gollum
Gold Member
- Jan 2, 2006
- 6,770
- 7,719
- Detector(s) used
- Minelab SD2200D (Modded)/ Whites GMT 24k / Fisher FX-3 / Fisher Gold Bug II / Fisher Gemini / Schiebel MIMID / Falcon MD-20
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
"The Gold House Trilogy" Victorio Peak Book# 1
FINALLY finished "The Gold House Trilogy" Book 1 "The Discovery"
http://www.victoriopeak.com/index.php
I will give a very brief review of the book here, but will give a more in depth one at my web site in a day or so.
I stated on another thread that from what I have heard, these books should be a knockout. Well, I can honestly say that #1 is a "KNOCKOUT!"
For anybody not familiar with the Doc Noss/Victorio Peak Story, this book may be a bit too detail oriented. A lot of names, backgrounds, and day to day camp narratives. For ANYBODY that has read other VP Stories this book is ABSOLUTELY what everybody has been waiting for. Some time ago, I put it to Alex, that everybody who has read the standards on VP (100 Tons of Gold, Treasure at Victoria Peak, Whittle Article, etc) already knows all the main facts surrounding the story. What could these books add?
Let me answer my own question:
Darn near everything! I thought that I had a pretty firm grasp on the true story of VP and the people involved in the story. I must admit with some chagrin THAT I WAS WRONG! John Clarence (author) has spent several years researching everything to do with this story. He has been granted insider status from the Holy of Holies; the Noss Family. He has scoured the archives of the New Mexico State Police and many other governmental entities. He obtained information (documentary information) from a CIA Operative that never should have seen the light of day (that is a story in itself).
I don't want to just gloss over the Noss Family input in this. Clarence was given the freedom to use A LOT of privileged family information that has never before been released. Pictures, documents, sworn affidavits, video interviews, etc, etc, etc. The staggering amount of evidences referenced in this book makes it an ABSOLUTE "MUST HAVE" for anybody interested in the subject of treasure hunting, government conspiracies, and history in general. This is not "another" book on Victorio Peak and the Noss Family, it is THE book to have. I can't wait to dig into Book# 2.
One thing I do particularly like is that the author went into a lot of detail and spent a lot of time on Milton Ernest "Doc" Noss himself. The good, the bad, and the ugly, so to speak. He openly writes about Doc's propensity for drinking and fighting, as well as the MUCH less well known humorous side to Doc's personality. While it is a lot to take in, it is what everybody wants to know about a man that claimed to have found one of the great treasures of the world. Even to his murder. YES; I said "murder." Read the book and you will understand.
The negatives:
1. The print is pretty small. I understand that this was necessary to keep Book# 1 to about 400 pages. Folks without perfect vision will have to break out the reading glasses. LOL
2. Pictures are small and look kind of washed out. Many of them warranted their own pages and much more resolution. I understand again the length of the book was a concern and possibly the extra cost of adding glossy picture pages. Hopefully, John Clarence will add a photo album book as a supplement to the trilogy.
Please feel free to ask any questions you have. I will not give away information that is proprietary to the book, sorry.
Let me also say that I have absolutely ZERO monetary stake in the success or failure of this book. Because I was friendly with one of the main contributors of the trilogy, I was offered the opportunity to get advance copies of the books to read and review. Being a treasure hunter myself, how could I say NO?
Best-Mike
WHEW!
FINALLY finished "The Gold House Trilogy" Book 1 "The Discovery"
http://www.victoriopeak.com/index.php
I will give a very brief review of the book here, but will give a more in depth one at my web site in a day or so.
I stated on another thread that from what I have heard, these books should be a knockout. Well, I can honestly say that #1 is a "KNOCKOUT!"
For anybody not familiar with the Doc Noss/Victorio Peak Story, this book may be a bit too detail oriented. A lot of names, backgrounds, and day to day camp narratives. For ANYBODY that has read other VP Stories this book is ABSOLUTELY what everybody has been waiting for. Some time ago, I put it to Alex, that everybody who has read the standards on VP (100 Tons of Gold, Treasure at Victoria Peak, Whittle Article, etc) already knows all the main facts surrounding the story. What could these books add?
Let me answer my own question:
Darn near everything! I thought that I had a pretty firm grasp on the true story of VP and the people involved in the story. I must admit with some chagrin THAT I WAS WRONG! John Clarence (author) has spent several years researching everything to do with this story. He has been granted insider status from the Holy of Holies; the Noss Family. He has scoured the archives of the New Mexico State Police and many other governmental entities. He obtained information (documentary information) from a CIA Operative that never should have seen the light of day (that is a story in itself).
I don't want to just gloss over the Noss Family input in this. Clarence was given the freedom to use A LOT of privileged family information that has never before been released. Pictures, documents, sworn affidavits, video interviews, etc, etc, etc. The staggering amount of evidences referenced in this book makes it an ABSOLUTE "MUST HAVE" for anybody interested in the subject of treasure hunting, government conspiracies, and history in general. This is not "another" book on Victorio Peak and the Noss Family, it is THE book to have. I can't wait to dig into Book# 2.
One thing I do particularly like is that the author went into a lot of detail and spent a lot of time on Milton Ernest "Doc" Noss himself. The good, the bad, and the ugly, so to speak. He openly writes about Doc's propensity for drinking and fighting, as well as the MUCH less well known humorous side to Doc's personality. While it is a lot to take in, it is what everybody wants to know about a man that claimed to have found one of the great treasures of the world. Even to his murder. YES; I said "murder." Read the book and you will understand.
The negatives:
1. The print is pretty small. I understand that this was necessary to keep Book# 1 to about 400 pages. Folks without perfect vision will have to break out the reading glasses. LOL
2. Pictures are small and look kind of washed out. Many of them warranted their own pages and much more resolution. I understand again the length of the book was a concern and possibly the extra cost of adding glossy picture pages. Hopefully, John Clarence will add a photo album book as a supplement to the trilogy.
Please feel free to ask any questions you have. I will not give away information that is proprietary to the book, sorry.
Let me also say that I have absolutely ZERO monetary stake in the success or failure of this book. Because I was friendly with one of the main contributors of the trilogy, I was offered the opportunity to get advance copies of the books to read and review. Being a treasure hunter myself, how could I say NO?
Best-Mike