At a maritime auction held in Barcelona, Merchant marine officer Manuel Coy finds himself witnessing an intense bidding war over a remarkable 17th-century nautical atlas. The winner of this fierce competition is the beautiful yet cool Tangier Soto. She is completely obsessed with the idea of finding a Jesuit ship that sank in the 17th century and is rumored to be carrying a fortune in emeralds.

With the help of Coy's friend and ship owner, El Piloto, they decide to join forces. Their combined efforts lead them to the discovery of the Dei Gloria and the precious emeralds. However, the journey is far from straightforward. There are numerous crosses and double crosses along the way, making it extremely difficult to determine who the "good" guys really are.

Evidently, this work is not the author at his best. Personally, I wasn't enthralled by it. While the sea information provided was interesting, the detailed descriptions of personal interactions and introspection were a bit too much for my taste. I prefer a more action-packed and less verbose narrative.

It seems that the author could have focused more on the adventure and less on the inner workings of the characters' minds. Nevertheless, it's still a story that may appeal to those who enjoy maritime history and a bit of mystery.

I have been making an effort to read this particular book for nearly 14 years. However, after this most recent attempt, I have finally decided to give up for good.

It is truly a pity because I have derived great enjoyment from his other literary works. But the list of books I want to read (TBR) is simply too long, and I cannot afford to waste my time slogging through the excessive details in this book that seem to lack any clear sense of purpose.

Moreover, I recently came across a spoilery review in an attempt to determine whether I should persevere. And after reading it, my decision was clear - nope. I have to admit that it is a bit disheartening to abandon a book that I have spent so much time and effort on, but sometimes, it is necessary to move on and focus on other reading materials that can provide a more fulfilling and engaging experience.

I was eagerly looking forward to this book as the author is one of my all-time favourites. And I wasn't let down at all.

This is a captivating treasure hunting tale, filled with all the mystery, intrigue, and dangers that one would expect from such a story. It truly keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The aspect that really struck me about this book is its pacing. Compared to similar stories, it is very slow. However, this is never an issue. You find yourself gradually making your way through the story, just like the main character, Coy. You discover things at the same time as he does and figure things out as he does. He becomes the reader's faithful companion. The pacing gives you the feeling that you are actually living the tale right beside Coy.

The beauty of this book lies in the vivid descriptions it provides throughout of the sea and life at sea. You can sense the deep passion that Coy has for it, and even a person like myself, who is a complete landlubber, feels like they have gained a better understanding by the end of the book. It's clear that the author must have done an enormous amount of research, and it really shows in the quality of the book.

It's also quite interesting to get a perspective on English seafarers, both past and present, from the Spanish side. Needless to say, it's quite different from the one I'm accustomed to!

I don't want to reveal too much more about the book as it truly needs to be discovered on one's own. But I do wholeheartedly recommend it. I also recommend some of his other titles, such as The Fencing Master, The Flanders Panel, and especially The Dumas Club. The man is a truly wonderful storyteller. And the good news is that I have many more of his books still waiting for me to read :-)

Medio machista, me costó avanzar las partes donde se describe a una mujer. Y hay muchas partes así. Es realmente frustrante leer cómo se presenta a las mujeres en este libro. Parece que no se les da el debido respeto y se reducen a simples estereotipos. Además, la historia se pone más o menos interesante solo luego de la mitad del libro. Antes de eso, es bastante aburrida y predecible. Y el personaje argentino, ¡qué decir! Parece un estereotipo sacado directamente de una inteligencia artificial. No tiene nada de real ni auténtico. Está tan bien definido y limitado que resulta difícil empatizar con él. Citado del libro: "A mi jefe le parecería que una alianza sería bien piola" - Militar argentino de la dictadura. Esta frase no aporta nada nuevo a la historia y simplemente se utiliza para reforzar el estereotipo del militar argentino.

After reading this particular book by Reverte, I have come to the conclusion that I don't think I'll be picking up any other of his works.

The story failed to engage me on a deeper level. The characters seemed one-dimensional and lacked the complexity that would have made them truly interesting.

The plot was predictable, and I found myself easily anticipating the next events. There was a lack of excitement and surprise that usually keeps me hooked until the very end.

Additionally, the writing style didn't appeal to me. It felt rather平淡 and didn't have the power to transport me into the world of the story.

Overall, this experience has left me with little desire to explore more of Reverte's books. I'm afraid this one has been a disappointment.

One of the most boring books of Le Carré (which usually I like incredibly). The classic le Carré hero, a hapless soul who is deliberately embroiled and an object-symbol, a simple justification for characters to be developed. I witnessed to finish it and imagine, I still remember that ordeal, ten years later.

The story seems to lack the usual depth and intrigue that Le Carré is known for. The characters feel somewhat flat and the plot meanders without a clear direction. It's as if the author was going through the motions, rather than truly engaging with the material.

Perhaps it was a misstep in his otherwise impressive body of work. However, even a great writer like Le Carré is entitled to an off day. Nevertheless, this particular book left me disappointed and longing for the more captivating tales that he has told in the past.

It was okay.

I didn't have the same level of affection for it as I did for The Flanders Panel.

At times, the story seemed to drag on, which made it a bit of a chore to get through.

However, it wasn't completely awful either.

The concept of searching for ancient sunken treasure, combined with elements of the Templars and a touch of modern seediness, was an interesting one.

It had the potential to be a thrilling adventure, but unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to that potential.

Perhaps with a bit more polish and a tighter plot, it could have been a really great read.

As it stands, it's an average book that will likely appeal to some readers, but not to others.

An entertaining book, yet it didn't quite reach the level I had expected.

If written as a straightforward story, it might be little more than a pamphlet. However, a detailed analysis of the characters' backgrounds and motivations can add depth to a book, making it engaging and rewarding. I believe this would be even more the case for "The Nautical Chart" if I could read it in the original Spanish. The translation is fine, but the language doesn't truly come alive in the way I think it should for this type of book.

The characters are interesting, if not particularly likeable, with decent backgrounds and some questionable motivations and loyalties. This adds up to a more engaging read than some more superficial thrillers. I understand that this isn't one of his best works and that other books have better translators. I may look for them.

The edition I read had an old map on the cover, with "The Nautical Chart" written on it. The problem is that the map was a regular map (blank sea, lots of detail about the land), not a nautical chart (almost blank land, lots of detail about the sea). Sloppy design by the publishers.

Una aventura en búsqueda del tesoro es una obra que cuenta una historia con una trama fácil y muy característica de Pérez Reverte.

Se desarrolla en un entorno marino, lo que le da un toque especial y atractivo.

La narración es entretenida y ágil, lo que hace que sea una lectura muy amena.

He tenido la oportunidad de leerla a ratos en la playa, y me ha resultado muy placentera.

Sin más, es una historia que te sumerge en un mundo de misterios y aventuras, y que te mantiene en vilo hasta el final.

Si eres amante de la literatura de aventuras y de los entornos marinos, esta obra definitivamente es para ti.

Lent to me by 'T', this book has just started its journey into my reading world.

I have a great appreciation for The Seville Communion written by Arturo Perez-Reverte. Now, this new book seems to have successfully seized my attention as well. However, I've noticed that I have to re-read certain paragraphs in order to gain a clear understanding.

The story appears to be filled with intrigue and mystery, which makes me eager to explore further. I'm looking forward to seeing where this literary adventure will take me.

Despite the need for re-reading, I believe that this book has the potential to be as captivating as The Seville Communion. I'll continue to immerse myself in its pages and discover the hidden gems within.

This is the very first novel penned by Perez-Reverte that has crossed my path. The historical elements within it truly held my attention captive.

The story, along with its writing style, I found to be nothing short of exceptional. At times, however, I couldn't help but feel that something got lost in the translation process.

Even though the pace was somewhat slow, I came to realize that the historical details and the deep introspection of the main character were absolutely essential to the overall plot.

You really get a chance to intimately know Coy, the sailor. The story is narrated from his perspective, which works well until this strange shift near the end of their journey.

Suddenly, we are informed that his story is actually being told by a cartographer that they had consulted. And then, just as abruptly, it shifts back to Coy's point of view. This was a very awkward transition.

The ending, perhaps, is a bit predictable, but I would still highly recommend that you experience it for yourself. I eagerly look forward to delving into more of Perez-Reverte's works in the future.

This is, without a doubt, the best book I've read in a very long time.

I can't recall the last time I awarded a novel five stars. I adored the prose. I'm not sure if the rhythm of the writing was related to the fact that this is a translation from Spanish, but it made me slow down and soak in every lyrical word as the author crafted the intricate tapestry of his story.

The dialog was concise yet every word held significance as I became immersed in Coy's history and his passion for sailing. While I typically detest excessive detail when an author expounds on a particular subject, as it often bogs down the narrative, Perez-Reverte managed to convince me of all things related to sailing and the ocean. The description of navigational methods was truly fascinating.

The mystery interwoven was恰到好处 as it paralleled the developing relationship between Coy and Tanger. The supporting characters were just as captivating as the protagonists. I consider Tanger a protagonist as well because the mystery surrounding her was a story in its own right. I would毫不犹豫地 classify this as historical fiction.

The best part was the supremely satisfying ending, a moment that hinged on one small detail for the protagonist, leaving me with the thought that it had to be exactly that way. I will definitely seek out other works by this author.