The Barbed Crown

March 4, 2013
Set in 1804, Dietrich’s exuberant sixth Ethan Gage adventure finds Gage back in Europe, after his frantic search for Montezuma’s treasure in 2012’s The Emerald Storm, spying for the British on his sometime friend and usual nemesis, Napoleon Bonaparte, on the eve of the French leader’s coronation. The plot twists one way then another, in wildly uproarious fashion, as Gage—assisted by his Greek-Egyptian wife, Astiza—works his way out of several tight spots and does his best to foil Napoleon’s ambitions to invade England. As usual, the action builds to a dramatic climax, this one set during the Battle of Trafalgar, which Gage observes from the crow’s nest of a French warship. Along the way, readers will be treated to Dietrich’s fascinating touches of historical detail and Gage’s infectious personality, one part humble global servant and two parts self-directed opportunist who simply has to be where the action is. Agent: Andrew Stuart, the Stuart Agency.

April 1, 2013

When last we left our intrepid hero (in The Emerald Storm), Ethan Gage was on a Haitian beach, disconsolate because his wife had been swept away by a hurricane. He still had their son, but prospects were dire. Because Napoleon Bonaparte created this tragedy, Ethan returns to London and then Paris to exact revenge against the French ruler. But a surprise awaits him in France that changes his plans to sabotage Napoleon's coronation as emperor. VERDICT Dietrich's novels are always rich in historical detail, and his latest is no exception. The battle of Trafalgar is narrated magnificently. There are also plots, twists, and counterplots along with searches for religious relics as the amoral but cunning and deadly Gage tries to settle accounts with Napoleon while protecting himself and those he loves. Historical fiction fans will relish this over-the-top romp as they wallow in the color and the history. [See Prepub Alert, 11/12/12.]--Robert Conroy, Warren, MI

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2013
Dietrich's creation Ethan Gage (The Emerald Storm, 2012, etc.) is no typical action hero. Gage is an American who finds himself in the middle of key moments in 19th-century European history, and one whose loyalties shift. Gage is strictly in it for the adventure, never really doing anything heroic. The sixth adventure in the Gage series finds him recovering from the death of his wife, Astiza, which he blames on the rise of Napoleon. Seeking revenge, he enlists as a spy for the British, and his spirits are boosted considerably by his partner Catherine Marceau, a seductive French renegade whose past is a well-guarded secret. Eventually, Astiza is revealed to have survived, and Gage works as a double agent. Everyone knows how Napoleon's career will wind up; less clear is whether Gage will survive his spy career and whether his marriage will survive the intrusions of Catherine. Dietrich has the Gage series down to a formula, blending history with entertaining tall tales and a good deal of irreverence.

COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.