first, followed by several others, including Riptide and Thunderhead. Relic was released as a motion picture by Paramount in 1997. Other films are under development at Hollywood studios. Preston and Child live 500 miles apart and write their books together via telephone, fax, and the Internet.
Preston and his brother Richard are currently producing a television miniseries for ABC and Mandalay Entertainment, to be aired in the spring of 2000, if all goes well, which in Hollywood is rarely the case.
Preston continues a magazine writing career by contributing regularly to The New Yorker magazine. He has also written for National Geographic, Natural History, Smithsonisan, Harper's,and Travel & Leisure,among others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 838 reviews
June 5, 2018
Preston and Child are always amazing - this book was no exception. I was immediately enthralled with the National Treasure-esque intro and all the mystery it presented. Then I was kept holding my breath until the very end. These guys can really spin a tale!
Almost every chapter ended with a cliffhanger. This is typical for Preston and Child, but that is okay with me. I wish all authors could get me this excited about moving on to the next chapter. Usually, the end of a chapter is a good place to stop reading until later. But, P&C make it so I don't want to!
Also, I love the fact that they frequently make the mystery seem supernatural, but throughout the book plausible, factual explanations are presented. As a fan of supernatural mystery stories, I am okay if the answer does not end up being supernatural, especially when a non-supernatural solution seems impossible.
Finally, pirates, archeology, and mystery medical diagnosis are all involved to make this one heck of a twisted and spooky ride. If you like Indiana Jones, National Treasure, and things of that ilk, don't hesitate to give this a try.
Almost every chapter ended with a cliffhanger. This is typical for Preston and Child, but that is okay with me. I wish all authors could get me this excited about moving on to the next chapter. Usually, the end of a chapter is a good place to stop reading until later. But, P&C make it so I don't want to!
Also, I love the fact that they frequently make the mystery seem supernatural, but throughout the book plausible, factual explanations are presented. As a fan of supernatural mystery stories, I am okay if the answer does not end up being supernatural, especially when a non-supernatural solution seems impossible.
Finally, pirates, archeology, and mystery medical diagnosis are all involved to make this one heck of a twisted and spooky ride. If you like Indiana Jones, National Treasure, and things of that ilk, don't hesitate to give this a try.
January 21, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 blimey stars from this buccaneer!
Argh mateys! I had to finish it, I was obsessed with pirate treasure by the end.
This book was so much fun, action packed and I loved every damn, scurvy minute of it!
This book was packed with cool science, great engineering theory and practice, historical information and lore on pirates, a vast pirate treasure and a deadly curse on a rocky island on the coast of Maine.
Did they finally get the pirate treasure?
Did anyone survive?
Did they finally find St. Michael’s Sword?
Did greed and obsession turn friends into foes?
Read this book to find out! Another excellent and suspenseful adventure from the Preston/Child duo!
Argh mateys! I had to finish it, I was obsessed with pirate treasure by the end.
This book was so much fun, action packed and I loved every damn, scurvy minute of it!
This book was packed with cool science, great engineering theory and practice, historical information and lore on pirates, a vast pirate treasure and a deadly curse on a rocky island on the coast of Maine.
Did they finally get the pirate treasure?
Did anyone survive?
Did they finally find St. Michael’s Sword?
Did greed and obsession turn friends into foes?
Read this book to find out! Another excellent and suspenseful adventure from the Preston/Child duo!
April 13, 2025
Ye Who Lust After the Key to the Water Pit...
Shall Find the Key to the Next World
RIPTIDE
by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
No spoilers. 5 stars. Ragged Island, six miles off the coast of Maine...
1695...
Infamous pirate Edward (Red Ned) Ockham buried his vast plundered treasures somewhere off the Maine coast with the reluctant help of a famed architect...
Further...
The treasure was rumored to be buried on Ragged Island, which was exposed to the open ocean...
And...
Many believed the island and its treasure to be cursed...
First will ye lie
Cursed shall ye cry
Worst ye must die
Over several hundred years...
Many salvage crews and treasure hunters tried and failed to reach the treasure chamber buried in the network of underground tunnels on Ragged Island...
Complicating their efforts...
The island's powerful riptide deflects the frigid Labrador current into the warm Cape Cod current where they create a large eddy of fog which surrounds the island...
The curse of Ragged Island...
... included the great riddle of the elusive water pit, which had sucked the marrow from the bones of everyone who tried to plumb for its treasure...
Millions of dollars were spent, and lives were lost or ruined by the water pit's sharp teeth...
The purpose of the water pit was no mystery. Its location, application, and history were well known, daring to take on all newcomers...
The sword of St. Michael...
... was the coveted prize in the treasure trove sought by current-day salvage crew Thalassa and its leader, Captain Gerald Neidleman...
But...
Could this newest team of treasure hunters overcome the curse of Ragged Island and come away with the pirate's treasure?...
Ye who lust after the key to the water pit shall find instead the key to the next world...
This novel is an excellent story about a modern-day treasure hunt using all the latest technology and equipment. I've personally read this novel 5 times and found it to be an amazing adventure from start to finish. It's not overly technical in the storytelling.
Recommend to all adventure seekers!
Shall Find the Key to the Next World
RIPTIDE
by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
No spoilers. 5 stars. Ragged Island, six miles off the coast of Maine...
1695...
Infamous pirate Edward (Red Ned) Ockham buried his vast plundered treasures somewhere off the Maine coast with the reluctant help of a famed architect...
Further...
The treasure was rumored to be buried on Ragged Island, which was exposed to the open ocean...
And...
Many believed the island and its treasure to be cursed...
First will ye lie
Cursed shall ye cry
Worst ye must die
Over several hundred years...
Many salvage crews and treasure hunters tried and failed to reach the treasure chamber buried in the network of underground tunnels on Ragged Island...
Complicating their efforts...
The island's powerful riptide deflects the frigid Labrador current into the warm Cape Cod current where they create a large eddy of fog which surrounds the island...
The curse of Ragged Island...
... included the great riddle of the elusive water pit, which had sucked the marrow from the bones of everyone who tried to plumb for its treasure...
Millions of dollars were spent, and lives were lost or ruined by the water pit's sharp teeth...
The purpose of the water pit was no mystery. Its location, application, and history were well known, daring to take on all newcomers...
The sword of St. Michael...
... was the coveted prize in the treasure trove sought by current-day salvage crew Thalassa and its leader, Captain Gerald Neidleman...
But...
Could this newest team of treasure hunters overcome the curse of Ragged Island and come away with the pirate's treasure?...
Ye who lust after the key to the water pit shall find instead the key to the next world...
This novel is an excellent story about a modern-day treasure hunt using all the latest technology and equipment. I've personally read this novel 5 times and found it to be an amazing adventure from start to finish. It's not overly technical in the storytelling.
Recommend to all adventure seekers!
May 13, 2014
Tale focuses on a group of treasure hunters who are trying to find the buried treasure of a nefarious pirate. It was likely inspired by the Oak Island Money Pit up near Nova Scotia where Captain Kidd or perhaps Blackbeard buried their treasure hoard. Anyway, this treasure hoard is estimated at 2 billion dollars in the late 1990s and the choice item is St. Michael's Sword which is said to kill any mortal who looks upon it. Nobody really knows what St. Michael's Sword is when the novel begins.
To further complicate matters the hoard is located at an island off the New England coast which has the dreaded Water Pit Trap which has killed or ruined many treasure hunters/explorers of the past. It's a well thought out investigative tale bringing in many fields to solve the many issues they face (i.e. history, word puzzles, geology, computer science, medicine, etc). And the realization of St. Michael's Sword, even if obvious about 3/4 of the way through the book is still satisfying.
People who enjoy puzzles or the grand treasure hunt will likely enjoy this novel. Characters are well fleshed out though a few fall dangerously close to stereotypes and such.
These two authors are probably best known for their novel, RELIC, which was turned into a so so movie back in the day.
CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B plus to A minus; STORY/PLOTTING: B plus to A minus; PUZZLES/MYSTERIES: A minus; WHEN READ: September to November 2011; OVERALL GRADE: A minus.
To further complicate matters the hoard is located at an island off the New England coast which has the dreaded Water Pit Trap which has killed or ruined many treasure hunters/explorers of the past. It's a well thought out investigative tale bringing in many fields to solve the many issues they face (i.e. history, word puzzles, geology, computer science, medicine, etc). And the realization of St. Michael's Sword, even if obvious about 3/4 of the way through the book is still satisfying.
People who enjoy puzzles or the grand treasure hunt will likely enjoy this novel. Characters are well fleshed out though a few fall dangerously close to stereotypes and such.
These two authors are probably best known for their novel, RELIC, which was turned into a so so movie back in the day.
CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B plus to A minus; STORY/PLOTTING: B plus to A minus; PUZZLES/MYSTERIES: A minus; WHEN READ: September to November 2011; OVERALL GRADE: A minus.
March 19, 2017
Riptide a non-Pendergast book by messieurs Preston & Child which concerns itself a group of treasure hunters that wants to solve the riddle of the waterpit of Ragged Island where by lore is told lies the buried treasure of the illustrious pirate Red Ned Ockham. These days worth something around 2 billion dollars and the mysterious Spanish treasure "St. Michael's Sword" that was a secret weapon that could kill anybody.
In the history of Ragged Island there is a long list of failed attempts of recovering the treasure with a lot of deaths and financial downfall for those involved. Enter the current owner Malin Hatch who lost his brother in the traps left behind on this mysterious treasure island. When he gets an offer for 50% of the treasure without any effort on his part he allows it but enters the group as their kind medical doctor. Hatch returns to the place of his youth with all the memories he left behind and sees firsthand what the impact of the treasure hunters is on the local community and what happens with the seekers while they are busy recovering the treasure. The modern abilities of the treasure hunters prove to be too much for the architect of the water pit. And yet this ancient architect has some surprises up his sleeve that will throw the whole expedition in disarray. The secret of "St Michael's Sword" get disclosed and we learn what calculating folks the Spaniards where and how far they went to stop the unstoppable pirate.
A great stand alone book that is grand adventure and the only one of their writing not connected to any other book in their two series. Well worth your time and written in such a way that you want to keep reading until you know what did happen en how it ends. An early novel that is actually a lot of fun to read especially on the beach.
In the history of Ragged Island there is a long list of failed attempts of recovering the treasure with a lot of deaths and financial downfall for those involved. Enter the current owner Malin Hatch who lost his brother in the traps left behind on this mysterious treasure island. When he gets an offer for 50% of the treasure without any effort on his part he allows it but enters the group as their kind medical doctor. Hatch returns to the place of his youth with all the memories he left behind and sees firsthand what the impact of the treasure hunters is on the local community and what happens with the seekers while they are busy recovering the treasure. The modern abilities of the treasure hunters prove to be too much for the architect of the water pit. And yet this ancient architect has some surprises up his sleeve that will throw the whole expedition in disarray. The secret of "St Michael's Sword" get disclosed and we learn what calculating folks the Spaniards where and how far they went to stop the unstoppable pirate.
A great stand alone book that is grand adventure and the only one of their writing not connected to any other book in their two series. Well worth your time and written in such a way that you want to keep reading until you know what did happen en how it ends. An early novel that is actually a lot of fun to read especially on the beach.
July 4, 2018
This is my third Preston & Child book (the first two being their Pendergast series) and I am now convinced that I don’t need to read any of their synopses anymore, I am just going to pick up their books and read. I’m not sure which author writes which part, but I don’t care. Lol! I just know that whenever I start to read I feel like I’m intensely reading the page word by word because so much is happening, and you can see the movie being played in your head. This one, especially, had some exciting, gripping and hold-your-breath-moments that made the time just fly by while reading. I thought it was great! 😊
January 27, 2018
Extremely disappointing 1.85 stars.
Psstt
Psstt
July 10, 2018
Compelling tale. Absolutely loved reading it!
August 14, 2016
Ever hear of the Oak Island mystery? If you haven't, you should look it up. It's a fascinating (and TRUE!) story of buried treasure…or at least a buried SOMETHING, on an island off the coast of Nova Scotia. As I have many times, Preston and Child have taken a more-or-less historic event and built a tale around it, and a fascinating one at that. In fact, outside of the Pendergast books, this is probably my favorite book by P & C. It's gripping right clear through and holds up through repeated readings…and I ought to know, I've read it four times now. I'd say it's the perfect vacation book, but it's awfully distracting. Perhaps the perfect "cold winter day" book?
Interested in reading the "in fact" basis of the story? Here's an excellent article, courtesy of Doug Preston His Own Self:
Interested in reading the "in fact" basis of the story? Here's an excellent article, courtesy of Doug Preston His Own Self:
January 16, 2015
This book is not for me. Abandoning it, after half way mark. Sluggish plot pacing. I feel like I'm still waiting for something interesting to happen and the book is half over. Alot of talk about water pumps, pipes, engineering - not my thing. The characters seem a bit flat, too. It felt like the authors were just phoning it in, to meet a publishing requirement. I've read a number of books by these authors, particularly the Pendergast series, and really liked them. I don't know what happened with this book, though. Oh well - you win some, you lose some.
August 15, 2018
Too much time has passed since I've read a Preston and Child adventure. Riptide was quite fun, no doubt! However... something about it placed it just beneath my favorites: Thunderhead, Mount Dragon and Ice Limit. But still a great story, I love the set up -- an island a good distance from the mainland, shrouded in fog, carries a history with mysteries and legends. Ties to pirates, and their gruesome feats. The idea of a gargantuan buried fortune that no one has been able to get their hands on, for generations... I love it! You know its a Preston/Child trademark novel when a challenge, such as Ragged Island, is faced head-on with millions of dollars spent on the latest high tech gadgets and the best scientists one can find.
But of course, no matter how much staff you have on hand, or how brilliant your technicians may be, how strong your structural support, or how many sensors giving readings of weather, pressure, temperature, etc... Shit's bound to get hairy
But of course, no matter how much staff you have on hand, or how brilliant your technicians may be, how strong your structural support, or how many sensors giving readings of weather, pressure, temperature, etc... Shit's bound to get hairy
January 9, 2018
75% of their thrillers seem to involve subterranean tunnels, caverns, pits, shafts, underground labyrinths, subways, dens, etc. It's getting a little old. This is also the second thriller featuring a weirdo fire-and-brimstone evangelical preacher, which is even more annoying.
On the plus side, there were no hoboes.
July 14, 2018
Truly incredible. I was able to hear every sound, smell every smell, and see every sight. The tone of the dialogue was completely audible. I enjoyed every moment and wish that the next adventure of Hatch and Bonterre was chronicled!
April 23, 2018
Enjoyed the story. Moved fast not overly detailed.
July 2, 2022
Wat een heerlijk spannend boek is dit!
Volgens een legende ligt er op Ragged Island in Maine een enorme schat verborgen, in een diepe put. Het zou de schat van zeerover Red Ned Ockham zijn, verschillende scheepsladingen vol kostbaarheden, waaronder ook het legendarische St. Michaels zwaard.
Malin Hatch woonde in zijn jeugd vlak bij het eiland. Hij is er zelfs de eigenaar van, want zijn grootvader had het gekocht om de schat op te graven, zonder succes trouwens. Na een tragedie is Malin met zijn moeder naar Boston vertrokken om nooit meer terug te keren naar Ragged Island. Hij is ondertussen een geëerd dokter en onderzoeker geworden.
Op een dag krijgt hij bezoek van kapitein Neidelman, die hem toestemming vraagt om namens Thalasso, de sponsor, een nieuwe poging te mogen wagen om de Put droog te leggen en de schat te vinden. Hatch weigert eerst, maar Neidelman kan hem toch overtuigen.
En dan duurt het niet lang eer het werk begint. Zal Neidelman erin slagen om de Put zijn geheimen te laten prijsgeven, en dus ook de schat? Ten koste waarvan?
Het hele boek door is er spanning aanwezig. Eerst door de vele problemen die er onvermijdelijk opduiken bij de voorbereidingen, ook neemt de spanning tussen de teamleden toe (want het gaat hier tenslotte om heel veel geld!), en dan alle gebeurtenissen tijdens het eigenlijke graafwerk en de ontdekking van de schatkamer.
Ik vond het echt prachtig geschreven. Korte hoofdstukken, die uitnodigen tot 'nog ééntje' lezen; de gebeurtenissen volgen elkaar ook heel snel op. Ik heb genoten van dit boek!
Volgens een legende ligt er op Ragged Island in Maine een enorme schat verborgen, in een diepe put. Het zou de schat van zeerover Red Ned Ockham zijn, verschillende scheepsladingen vol kostbaarheden, waaronder ook het legendarische St. Michaels zwaard.
Malin Hatch woonde in zijn jeugd vlak bij het eiland. Hij is er zelfs de eigenaar van, want zijn grootvader had het gekocht om de schat op te graven, zonder succes trouwens. Na een tragedie is Malin met zijn moeder naar Boston vertrokken om nooit meer terug te keren naar Ragged Island. Hij is ondertussen een geëerd dokter en onderzoeker geworden.
Op een dag krijgt hij bezoek van kapitein Neidelman, die hem toestemming vraagt om namens Thalasso, de sponsor, een nieuwe poging te mogen wagen om de Put droog te leggen en de schat te vinden. Hatch weigert eerst, maar Neidelman kan hem toch overtuigen.
En dan duurt het niet lang eer het werk begint. Zal Neidelman erin slagen om de Put zijn geheimen te laten prijsgeven, en dus ook de schat? Ten koste waarvan?
Het hele boek door is er spanning aanwezig. Eerst door de vele problemen die er onvermijdelijk opduiken bij de voorbereidingen, ook neemt de spanning tussen de teamleden toe (want het gaat hier tenslotte om heel veel geld!), en dan alle gebeurtenissen tijdens het eigenlijke graafwerk en de ontdekking van de schatkamer.
Ik vond het echt prachtig geschreven. Korte hoofdstukken, die uitnodigen tot 'nog ééntje' lezen; de gebeurtenissen volgen elkaar ook heel snel op. Ik heb genoten van dit boek!
May 22, 2017
A library book. This is a good ole pirate-treasure-hunters story by the author of _The Lost City of the Monkey God_, one of his thrillers written with Lincoln Child.
* * * * *
Eek! I stayed up until 1 a.m. to finish this, then was too keyed up from the excitement to sleep for a while afterwards. This is my first Preston/Child novel and I'm told it's not their best offering; however, I gave it five stars because it has everything I look for in escapist fiction: adventure, fast pacing, intriguing characters, and a great setting.
* * * * *
Eek! I stayed up until 1 a.m. to finish this, then was too keyed up from the excitement to sleep for a while afterwards. This is my first Preston/Child novel and I'm told it's not their best offering; however, I gave it five stars because it has everything I look for in escapist fiction: adventure, fast pacing, intriguing characters, and a great setting.
May 17, 2019
A good adventure yarn of people looking for treasure buried in a water pit. This had to have been inspired by the "Mystery Of Oak Island". Lots of spooky tunnels and lots of action. Recommended.
August 7, 2012
Anyone familiar with the works of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child will understand the basic set-up of Riptide. There is some sort of historical “macguffin� wrapped together with an arcane, esoteric mystery. Modern investigators are trying to get at the former and just enough strange events take place to make one believe that something supernatural is happening. In this case, computer networks that are supposed to be fully synchronized degrade without explanation and expensive scientific instruments give off false readings along with mysterious ailments among the cast of characters in the novel and “historical� populations which preceded them (at least, within the conceit of the story). And, of course, there usually is a clear-cut, rational cause for the “supernatural� events in these stories and Riptide is no exception. Indeed, I was relatively certain of the cause in this story long before the revelation (or perhaps, without spoiling things, I could pun “Revelation�) within the story. In fact, there was even a secondary cause to some of the problems that was obvious before the big revelation late in the novel.
In spite of the lack (at least, for me) of the usual surprises from Preston and Child in this novel, Riptide really was interesting. The historical “macguffin� was the buried treasure of a pirate named Red Ned Ockham (Do you suppose he used a razor as his weapon of choice? Is this firm evidence that one of the authors watched Swashbuckler where Robert Shaw played Red Ned Lynch in a memorable film performance in a forgettable film?) that was allegedly cursed. Indeed, there are prologues to the book and an early event in the life of the protagonist to suggest that there was something to this curse.
Extrapolating from old texts and manuscripts, a large salvage venture accumulates a small fortune in order to go after a vast fortune and a mysterious artifact within the pirate’s treasure. The research indicated that the treasure was buried within a network of lethal traps, but there was also overt proof of the existence of the treasure. With a juxtaposition of family tragedy serving as the motivation for one protagonist and the obsession with both beating the traps and gaining the treasure as the obsession of another major character, the story proceeds at a fairly brisk pace.
In addition to building fascinating characters, Preston and Child have a tendency to pull from the best of literature and the Bible in order to knot together a tighter mystery or thriller. In this case, I was annoyed by the abuse of passages from the Book of Revelation when they recounted the minister’s speech but delighted when there was a clever rationale behind the use of the passage toward the end of the story. In addition to the Bible, there is a reference to a networked fantasy game called The Sword of Blackthorne which seems to be a call-back to an early PC game called Blade of Blackpool and one of the villains in the Ultima series. A casual remark about the dreaded Island of Dr. Hatch reminds one of The Island of Dr. Moreau and the control tower for the expedition is called Orthanc in homage to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. There are quotations from classic poets like Homer, Coleridge, and Dickenson, as well as lesser known ones like Coventry Patmon.
My favorite line relates to my studies in Archaeology. The beautiful archaeologist in the novel says, “Ah. Religious reasons. That is what we archaeologists always say when we do not understand something.� (p. 320) It’s all too true and something of which I apprise my history students whenever possible.
I enjoyed Riptide, but I’m bothered by the sense that all of the ministers in novels by Preston and Child tend to be more than a little bit “off.� In some sense, they seem deluded and in other ways, they seem to have more sense than some of the protagonists. In Riptide, the Rev. Woody Clay longs for some great, meaningful crusade—even if it means martyrdom. He is rigid and unbending, idealistic and bitter. Yet, these ministers seem to play a vital role in each plot. It is almost like Preston and Child are begrudgingly ambiguous about the value of religion. They aren’t quite ready to condemn it or to condone it in its entirety.
If you haven’t read Riptide and you’ve enjoyed other books by these authors, you should grab it right away. If you’ve never experienced these authors, I would still recommend the Pendergast series ahead of this one.
In spite of the lack (at least, for me) of the usual surprises from Preston and Child in this novel, Riptide really was interesting. The historical “macguffin� was the buried treasure of a pirate named Red Ned Ockham (Do you suppose he used a razor as his weapon of choice? Is this firm evidence that one of the authors watched Swashbuckler where Robert Shaw played Red Ned Lynch in a memorable film performance in a forgettable film?) that was allegedly cursed. Indeed, there are prologues to the book and an early event in the life of the protagonist to suggest that there was something to this curse.
Extrapolating from old texts and manuscripts, a large salvage venture accumulates a small fortune in order to go after a vast fortune and a mysterious artifact within the pirate’s treasure. The research indicated that the treasure was buried within a network of lethal traps, but there was also overt proof of the existence of the treasure. With a juxtaposition of family tragedy serving as the motivation for one protagonist and the obsession with both beating the traps and gaining the treasure as the obsession of another major character, the story proceeds at a fairly brisk pace.
In addition to building fascinating characters, Preston and Child have a tendency to pull from the best of literature and the Bible in order to knot together a tighter mystery or thriller. In this case, I was annoyed by the abuse of passages from the Book of Revelation when they recounted the minister’s speech but delighted when there was a clever rationale behind the use of the passage toward the end of the story. In addition to the Bible, there is a reference to a networked fantasy game called The Sword of Blackthorne which seems to be a call-back to an early PC game called Blade of Blackpool and one of the villains in the Ultima series. A casual remark about the dreaded Island of Dr. Hatch reminds one of The Island of Dr. Moreau and the control tower for the expedition is called Orthanc in homage to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. There are quotations from classic poets like Homer, Coleridge, and Dickenson, as well as lesser known ones like Coventry Patmon.
My favorite line relates to my studies in Archaeology. The beautiful archaeologist in the novel says, “Ah. Religious reasons. That is what we archaeologists always say when we do not understand something.� (p. 320) It’s all too true and something of which I apprise my history students whenever possible.
I enjoyed Riptide, but I’m bothered by the sense that all of the ministers in novels by Preston and Child tend to be more than a little bit “off.� In some sense, they seem deluded and in other ways, they seem to have more sense than some of the protagonists. In Riptide, the Rev. Woody Clay longs for some great, meaningful crusade—even if it means martyrdom. He is rigid and unbending, idealistic and bitter. Yet, these ministers seem to play a vital role in each plot. It is almost like Preston and Child are begrudgingly ambiguous about the value of religion. They aren’t quite ready to condemn it or to condone it in its entirety.
If you haven’t read Riptide and you’ve enjoyed other books by these authors, you should grab it right away. If you’ve never experienced these authors, I would still recommend the Pendergast series ahead of this one.
July 17, 2013
Thoroughly entertaining on every level! I couldn't wait to dig into this one once I read the back cover. While this story was fictional, it was based off a real water pit and now I feel compelled to learn about the real deal. Any reader who enjoys his other books is bound to enjoy this one too.
August 26, 2021
3 Stars
*A standard treasure-hunting adventure with some pacing issues*
I usually avoid co-authored books because they often lack cohesion. But I’ve been told by so many people that Preston and Child are “THE BEST� coauthor team that I finally decided to give them a try.
Riptide caught my eye because it is set in Maine and is about buried pirate treasure. And really that’s about all it takes to get my attention. I spent plenty of time in my childhood secretly hoping to stumble across Blackbeard’s treasure as I explored the rocky Maine coast.
The story is about the legend of Red Ned Ockham’s treasure supposedly buried in a booby-trapped pit on an island off Maine’s coast. Naturally, the island is also supposedly cursed. Every good buried treasure has a curse, of course.
Malin Hatch is the main character whose family has owned the island for generations but has seen nothing but tragedy from it. Despite never wanting to return, an avid treasure hunter talks Hatch into allowing his team to dig for the treasure. And once he gives in, Hatch naturally has to get in on the action himself. But no one digs up a cursed pirate treasure without consequences, and it won’t be long before the team is questioning if the curse is real.
At times the story was exciting at times, but at others it got bogged down by info dump. Readers will hopefully have a strong interest in drainage pumps and the other less glamorous and mundane aspects of treasure hunting. I would have expected the history and code breaking parts to pull me in again, but those were pretty dry as well. Also, the Maine setting was generic and mostly revolved around having people eat a lot of lobster.
Unfortunately, Preston and Child couldn’t resist putting the stereotypical overly-strict New England preacher character in. And that was when I lost quite a bit of interest in the story. The religious zealotism and proselytizing was annoying. (On a side note, every time I type “Preston and Child,� I feel like I’m talking about a law firm.)
My reaction to the other characters ranged from apathy to dislike, and that was really the biggest let down of this book. Even for an action story, I need to care about the characters in order to really feel the tension. When I don’t particularly care if the character makes it through a situation, it’s almost impossible to be invested in the story. The level of psychotic obsession got old after a while too. And that lost love sideline was lame and so cringe-worthy.
Chapters tended to end on mini cliffhangers designed to keep you flipping the pages, but I have to admit that my attention wandered at times. The writing style stuck to that Action & Adventure vibe that was popular in the 80’s and 90’s. That made it entertaining but kind of generic. It would have helped if I was more engaged with the characters. And if I’d been less annoyed with the side plots. Overall, the story was entertaining enough, exciting at times, but not particularly memorable. I suppose it did fulfill my expectations of pirate treasure hunt, but it didn’t raise the bar. This is a fine book if you want a little treasure hunting, but it didn’t “Wow� me.
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 3 Stars
Originality: 3 Stars
*A standard treasure-hunting adventure with some pacing issues*
I usually avoid co-authored books because they often lack cohesion. But I’ve been told by so many people that Preston and Child are “THE BEST� coauthor team that I finally decided to give them a try.
Riptide caught my eye because it is set in Maine and is about buried pirate treasure. And really that’s about all it takes to get my attention. I spent plenty of time in my childhood secretly hoping to stumble across Blackbeard’s treasure as I explored the rocky Maine coast.
The story is about the legend of Red Ned Ockham’s treasure supposedly buried in a booby-trapped pit on an island off Maine’s coast. Naturally, the island is also supposedly cursed. Every good buried treasure has a curse, of course.
Malin Hatch is the main character whose family has owned the island for generations but has seen nothing but tragedy from it. Despite never wanting to return, an avid treasure hunter talks Hatch into allowing his team to dig for the treasure. And once he gives in, Hatch naturally has to get in on the action himself. But no one digs up a cursed pirate treasure without consequences, and it won’t be long before the team is questioning if the curse is real.
At times the story was exciting at times, but at others it got bogged down by info dump. Readers will hopefully have a strong interest in drainage pumps and the other less glamorous and mundane aspects of treasure hunting. I would have expected the history and code breaking parts to pull me in again, but those were pretty dry as well. Also, the Maine setting was generic and mostly revolved around having people eat a lot of lobster.
Unfortunately, Preston and Child couldn’t resist putting the stereotypical overly-strict New England preacher character in. And that was when I lost quite a bit of interest in the story. The religious zealotism and proselytizing was annoying. (On a side note, every time I type “Preston and Child,� I feel like I’m talking about a law firm.)
My reaction to the other characters ranged from apathy to dislike, and that was really the biggest let down of this book. Even for an action story, I need to care about the characters in order to really feel the tension. When I don’t particularly care if the character makes it through a situation, it’s almost impossible to be invested in the story. The level of psychotic obsession got old after a while too. And that lost love sideline was lame and so cringe-worthy.
Chapters tended to end on mini cliffhangers designed to keep you flipping the pages, but I have to admit that my attention wandered at times. The writing style stuck to that Action & Adventure vibe that was popular in the 80’s and 90’s. That made it entertaining but kind of generic. It would have helped if I was more engaged with the characters. And if I’d been less annoyed with the side plots. Overall, the story was entertaining enough, exciting at times, but not particularly memorable. I suppose it did fulfill my expectations of pirate treasure hunt, but it didn’t raise the bar. This is a fine book if you want a little treasure hunting, but it didn’t “Wow� me.
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 3 Stars
Originality: 3 Stars
January 25, 2008
When I was a kid, I was always really interested in ghost stories and strange tales. Like the Mary Celeste that was found drifting completely empty; no signs of struggle, food left on the plates, no survivors ever found. Or the story of the Japanese soldier who refused to believe WWII had ended and spent 20+ years living in the jungle until his original commanding officer personally came to tell him to come home. This book takes from another famous story I read about when I was young; the water pit.
The water pit was originally found in the 18th century on an island off the eastern seaboard. A man found a small depression in the ground underneath a block and tackle. He began to dig and discovered a shaft that had been refilled. Excited that he was on the track of a famous rumored pirate treasure, they kept digging and discovered a wooden platform at 10 ft. Eventually digging down to around 100 ft, the pit suddenly began to fill with water. Long story short, no one has ever been able to excavate the obviously human-made pit and several lives have been lost.
Enter this book. A group of treasure-hunters seek to uncover the mystery of the money pit and recover the supposed 2 billion dollar reward. The old island curse however soon begins to claim lives. Very entertaining book.
The water pit was originally found in the 18th century on an island off the eastern seaboard. A man found a small depression in the ground underneath a block and tackle. He began to dig and discovered a shaft that had been refilled. Excited that he was on the track of a famous rumored pirate treasure, they kept digging and discovered a wooden platform at 10 ft. Eventually digging down to around 100 ft, the pit suddenly began to fill with water. Long story short, no one has ever been able to excavate the obviously human-made pit and several lives have been lost.
Enter this book. A group of treasure-hunters seek to uncover the mystery of the money pit and recover the supposed 2 billion dollar reward. The old island curse however soon begins to claim lives. Very entertaining book.
November 1, 2011
This book had so much potential! The storyline had really compelling personal stories, opportunities for suspense and intrigue, and creativity along the lines of Michael Crieghton or Dan Brown. And the authors completely botched it!! In the first place, the title is entirely irrelevant to the book. They had multitudinous opportunities to make the reader connect with the characters and they completely neglected this vital point. The complex characters became completely cliched. What could have been an incredibly fast-paced and engaging plot suffocated under meaningless description and inane details. A few re-worded pages could have fixed the holes in the plot - gaping holes big enough to drive a train through.
I am more offended by the fact that they had a superb and fascinating concept and ruined it than I am about the shoddy character formation. I still give it two stars for a great idea, but the book itself was a waste of time, mine and theirs. All in all, this book belongs on the Disappointment Shelf.
I am more offended by the fact that they had a superb and fascinating concept and ruined it than I am about the shoddy character formation. I still give it two stars for a great idea, but the book itself was a waste of time, mine and theirs. All in all, this book belongs on the Disappointment Shelf.
February 19, 2022
To nie było moje pierwsze spotkanie z duetem autorów Preston-Child, jednak zastanawiałam się czy "Zabójcza fala" to jest książka dla mnie. Powieść przygodowa o poszukiwaniu skarbu piratów? Stare mapy i tym podobne? Brzmi jak temat historyjek dla dzieci, a ja już chyba jestem na nie trochę za stara, chociaż w dzieciństwie je uwielbiałam. Jednak wizja pokonywania pułapek rodem z uwielbianego przeze mnie Indiany Jonesa ostatecznie mnie skusiła i nie żałuję, że zabrałam się za tę książkę.
Świat poszukiwaczy skarbów wciągnął mnie tak, że nie mogłam się oderwać i z niecierpliwością czekałam na zakończenie. A z tego co pamiętam było ono bardzo pomysłowe, przewidywałam zupełnie inne rozwiązanie. Może niektórzy uznają je za naciągane, ale nie można zaprzeczyć, że jest zaskakujące :)
Jeżeli macie ochotę na współczesną historię o poszukiwaniu skarbów, pełną nowoczesnego sprzętu i technologii, dodatkowo z nutką thrillera - polecam! Fani Prestona i Childa na pewno się nie zawiodą.
7/10
Świat poszukiwaczy skarbów wciągnął mnie tak, że nie mogłam się oderwać i z niecierpliwością czekałam na zakończenie. A z tego co pamiętam było ono bardzo pomysłowe, przewidywałam zupełnie inne rozwiązanie. Może niektórzy uznają je za naciągane, ale nie można zaprzeczyć, że jest zaskakujące :)
Jeżeli macie ochotę na współczesną historię o poszukiwaniu skarbów, pełną nowoczesnego sprzętu i technologii, dodatkowo z nutką thrillera - polecam! Fani Prestona i Childa na pewno się nie zawiodą.
7/10
September 27, 2012
A tale of lost pirate treasure in the vein of films such as Indiana Jones and National Treasure. While it started a bit slow, building the history of the water pit and the tragedy that struck all that tried to uncover its treasure, including Malin Hatch's family, it came to a rip-roaring crescendo -- action, adventure, romance, tempests, pirate treasure, double crosses -- it had it all. It also had a great line of dialogue in the closing chapter, which I am not spoiling anything by revealing without context: "head or tail."
Update: I am subtracting a star because author Douglas Preston seems to be a douchebag.
Update: I am subtracting a star because author Douglas Preston seems to be a douchebag.
August 9, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. This is the first Preston/Child novel I have read but it won't be the last! Loads of action plus a great yarn about a pirate's buried treasure. Three hundred years ago a pirate buried his treasure on an island and set up multiple hazards to trap anyone trying to get the treasure. Highly recommend this one.
July 6, 2020
Wow! Nonstop action, much of it deep in the muddy tunnels under an island. Not for the faint of heart or those (like me) with claustrophobia! But fast-paced with their usual cast of very diverse, well-written characters. And what a twist toward the end! Pirate booty? Yes, and more than you'd ever bargain for.
August 6, 2018
based on the synopsis, I assumed this book contained a monster, but it didn't. I've also read a book by these authors before, and it did have a monster so I was disappointed. Maybe if I didn't have such monstrous expectations, I would have liked it more. But without the benefit of a homicidal creature running around killing everyone, this was just a story about a hunt for treasure.
Sure the water pit that protected the treasure contained some disturbing traps, and the search for riches brought out the worst in everyone. But I didn't want a metaphorical monster that came in the form of mankind's greed, I wanted a real freaking monster!
Overall, the writing style was fun. There wasn't a lot of action, but there wasn't too little action either. I really enjoy the way the authors write with such detail when it comes to the action scene, but their detailed natures can be laborious when it comes to everything else. The book contained too many details about technology that was new when the book was written but is more than twenty years old now, and I know more about the delicacies of draining a water pit or the proper way to maintain a boat than I will ever need to know.
The main character was your quintessential "hero". He was filled with likable flaws and driven by a noble cause. But I didn't particularly like him because there was nothing to like. His motivator was finding out what exactly killed his older brother when they were children, but on more than one occasion, I questioned that motive. He knew the hunt for the treasure had not only ruined his family but countless others had suffered in pursuit of it. I just didn't buy that he was risking all of that pain just to find out what exactly killed his brother. He wanted the treasure.
I also didn't like the inclusion of the main character's romantic interests. One was an old girlfriend and the other was an oversexed archaeologist. Neither woman had much of a real personality. They were just reflections of the way the main character saw them, and apparently he didn't see them as being that interesting because they bored me. In fact, most of the characters were cliche and boring. When they weren't in the water pit dealing with the latest problem, they just weren't anything special.
I think this book just didn't age all that well. What may have been fresh and innovative writing in the nineties has simply been done too many times by now. Maybe if I had watched fewer movies that stuck to this exact formula, I would have liked this book more.
If you want and easy read about a treasure hunt, this one isn't half bad, but I've certainly read better and watched better movies.
Sure the water pit that protected the treasure contained some disturbing traps, and the search for riches brought out the worst in everyone. But I didn't want a metaphorical monster that came in the form of mankind's greed, I wanted a real freaking monster!
Overall, the writing style was fun. There wasn't a lot of action, but there wasn't too little action either. I really enjoy the way the authors write with such detail when it comes to the action scene, but their detailed natures can be laborious when it comes to everything else. The book contained too many details about technology that was new when the book was written but is more than twenty years old now, and I know more about the delicacies of draining a water pit or the proper way to maintain a boat than I will ever need to know.
The main character was your quintessential "hero". He was filled with likable flaws and driven by a noble cause. But I didn't particularly like him because there was nothing to like. His motivator was finding out what exactly killed his older brother when they were children, but on more than one occasion, I questioned that motive. He knew the hunt for the treasure had not only ruined his family but countless others had suffered in pursuit of it. I just didn't buy that he was risking all of that pain just to find out what exactly killed his brother. He wanted the treasure.
I also didn't like the inclusion of the main character's romantic interests. One was an old girlfriend and the other was an oversexed archaeologist. Neither woman had much of a real personality. They were just reflections of the way the main character saw them, and apparently he didn't see them as being that interesting because they bored me. In fact, most of the characters were cliche and boring. When they weren't in the water pit dealing with the latest problem, they just weren't anything special.
I think this book just didn't age all that well. What may have been fresh and innovative writing in the nineties has simply been done too many times by now. Maybe if I had watched fewer movies that stuck to this exact formula, I would have liked this book more.
If you want and easy read about a treasure hunt, this one isn't half bad, but I've certainly read better and watched better movies.
June 2, 2022
Preston & Child set the standard. Once again, another marvelous novel filled with action, mystery, suspense, and soooo many thrills!
The story is about Malin Hatch who loses his brother while digging for pirate’s treasure as a kid, treasure on their family-owned island that just happens to have a history akin to Oak Island of TV fame. Jump forward about 25 years, and Malin agrees to let a treasure hunting conglomerate onto the island to bring up the treasure once and for all, with him acting as their partner.
The only faults I found were the technical mumbo jumbo included that made no sense - such as listing the secret to digging up the treasure, but before the code was cracked. I also wish some of the characters and their relationships had been more fleshed out, such as Niedelman and his right hand devoted war buddy, Streeter. But Kudos for the French archaeologist chic, Isobel Bonterre. What a flirtatious and dynamic character! There are some great interactions between her and the other characters, especially Malin. The pages woke up when she made an appearance.
This is definitely a strong four star read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, teetering on a five for me. If you like stories of buried treasure and pirates, this novel is for you!!
The story is about Malin Hatch who loses his brother while digging for pirate’s treasure as a kid, treasure on their family-owned island that just happens to have a history akin to Oak Island of TV fame. Jump forward about 25 years, and Malin agrees to let a treasure hunting conglomerate onto the island to bring up the treasure once and for all, with him acting as their partner.
The only faults I found were the technical mumbo jumbo included that made no sense - such as listing the secret to digging up the treasure, but before the code was cracked. I also wish some of the characters and their relationships had been more fleshed out, such as Niedelman and his right hand devoted war buddy, Streeter. But Kudos for the French archaeologist chic, Isobel Bonterre. What a flirtatious and dynamic character! There are some great interactions between her and the other characters, especially Malin. The pages woke up when she made an appearance.
This is definitely a strong four star read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, teetering on a five for me. If you like stories of buried treasure and pirates, this novel is for you!!
December 6, 2021
Very exciting and interesting read! I appreciate how relatively clean it was compared to other adult books I’ve recently read.
Preston and Child always leave me more educated about the world and its history.
Preston and Child always leave me more educated about the world and its history.
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