A priceless object and an ­entire country’s fate rest in the hands of Juan Cabrillo and his crew aboard the high-tech spy ship Oregon. To the untrained eye, Oregon is a derelict tramp steamer. However, below deck are millions of dollars worth of gadgetry and equipment available to anyone who can afford it.

Cabrillo is charged by the CIA with finding the Golden Buddha, a statue of the utmost importance to Buddhism in spite of its somewhat shady history. If Cabrillo finds it, the exiled Dalai Lama will be able to return to Tibet. It will not be easy; others want the Buddha for darker purposes. Will the crew of Oregon find it, or will they fail?

Golden Buddha is impossible to put down. It makes you want to stay up until 3 a.m. reading until your eyes are bloodshot. You’ll find Cussler crams ­action into the plot until it ­overflows. Also the author of Sahara, he creates epic battles in exotic locales and dreams up interesting characters who, despite their differing backgrounds, are brought together on Oregon because of their ­passion for espionage.

Golden Buddha, the first ­adventure of the Oregon Files series, is an engrossing and awe-inspiring journey from cover to cover. This is a great book for anyone who is a fan of action-packed quests with lots of high-tech gizmos. I give it five stars.