Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Neptune’s Fortune:
I hate boats, but I’d still do some treasure hunting.
Quick synopsis:
The sinking of the Spanish Galleon, San José, and the recent efforts to find its resting place.
Fact for Non-History People:
The Nuestra Señora de Atocha, found in 1985, holds the record for the most valuable recovered treasure, valued at over $400 million. You know…. unless the San José gets found. Maybe in this book. Maybe not.
Fact for History Nerds:
A typical Spanish treasure fleet usually had about 4 tons of gold to say nothing of the silver and other gems.
My Take on Neptune’s Fortune:
I had high hopes for Julian Sancton’s newest, Neptune’s Fortune. After all, Madhouse at the End of the Earth is a perfect mixture of claustrophobic horror and perseverance in the age of polar exploration. It was a tight narrative, which left me, a shipwreck addict, supremely satisfied. Of course, seeing that Sancton was taking on a different shipwreck meant I knew what I was going to get all over again. I was psyched.
Instead, Sancton went the complete opposite way. Neptune’s Fortune is a story that crosses hundreds of years, tackles international politics, and follows a man who may not be able to be trusted. This isn’t Madhouse Part 2. This is completely different and still utterly fantastic. I demand that Sancton never write about anything but shipwrecks. (Please.)
This book has three parts. The first tells the story of how a Spanish galleon, the San José, ends up on the seafloor with over a billion dollars in gold and silver. While this is only the first part of the book, Sancton is not rushing. The battle was so engaging I literally stayed up too late to make sure I finished that part. The second part follows Roger Dooley. Who is Roger Dooley? Probably easier to say what he isn’t. Let’s just say he is a treasure hunter. For good or bad, well, like everything else about him, it’s complicated. The third part follows Dooley as he goes searching for the San Jose.
Literally nothing about this story is simple. Did the San José blow up? Is Dooley a liar or an obsessive genius? Even if the San José is found, who actually owns it? There are so many ways to take this narrative and Sancton always makes the right choice. It’s a must-read.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by NetGalley and Crown Publishing.)
Verdict:
Go get it now. Don’t wait. You are missing out. Buy it here!
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