Frank Pope takes us inside the daring bid to raise a sunken trove of 15th century porcelain from the depths of the Dragon Sea, a treacherous stretch of water off the coast of Vietnam. As archaeological manager, Pope had a front row seat on the dramatic deep sea recovery of the precious cargo from the Hoi An wreck. His tale is replete with a cast of compelling characters: Renowned Oxford archaeologist Mensun Bound teamed up with a canny financier, a crew of hardened saturation divers and the Vietnamese military in a test of ingenuity and resolve. The stakes were high, but so were the potential rewards. Bound would have the chance to discover a lost era in Vietnamese civilisation, his backer stood to make millions at the auction block - if they could survive the threat of typhoons and pirates. In Dragon Sea Pope delivers a rivetting real-life thriller packed with danger, adventure and ambition- a fascinating object lesson in what happens when scholarship and commerce combine in the recovery of lost treasure.

"Extraordinary... as exciting as it is suspenseful-a thoughtful and gripping true thriller." Clive Cussler

"Treasure and typhoons, conflict and greed... Frank Pope's tale has all the ingredients of a classic thriller. But it's all true. A stunning debut." Nicholas Evans, author of the Horse Whisperer

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Also available on audio CD // listen to sample (mp3, 2.8mb) // audio production by tantor media