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Ethan Gage #7
The Three Emperors
Adventurer Ethan Gage travels through the darkest and most superstitious realms of eighteenth century Europe, to the castles and caves of Bohemia to rescue his family and uncover a mysterious medieval device rumored to foretell the future.
Having quick-wittedly survived the battle of Trafalgar, Ethan is rushing to rescue "Egyptian priestess" Astiza and son Harry from imprisonment by a ruthless mystic who seeks revenge for disfigurement, and an evil dwarf alchemist who experiments with the occult on Prague's Golden Lane.
Using death as his ruse, and a pair of unlikely allies--a Jewish Napoleonic soldier and his sutler father--Ethan must decipher clues from Durendal, the sword of Roland. Astiza uses her own research to concoct an explosive escape and find a lost tomb, their tormentors in relentless pursuit.
William Dietrich skillfully weaves intrigue and magic, romance and danger in a historical thriller that sprints from the fury of Napoleonic war to the mystic puzzles of Central Europe. What enigmas will the fabled Brazen Head finally reveal?
Having quick-wittedly survived the battle of Trafalgar, Ethan is rushing to rescue "Egyptian priestess" Astiza and son Harry from imprisonment by a ruthless mystic who seeks revenge for disfigurement, and an evil dwarf alchemist who experiments with the occult on Prague's Golden Lane.
Using death as his ruse, and a pair of unlikely allies--a Jewish Napoleonic soldier and his sutler father--Ethan must decipher clues from Durendal, the sword of Roland. Astiza uses her own research to concoct an explosive escape and find a lost tomb, their tormentors in relentless pursuit.
William Dietrich skillfully weaves intrigue and magic, romance and danger in a historical thriller that sprints from the fury of Napoleonic war to the mystic puzzles of Central Europe. What enigmas will the fabled Brazen Head finally reveal?
432 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 6, 2014
46 people are currently reading
907 people want to read
About the author
William Dietrich
25 books396 followersWilliam Dietrich is a NY Times bestelling author of the Ethan Gage series of eight books which have sold into 28 languages. He is also the author of six other adventure novels, several nonfiction works on the environmental history of the Pacific Northwest, and a contributor to several books.
Bill was a career journalist, sharing a Pulitzer for national reporting at the Seattle Times for coverage of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. He taught environmental journalism at Huxley College, a division of Western Washington University, and was adviser to Planet Magazine there. He was Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, and received several National Science Foundation fellowships for reporting on science. His travels have taken him from the South Pole to the Arctic, and from the Dead Sea to the base camp of Mount Everest. The traveling informs his books.
He lives in Anacortes, WA, in the San Juan islands, and is a fan of books, movies, history, science, and the outdoors.
Bill was a career journalist, sharing a Pulitzer for national reporting at the Seattle Times for coverage of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. He taught environmental journalism at Huxley College, a division of Western Washington University, and was adviser to Planet Magazine there. He was Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, and received several National Science Foundation fellowships for reporting on science. His travels have taken him from the South Pole to the Arctic, and from the Dead Sea to the base camp of Mount Everest. The traveling informs his books.
He lives in Anacortes, WA, in the San Juan islands, and is a fan of books, movies, history, science, and the outdoors.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
February 20, 2015
The 7th and (so far) final novel in the Ethan Gage series continues the fine tradition of swashbuckling adventure as in all of the previous volumes. Ethan Gage describes himself as “Advisor, historian, seer, electrician, diplomat, and military consultant; a confidant of President Jefferson, and scholar of civilization.” His adversaries would use different words such as rogue, scoundrel, gambler, thief, deserter, and the like. What’s interesting about these books is that both perspectives are correct.
This novel continues the grand adventure that began in the previous book, The Barbed Crown, with the central emphasis on recovering the lost and perhaps not even real medieval treasure known as the “Brazen head”, an automaton that is rumored to be able to predict the future. The quest actually started in the previous book but was sidetracked by all sorts of interesting historical events and the separation of Ethan from his wife and son. Now as he tries to reunite with them once again his adventures take him back once more to Napoleon’s side (and, in fact, is the one who must tell Napoleon of the great naval loss at Trafalgar). As always, despite his best laid plans, chance and circumstance dictate Ethan’s path and he finds himself fighting as a foot soldier on the French side during the pivotal battle at Austerlitz against the Russians and the Austrians. As always, the author waves actual historical events, people and places into the narrative, providing a wonderful sense of crazy reality.
For the first time in the series, some of the chapters are told from the point of view of Astiza, Ethan’s wife. One chapter is even told from his very young son’s viewpoint. All are in first person but this offers an interesting perspective, given that up until now we really didn’t know Astiza’s thoughts on various events or even, indeed, about Ethan. This really made her come alive in my mind instead of being just another character as in previous books in the series.
According the author’s website, he is working on another Ethan Gage novel. If for some reason that does not ever bear fruit, then this is a nice place to end the series. Even though there is much left in the Napoleonic basket of history from which to pluck adventures, the end of this book does find Ethan and his little family in a good place and with a plan for their future.
I, for one, will be hoping for more of Ethan Gage.
This novel continues the grand adventure that began in the previous book, The Barbed Crown, with the central emphasis on recovering the lost and perhaps not even real medieval treasure known as the “Brazen head”, an automaton that is rumored to be able to predict the future. The quest actually started in the previous book but was sidetracked by all sorts of interesting historical events and the separation of Ethan from his wife and son. Now as he tries to reunite with them once again his adventures take him back once more to Napoleon’s side (and, in fact, is the one who must tell Napoleon of the great naval loss at Trafalgar). As always, despite his best laid plans, chance and circumstance dictate Ethan’s path and he finds himself fighting as a foot soldier on the French side during the pivotal battle at Austerlitz against the Russians and the Austrians. As always, the author waves actual historical events, people and places into the narrative, providing a wonderful sense of crazy reality.
For the first time in the series, some of the chapters are told from the point of view of Astiza, Ethan’s wife. One chapter is even told from his very young son’s viewpoint. All are in first person but this offers an interesting perspective, given that up until now we really didn’t know Astiza’s thoughts on various events or even, indeed, about Ethan. This really made her come alive in my mind instead of being just another character as in previous books in the series.
According the author’s website, he is working on another Ethan Gage novel. If for some reason that does not ever bear fruit, then this is a nice place to end the series. Even though there is much left in the Napoleonic basket of history from which to pluck adventures, the end of this book does find Ethan and his little family in a good place and with a plan for their future.
I, for one, will be hoping for more of Ethan Gage.
July 10, 2017
Ethan Gage is an adventurer and a bit of a comic scoundrel, though with a good heart. Separated from his family in a previous adventure, and fleeing Napoleonic defeat at Trafalgar, he makes his way to Vienna and then Prague in search of his lost wife and young son. Along the way he gambles, gets embroiled in war at Napoleon's side, and is enmeshed in a scheme to find a lost automaton which can tell the future. He desperately tries to avoid war, French spies and secret societies, yet falls victim to all.
When I read the first few pages with Ethan Gage's voice, I was delighted. He was rascally, glib and fun, full of witty charm. I enjoyed the character and hoped that the book would turn out to be a pleasant surprise.
However, while Gage continues to be a charming character throughout, and I loved his witty nature and some of the insightful comments made, for some reason the book itself did not grab me and hold me throughout. I had no interest in his wife's chapters, with her vague spiritualism. I suppose it was meant to instil a sense of mysticism in the story, but I didn't find it terribly interesting. I thought that her character had potential, but that the book lacked depth in failing to explore and deliver that potential.
There were some comical discrepencies. Gage is shot while in war, and that part seems quite realistically done. But then, only a few days later he's already swinging a sword around for exercise and his left shoulder and arm aren't just recovered, they're the strongest they've ever been in his life, even eclipsing his right. Wow! Superhuman.
Then, at the end of the novel, they've got a single horse and sleigh and, in a period of less than two weeks in early February, which is the coldest part of the winter, somehow manage to travel from Trosky Castle just outside Prague in northern Czech Republic, all the way through Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, past Estonia and all the way up to St Petersburg. Even on modern roads, it's a journey of 1800km. Rather remarkable for a single horse and sled. Even more so, despite the Russians being at war with Napoleon, they don't encounter a single soldier until they are within an hour's horse ride of the capital city. Um...really? lol
I haven't read the rest of the series, but I did like what I saw of the spy, Catherine. I'm a big fan of reformed characters, and while I understand the role she plays in the end, I would have found it more interesting to see her and the policeman change their tune.
Overall, the book moves along at a clipped pace. The Napoleonic war was interesting and the story had a good, 19th century feel. Still, it might have benefited from a little more depth and change of pace. It's an easy, light read, nothing too serious. Good if you haven't got anything better on your reading list.
When I read the first few pages with Ethan Gage's voice, I was delighted. He was rascally, glib and fun, full of witty charm. I enjoyed the character and hoped that the book would turn out to be a pleasant surprise.
However, while Gage continues to be a charming character throughout, and I loved his witty nature and some of the insightful comments made, for some reason the book itself did not grab me and hold me throughout. I had no interest in his wife's chapters, with her vague spiritualism. I suppose it was meant to instil a sense of mysticism in the story, but I didn't find it terribly interesting. I thought that her character had potential, but that the book lacked depth in failing to explore and deliver that potential.
There were some comical discrepencies. Gage is shot while in war, and that part seems quite realistically done. But then, only a few days later he's already swinging a sword around for exercise and his left shoulder and arm aren't just recovered, they're the strongest they've ever been in his life, even eclipsing his right. Wow! Superhuman.
Then, at the end of the novel, they've got a single horse and sleigh and, in a period of less than two weeks in early February, which is the coldest part of the winter, somehow manage to travel from Trosky Castle just outside Prague in northern Czech Republic, all the way through Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, past Estonia and all the way up to St Petersburg. Even on modern roads, it's a journey of 1800km. Rather remarkable for a single horse and sled. Even more so, despite the Russians being at war with Napoleon, they don't encounter a single soldier until they are within an hour's horse ride of the capital city. Um...really? lol
I haven't read the rest of the series, but I did like what I saw of the spy, Catherine. I'm a big fan of reformed characters, and while I understand the role she plays in the end, I would have found it more interesting to see her and the policeman change their tune.
Overall, the book moves along at a clipped pace. The Napoleonic war was interesting and the story had a good, 19th century feel. Still, it might have benefited from a little more depth and change of pace. It's an easy, light read, nothing too serious. Good if you haven't got anything better on your reading list.
June 5, 2023
This series, of which this book is #7, stars Ethan Gage, an American whose adventures began in the late 1700s, and which by this time have passed into the 19th Century. Gage is roguish, footloose, and entirely familiar with Ben Fraklin's works with electricity. Over the years he has managed to gain and lose fortunes, marry a beauteous Egyptian seeress and alchemist, and sired a son named for the god Horus. The book begins with Ethan having escaped the Battle of Trafalgar, and now is determined to find and rescue his kidnapped family. He's been in Europe long enough now to have earned something of a reputation as a scoundrel and as a wizard of electricity. He was presumed to have died at Trafalgar, so he invents a new persona which serves him well for a short while, but the subterfuge doesn't last long. Suffice it to say that each ruse that allows him to escape a tight situation leads only to another one. He winds up in Napoleon's army, and is compelled to fight at the Battle of Austerlitz, where he is shot in the back by another French soldier, but saved by a 3rd soldier, a young Jewish fellow whom Gage had earlier saved from a bunch of anti-semitic fellow French. It is through this connection that Ethan winds up in Prague, the home of Europe's largest Jewish community---and also home to the legend of the Golem, a man made of mud by Rabbi Loew, for protection from the surrounding Christians. In parallel to this there is a search for the Brazen Head, an automaton(a word first used by Homer) built centuries earlier by Albertus Magnus. This mechanical man was said to be able to predict the future, and thus anathema to the Church.
Yes, this machine is found, but is destroyed, and yes, Ethan and his family are reunited, only to fall into the clutches of Czarist Russia. Tune in next week for the next exciting episode....
Yes, this machine is found, but is destroyed, and yes, Ethan and his family are reunited, only to fall into the clutches of Czarist Russia. Tune in next week for the next exciting episode....
September 27, 2017
If you like the Harry Flashman books or Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt novels, you'll probably enjoy William Dietrich's "Ethan Gage" series. Like Flashman, Ethan Gage is constantly getting shanghaied by famous personages who coerce him into undertaking dangerous missions which directly influence the course of 19th century history. (Unlike Flashman, Gage has no bullying tendencies and is much less randy.)
Like Dirk Pitt in the Cussler novels, Gage is frequently searching for some long-lost treasure with legendary (or even magical) powers (and dangers) for the possessor. (Unlike Pitt, Gage is not what you would call heroic or selfless.)
The Three Emperors is the seventh book in the series and is fairly typical. I marked it down a little because I feel the major role played by Ethan's four-year old son was unbelievable. I also found the half of the story narrated by his wife, Astiza, to be less interesting than the half told by Ethan.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy another visit to Napoleonic times and participating in some of the lesser known parts of his story while meandering through a less traveled part of Europe (Bohemia).
3.25 stars.
Like Dirk Pitt in the Cussler novels, Gage is frequently searching for some long-lost treasure with legendary (or even magical) powers (and dangers) for the possessor. (Unlike Pitt, Gage is not what you would call heroic or selfless.)
The Three Emperors is the seventh book in the series and is fairly typical. I marked it down a little because I feel the major role played by Ethan's four-year old son was unbelievable. I also found the half of the story narrated by his wife, Astiza, to be less interesting than the half told by Ethan.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy another visit to Napoleonic times and participating in some of the lesser known parts of his story while meandering through a less traveled part of Europe (Bohemia).
3.25 stars.
July 27, 2024
Another wild adventure for Ethen Gage, gambler, ladies' man, mercenary, treasure hunter, and protege of Ben Franklin (in fact, my favorite line from the book was a wise Franklin quote: "The eyes of other people are the eyes that ruin us. If all but myself were blind, I should want neither fine clothes, fine houses, nor fine furniture.") I always like the way Dietrich uses real events, people, and places in his historical novels. The three emperors here are Napoleon, Francis II, and Alexander I. Ethan gets drawn into the decisive Battle of Austerlitz while trying to find his wife and son, who he has been separated from for a year. Much of the story takes place in Bohemia (the real Star Summer Palace and Trotsky Castle). HIs wife Astiza and son are being held hostage in a dungeon, expected to use alchemy to make gold and win their freedom or be killed. Ethan finally tracks them down, of course, and after an improbable escape, they are off to their next life in Russia, which I presume we'll get to in a later book.
June 28, 2018
As with all the other Ethan Gage adventures, this one included Ethan on a search for an obscure, mystical object (the Brazen Head this time) while he manages to escape grave peril several times through sheer luck. I still found Ethan highly reminiscent of Indiana Jones, making this more of a lighter, entertaining read. This book does reference earlier events heavily so I feel I would have enjoyed it more if I had actually read book #6 first. Oops.
November 5, 2018
Another great adventure written by Mr. Dietrich! I have been following the exploits of Mr. Ethan Gage from the beginning of this series and I have yet to be disappointed. With historic characters centering around the French Napoleonic war, we find our American Franklin trying to keep ahead of the war while chasing booty which can lead to sticky situations. A good light read while at the same time enlightening the mind with historical facts.
July 30, 2017
A great adventure, really Ethan should be ashamed to be so lucky. However, the timeline was a little hard to follow.
March 10, 2018
Ethan Gage, an American rogue in the Napoleanic era.
Part Indiana Jones, part McGyver all fun and you learn a little history too.
Part Indiana Jones, part McGyver all fun and you learn a little history too.
April 29, 2018
Definitely keeps me laughing and trying to figure out what Ethan will get himself into next.
June 11, 2018
Would have given it 4.5 stars if possible. The blending of history with a fanciful tale has much to offer. Could not believe the plethora of historical facts blended throughout
January 7, 2015
Ethan Gage, at it yet again in another frisky and fun adventure in Dietrich’s series of books about the turn-of-the-19th-century adventurer and treasure-seeker.
In The Three Emperors, our noble hero has survived the historic Battle of Trafalgar – and escaped both British and French control by sailing away to Venice, where he now picks up the search for his wife, Astiza, and his son, Harry. The family had become separated during Napoleon’s coronation some months before when their plot to have Napoleon crowned with the Crown of Thorns went horribly awry. First, however, Ethan needs some traveling money and he tries to gain it the only way he knows how: gambling. Luck in gambling doesn’t necessarily mean luck in selecting gambling partners, because of course, Ethan runs afoul of an opponent, a horribly scarred and disfigured baron who, before Gage manages to piss him off, drops cryptic hints that indicate he knows the whereabouts of Ethan’s family.
And another adventure begins! Ethan, on the run from said baron, is caught yet again by Napoleon and this time, he finds himself on the front lines of the new emperor’s army as it goes up against the Austrians and the Russians in the devastating Battle of Austerlitz. Meanwhile, Astiza and Harry, still searching for the Brazen Head of Albert Magnus, have found themselves in Prague, and when a new friend betrays them, they are taken prisoner by a malicious and sadistic dwarf who also seeks the historic relic. Locked in a dungeon, Astiza’s only hope of finding the Head, keeping it out of the hands of the enemy, and reuniting her family, is to develop the Philosopher’s Stone – the alchemical compound that can turn lead into gold and grant those who drink it eternal life.
Can Astiza make the compound? Will she? And will Ethan survive life as an infantryman in Napoleon’s army long enough to find his wife and son?
Yes, another great romp through history, with enjoyable characters along for the ride. In fact, this particular iteration held some surprises. The first was watching Ethan start to grow up. His wayward life of gambling, aimless wandering, and playing with electricity has been replaced with purpose: a family. In The Three Emperors, Gage starts to feel the effects of his previous life, and how his decisions are impacting his family. He starts to see how his choices to gamble, hunt for treasure, and try to get rich keep putting his family in danger. And his outlook starts to change.
Secondly, The Three Emperors differs from previous installments in that we, as readers, finally get to read from Astiza’s POV. Switching back and forth between Ethan and Astiza, Dietrich crafts a compelling story that bridges the adventurers while they are separated and seeking each other, and provides more insight into Astiza herself. A good thing. She is a great character.
The Three Emperors is also darker than previous Ethan Gage novels. While Ethan and Astiza have always been caught up in devastating and tragic adventures, they often handle them in the same stride as say Indiana Jones or Ben Gates (of the National Treasure franchise). In The Three Emperors, the two face rape, cannibalism, and deep-rooted betrayal, and while there is still some stride handling, these are some more difficult challenges to stride handle than your typical action fare: blow ‘em up and kill ‘em all. In other words, it is harder to brush off a sadistic dwarf that wants to eat children than it is to brush off running through a storm of bullets where everyone around you is falling… in an action and adventure novel that is.
But Dietrich doesn’t disappoint! Dark as it may seem, The Three Emperors is still a great escapism ride. How long until #8??
In The Three Emperors, our noble hero has survived the historic Battle of Trafalgar – and escaped both British and French control by sailing away to Venice, where he now picks up the search for his wife, Astiza, and his son, Harry. The family had become separated during Napoleon’s coronation some months before when their plot to have Napoleon crowned with the Crown of Thorns went horribly awry. First, however, Ethan needs some traveling money and he tries to gain it the only way he knows how: gambling. Luck in gambling doesn’t necessarily mean luck in selecting gambling partners, because of course, Ethan runs afoul of an opponent, a horribly scarred and disfigured baron who, before Gage manages to piss him off, drops cryptic hints that indicate he knows the whereabouts of Ethan’s family.
And another adventure begins! Ethan, on the run from said baron, is caught yet again by Napoleon and this time, he finds himself on the front lines of the new emperor’s army as it goes up against the Austrians and the Russians in the devastating Battle of Austerlitz. Meanwhile, Astiza and Harry, still searching for the Brazen Head of Albert Magnus, have found themselves in Prague, and when a new friend betrays them, they are taken prisoner by a malicious and sadistic dwarf who also seeks the historic relic. Locked in a dungeon, Astiza’s only hope of finding the Head, keeping it out of the hands of the enemy, and reuniting her family, is to develop the Philosopher’s Stone – the alchemical compound that can turn lead into gold and grant those who drink it eternal life.
Can Astiza make the compound? Will she? And will Ethan survive life as an infantryman in Napoleon’s army long enough to find his wife and son?
Yes, another great romp through history, with enjoyable characters along for the ride. In fact, this particular iteration held some surprises. The first was watching Ethan start to grow up. His wayward life of gambling, aimless wandering, and playing with electricity has been replaced with purpose: a family. In The Three Emperors, Gage starts to feel the effects of his previous life, and how his decisions are impacting his family. He starts to see how his choices to gamble, hunt for treasure, and try to get rich keep putting his family in danger. And his outlook starts to change.
Secondly, The Three Emperors differs from previous installments in that we, as readers, finally get to read from Astiza’s POV. Switching back and forth between Ethan and Astiza, Dietrich crafts a compelling story that bridges the adventurers while they are separated and seeking each other, and provides more insight into Astiza herself. A good thing. She is a great character.
The Three Emperors is also darker than previous Ethan Gage novels. While Ethan and Astiza have always been caught up in devastating and tragic adventures, they often handle them in the same stride as say Indiana Jones or Ben Gates (of the National Treasure franchise). In The Three Emperors, the two face rape, cannibalism, and deep-rooted betrayal, and while there is still some stride handling, these are some more difficult challenges to stride handle than your typical action fare: blow ‘em up and kill ‘em all. In other words, it is harder to brush off a sadistic dwarf that wants to eat children than it is to brush off running through a storm of bullets where everyone around you is falling… in an action and adventure novel that is.
But Dietrich doesn’t disappoint! Dark as it may seem, The Three Emperors is still a great escapism ride. How long until #8??
May 20, 2014
Ethan Gage is a cad. Ethan Gage is a scoundrel. Ethan Gage is also the hero/anti-hero of this terrific historical thriller series by William Dietrich set in the Napoleonic age.
When I think of Ethan Gage I visualize a man with the adventurous spirit of Indiana Jones along with the cantankerous rascality of Captain Jack Sparrow. He is married to an Egyptian beauty named Astiza who bore him a son named Horus. He is American but has claimed allegiance to Great Britain as well as Napoleon's France --- depending on the situation or simply to save his own skin.
As THE THREE EMPERORS opens, Ethan Gage is thought to be dead after the battle at the end of the previous adventure. He is traveling in Venice under the guise of Hieronymus Franklin --- an alleged descendent of the deceased American inventor and politician, Benjamin Franklin. But, since this is an Ethan Gage adventure, his anonymity is most assuredly going to be short-lived!
Astiza and Harry are imprisoned by a ruthless man named Richter who fancies himself a mystic. He works in conjunction with an evil dwarf named Auric and the two of them have spearheaded a small army in pursuit of the Brazen Head. Medieval legend has it that the Brazen Head built by Albertus Magnus could foretell the future. It is also alleged that this object was destroyed by Saint Thomas Aquinas. Should it still exist it could purportedly give the owner a huge advantage over all adversaries.
Once Ethan's cover is blown he drops the Franklin moniker and finds himself back in front of his old nemesis (and sometime employer) --- Napoleon Bonaparte. Bonaparte has no problem supporting Ethan's mission to recover his wife and child as long as he pursues the Brazen Head at the same time. Gage --- being an American neutral --- agrees to this but secretly remains a man who just wants his family back.
Ethan finds an unlikely ally in the person of Jewish Napoleonic soldier, Gideon Mandel. He owes his life to Gideon who saved him from demise at the battle of Austerlitz. It turns out Gideon's father is a Rabbi who has knowledge of both the legendary Golem as well as the Brazen Head. Armed with this newfound understanding of what he is after, Ethan journeys on to face off with a colorful cast of villains who stand in the way of his family reunion as well as obtaining the mythical Brazen Head.
As with all of William Dietrich's Ethan Gage novels, THE THREE EMPERORS is steeped in history and most of the people and events depicted within are real. Never has European and World History been so much fun! You need not to have read the prior Ethan Gage adventures to enjoy this one -- - however, those who have will delight in the characters from prior stories who regularly appear. Readers who jump on board for this seventh Ethan Gage adventure will be pleasantly rewarded with an engaging, fun and stimulating adventure that will make you long to be in our hero's company again. This adventure ends on the doorstep of the Russian Empire --- could this be the setting for Ethan's next adventure? Stay tuned!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New Mystery Reader
When I think of Ethan Gage I visualize a man with the adventurous spirit of Indiana Jones along with the cantankerous rascality of Captain Jack Sparrow. He is married to an Egyptian beauty named Astiza who bore him a son named Horus. He is American but has claimed allegiance to Great Britain as well as Napoleon's France --- depending on the situation or simply to save his own skin.
As THE THREE EMPERORS opens, Ethan Gage is thought to be dead after the battle at the end of the previous adventure. He is traveling in Venice under the guise of Hieronymus Franklin --- an alleged descendent of the deceased American inventor and politician, Benjamin Franklin. But, since this is an Ethan Gage adventure, his anonymity is most assuredly going to be short-lived!
Astiza and Harry are imprisoned by a ruthless man named Richter who fancies himself a mystic. He works in conjunction with an evil dwarf named Auric and the two of them have spearheaded a small army in pursuit of the Brazen Head. Medieval legend has it that the Brazen Head built by Albertus Magnus could foretell the future. It is also alleged that this object was destroyed by Saint Thomas Aquinas. Should it still exist it could purportedly give the owner a huge advantage over all adversaries.
Once Ethan's cover is blown he drops the Franklin moniker and finds himself back in front of his old nemesis (and sometime employer) --- Napoleon Bonaparte. Bonaparte has no problem supporting Ethan's mission to recover his wife and child as long as he pursues the Brazen Head at the same time. Gage --- being an American neutral --- agrees to this but secretly remains a man who just wants his family back.
Ethan finds an unlikely ally in the person of Jewish Napoleonic soldier, Gideon Mandel. He owes his life to Gideon who saved him from demise at the battle of Austerlitz. It turns out Gideon's father is a Rabbi who has knowledge of both the legendary Golem as well as the Brazen Head. Armed with this newfound understanding of what he is after, Ethan journeys on to face off with a colorful cast of villains who stand in the way of his family reunion as well as obtaining the mythical Brazen Head.
As with all of William Dietrich's Ethan Gage novels, THE THREE EMPERORS is steeped in history and most of the people and events depicted within are real. Never has European and World History been so much fun! You need not to have read the prior Ethan Gage adventures to enjoy this one -- - however, those who have will delight in the characters from prior stories who regularly appear. Readers who jump on board for this seventh Ethan Gage adventure will be pleasantly rewarded with an engaging, fun and stimulating adventure that will make you long to be in our hero's company again. This adventure ends on the doorstep of the Russian Empire --- could this be the setting for Ethan's next adventure? Stay tuned!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New Mystery Reader
January 6, 2016
Have you ever picked a book just because you like the lead character’s name? Well, I did just that when I picked this book titled Three Emperors by William Dietrich. Knowing that it is 7th book in the series, I still wanted to read it just because the lead character is called as Ethan. I love Ethan Hunt character from Mission Impossible series because of his adventures and also because it’s played by Tom Cruise. Ergo I picked Ethan Gage’s historical adventure in The Three Emperors. Call it karma or coincidence, if Ethan Hunt was born in the Napoleon era he probably would have been Ethan Gage. If the fictional world was real, then perhaps Ethan Gage would be an ancestor for Ethan Hunt. I am not kidding, these two characters remind me of each other so much. Similar kind of adventures, similar kind of rogue missions, similar way of being in the middle of a crisis every time – its so surreal that I forgot for a second there that I was comparing a fictional book character with a fictional film character. No need to mention that I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
The story starts after the naval battle of Trafalgar from which Ethan Gage – an American adventurer, his Egyptian wife Astiza and son Harry escape. However, they get separated. Astiza along with her son Harry, travels one path to Prague in search of legendry Brazen Head as well as her husband Ethan. In the process she comes across Primus Fulcanelli, a Latin scholar, who turns out to be more than a bishop. Her journey with Primus lands her into Golden Lane and into hands of a dangerous alchemist Auric. Betrayed by Primus, she trades alchemy for the safety of herself and her child waiting for her husband to reach her and in the process escape the clutches of the cruel Auric and vengeful Primus.
In the meanwhile Ethan is traveling another path, trying to steer clear of the Three Emperors – Austrians, Russians and French so he doesn’t get used as bait or ally, playing ping pong with him as needed. He also needs to escape the spiteful Catherine Marceau and her general Pasques, spies who are bent upon finding him and killing him. Faking his death he lands into a Jewish Napoleonic solder Gideon Dray and his father Aaron, who help him reach Astiza. The rest of the story unfolds in the searching for clues in Durendal – Sword of Roland, reunion with Astiza and Harry, escape all the emperors and spies and finally find the Brazen Head – a truth machine.
A true adventure that takes you through the pages of history simultaneously making you wonder if you are really there. The entire book kept me on edge, not wanting to put down the book. An enjoyable read and a must for anyone who is interested in historical fictions.
The story starts after the naval battle of Trafalgar from which Ethan Gage – an American adventurer, his Egyptian wife Astiza and son Harry escape. However, they get separated. Astiza along with her son Harry, travels one path to Prague in search of legendry Brazen Head as well as her husband Ethan. In the process she comes across Primus Fulcanelli, a Latin scholar, who turns out to be more than a bishop. Her journey with Primus lands her into Golden Lane and into hands of a dangerous alchemist Auric. Betrayed by Primus, she trades alchemy for the safety of herself and her child waiting for her husband to reach her and in the process escape the clutches of the cruel Auric and vengeful Primus.
In the meanwhile Ethan is traveling another path, trying to steer clear of the Three Emperors – Austrians, Russians and French so he doesn’t get used as bait or ally, playing ping pong with him as needed. He also needs to escape the spiteful Catherine Marceau and her general Pasques, spies who are bent upon finding him and killing him. Faking his death he lands into a Jewish Napoleonic solder Gideon Dray and his father Aaron, who help him reach Astiza. The rest of the story unfolds in the searching for clues in Durendal – Sword of Roland, reunion with Astiza and Harry, escape all the emperors and spies and finally find the Brazen Head – a truth machine.
A true adventure that takes you through the pages of history simultaneously making you wonder if you are really there. The entire book kept me on edge, not wanting to put down the book. An enjoyable read and a must for anyone who is interested in historical fictions.
June 14, 2014
This is the seventh book in the Ethan Gage series, but my first. Though I haven’t read any of the Gage books, I have read some of Dietrich’s other works. This one has the feel of “Flashman” or “Sharp”, an adventurer during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Gage describes himself as a follower of the philosophy of Benjamin Franklin, but this is probably just a ruse and he is a promoter of Gage and no one else.
This book picks up after the Battle of Trafalgar, where Gage was on the losing French side. He turns up in Venice looking for news of his family, his wife Astiza and his five year old son Horus (called Harry). He hears that she is somewhere in Bohemia, on the trail of the “brazen head”. The Head was built by the great alchemist Albertus Magnus. It was rumored that the Head could foretell the future. Being thought demonic Saint Thomas Aquinas destroyed the Head in the twelfth century. Or did he?
The Head was said to have last been in the hands of Christian Rosenkreuz the founder of the Rosicrucian Order (Rose Cross) in the seventeenth century. Rosenkreuz had hidden the Head somewhere in Bohemia, and that’s where Gage’s wife and son were. To raise money, Gage goes to a mid-level gambling house where he comes upon a man calling himself Baron Richter. They gamble for high stakes with Richter winning. But Gage and others suspect the Baron of cheating and Gage robs him and takes off for Bohemia.
Now Gage ends up in Napoleon’s army on its way to battle the Emperors of Austria and Russia at Austerlitz. Gage has worked for Napoleon before and ends up escaping him but not the battle. Gage dresses up as a private and ends up in the middle of the battle first against the Austrians and then the Russians. During the commotion after the battle the wounded Gage escapes with the help of an impressed Jew, to the Ghetto of Prague.
The rest of the story follows Gage as he searches and finds his wife and son. His wife has fallen into the clutches of the evil Baron Richter (how coincidental) and his minion, a manic dwarf (aren’t they all) named Auric. Astiza promises the Baron that she can turn lead into gold. While she is killing time with her false alchemical pursuits, Gage catches up to them. Blah Blah Blah Blah, they are imprisoned, blah blah blah, they get away. Bad men all dead.
Not bad and a real release from the mundane books about Zombies and archers.
Zeb Kantrowitz zworstblog.blogspot.com
This book picks up after the Battle of Trafalgar, where Gage was on the losing French side. He turns up in Venice looking for news of his family, his wife Astiza and his five year old son Horus (called Harry). He hears that she is somewhere in Bohemia, on the trail of the “brazen head”. The Head was built by the great alchemist Albertus Magnus. It was rumored that the Head could foretell the future. Being thought demonic Saint Thomas Aquinas destroyed the Head in the twelfth century. Or did he?
The Head was said to have last been in the hands of Christian Rosenkreuz the founder of the Rosicrucian Order (Rose Cross) in the seventeenth century. Rosenkreuz had hidden the Head somewhere in Bohemia, and that’s where Gage’s wife and son were. To raise money, Gage goes to a mid-level gambling house where he comes upon a man calling himself Baron Richter. They gamble for high stakes with Richter winning. But Gage and others suspect the Baron of cheating and Gage robs him and takes off for Bohemia.
Now Gage ends up in Napoleon’s army on its way to battle the Emperors of Austria and Russia at Austerlitz. Gage has worked for Napoleon before and ends up escaping him but not the battle. Gage dresses up as a private and ends up in the middle of the battle first against the Austrians and then the Russians. During the commotion after the battle the wounded Gage escapes with the help of an impressed Jew, to the Ghetto of Prague.
The rest of the story follows Gage as he searches and finds his wife and son. His wife has fallen into the clutches of the evil Baron Richter (how coincidental) and his minion, a manic dwarf (aren’t they all) named Auric. Astiza promises the Baron that she can turn lead into gold. While she is killing time with her false alchemical pursuits, Gage catches up to them. Blah Blah Blah Blah, they are imprisoned, blah blah blah, they get away. Bad men all dead.
Not bad and a real release from the mundane books about Zombies and archers.
Zeb Kantrowitz zworstblog.blogspot.com
April 22, 2014
William Dietrich's Ethan Gage series ("Napoleon's Pyramids," "The Dakota Cipher," "The Barbary Pirates") continues its merry jaunt through the bloody years of Napoleon's campaigns. Gage, fresh from the battle of Trafalgar, is back in Europe but separated from his lovely wife, the Egyptian seer/sorceress Astiza, and his young son Harry/Horus. Desperate and destitute, Gage races across Europe to reunite his family and also find the legendary Brazen Head, an automaton that can tell the future.
Just imagine what Napoleon would do with such a creation? The fate of Europe - at least - would hinge on whether Boney gets his hands on such a trump card.
This being a Dietrich novel, Gage must also contend with another super-secret fanatical organization in the race for the Brazen Head. In this episode, the cult also has eyes on the gorgeous Astiza, which allows Dietrich to take the series in a new direction. The Gage novels are uniformly written from Gage's perspective, but in "The Three Emperors," several chapters are written from Astiza's perspective, and these are a treat. While both Gage and Asitza are brilliant, she is logical where he is impetuous. Astiza is also a mother and an attractive woman who has been separated from her husband for long months, which allows Dietrich to explore more complex ideas of motherhood and womanhood than we normally get in Gage's narratives, where Astiza stands almost above the action as an Athena-esque warrior-goddess.
"The Three Emperors" uses as its fulcrum the titanic battle of Austerlitz where Napoleon squared off against the Russians and Austrians, and these passages are the high water mark of the book. Dietrich is no Bernard Cornwell, but he writes a good battle scene and even the selfish Gage gets caught up in the majesty of marching in an infantry line as three armies pound away at each other.
Perhaps thanks to Austerlitz, the Brazen Head gets relatively short shrift in "The Three Emperors" and is not the most compelling mystery that Dietrich has yet written about. But the closing chapters, with Gage and his family entering imperial St. Petersburg, offer lots of evidence that the Gage series is going to continue - and thank goodness for that.
Just imagine what Napoleon would do with such a creation? The fate of Europe - at least - would hinge on whether Boney gets his hands on such a trump card.
This being a Dietrich novel, Gage must also contend with another super-secret fanatical organization in the race for the Brazen Head. In this episode, the cult also has eyes on the gorgeous Astiza, which allows Dietrich to take the series in a new direction. The Gage novels are uniformly written from Gage's perspective, but in "The Three Emperors," several chapters are written from Astiza's perspective, and these are a treat. While both Gage and Asitza are brilliant, she is logical where he is impetuous. Astiza is also a mother and an attractive woman who has been separated from her husband for long months, which allows Dietrich to explore more complex ideas of motherhood and womanhood than we normally get in Gage's narratives, where Astiza stands almost above the action as an Athena-esque warrior-goddess.
"The Three Emperors" uses as its fulcrum the titanic battle of Austerlitz where Napoleon squared off against the Russians and Austrians, and these passages are the high water mark of the book. Dietrich is no Bernard Cornwell, but he writes a good battle scene and even the selfish Gage gets caught up in the majesty of marching in an infantry line as three armies pound away at each other.
Perhaps thanks to Austerlitz, the Brazen Head gets relatively short shrift in "The Three Emperors" and is not the most compelling mystery that Dietrich has yet written about. But the closing chapters, with Gage and his family entering imperial St. Petersburg, offer lots of evidence that the Gage series is going to continue - and thank goodness for that.
January 4, 2015
The Three Emperors is the 7th installment of the Ethan Gage series, and while this was my first encounter with Ethan, it didn’t take me long to fall under his spell. After surviving the Battle of Trafalgar, Ethan is making his way across the continent to Prague to reunite with his wife, Astiza, and their son, Harry. Astiza, an Egyptian priestess, is on a mission of her own. She seeks the fabled Brazen Head, a medieval automaton that purportedly can tell the future.
The Three Emperors offers two adventurers with two voices within one novel. The reader follows the wily Gage as he dodges, weaves, and slides his way across a field of war as he is continually plagued by his reputation as a scoundrel. Astiza also relates her own story as she searches for the Brazen Head, and I found her character especially intriguing. She is an intelligent and beautiful woman, and as Astiza narrates, the reader is treated to her mental assessment of given situations and how she would play each moment to her best advantage.
The novel is filled with a myriad of personalities, each with his or her own agenda. The physical landscape is another important dimension as the fictional characters make their way across the European landscape. One can almost imagine catching a glimpse of Gage as he disappears into the Cesky Krumlov Theater.
I thoroughly enjoyed following the adventures of Ethan Gage and Astiza and found Dietrich’s novel historically accurate with an especially interesting underlying tension of mysticism and science. A fast-paced and engaging read.
The Three Emperors offers two adventurers with two voices within one novel. The reader follows the wily Gage as he dodges, weaves, and slides his way across a field of war as he is continually plagued by his reputation as a scoundrel. Astiza also relates her own story as she searches for the Brazen Head, and I found her character especially intriguing. She is an intelligent and beautiful woman, and as Astiza narrates, the reader is treated to her mental assessment of given situations and how she would play each moment to her best advantage.
The novel is filled with a myriad of personalities, each with his or her own agenda. The physical landscape is another important dimension as the fictional characters make their way across the European landscape. One can almost imagine catching a glimpse of Gage as he disappears into the Cesky Krumlov Theater.
I thoroughly enjoyed following the adventures of Ethan Gage and Astiza and found Dietrich’s novel historically accurate with an especially interesting underlying tension of mysticism and science. A fast-paced and engaging read.
April 28, 2014
I won a free uncorrected proof copy of this book through GoodReads.
A fast-paced espionage adventure novel set during the Napoleonic wars, with a hefty dose of DaVinci Code-like elaborate mystical puzzle to be uncovered.
Much better written than the afore-mentioned DaVinci Code, it moves along at a good clip, and actual people and events from history add a flavor of verisimilitude to the plotting.
The characters are the weak point for me, especially as the author defaults too often to saying things like "all mothers are practical" and "women want X" and "men are y." Broad gender generalizations are sloppy and unnecessary writing crutches.
The book goes back and forth between the hero and his wife. Oddly, the chapters from the hero's point of view do not have a heading indicating that its "his" chapter, but all of her chapters have a heading with her name. And oddly, there is one very short chapter thrown in from their son's point of view. The chapter from the son just seems odd because the only other point of view characters are his parents, and he only gets one chapter. This too feels like a writerly shortcut -- because the author seems to feel that the reader has not grasped the emotional stakes through sympathetic extrapolation or the strong emotions of the adults, we need to be spoon-fed the extra helping of emotion.
All in all, not a bad read but not deathless prose either. It would be a decent companion on a plane or on the beach.
A fast-paced espionage adventure novel set during the Napoleonic wars, with a hefty dose of DaVinci Code-like elaborate mystical puzzle to be uncovered.
Much better written than the afore-mentioned DaVinci Code, it moves along at a good clip, and actual people and events from history add a flavor of verisimilitude to the plotting.
The characters are the weak point for me, especially as the author defaults too often to saying things like "all mothers are practical" and "women want X" and "men are y." Broad gender generalizations are sloppy and unnecessary writing crutches.
The book goes back and forth between the hero and his wife. Oddly, the chapters from the hero's point of view do not have a heading indicating that its "his" chapter, but all of her chapters have a heading with her name. And oddly, there is one very short chapter thrown in from their son's point of view. The chapter from the son just seems odd because the only other point of view characters are his parents, and he only gets one chapter. This too feels like a writerly shortcut -- because the author seems to feel that the reader has not grasped the emotional stakes through sympathetic extrapolation or the strong emotions of the adults, we need to be spoon-fed the extra helping of emotion.
All in all, not a bad read but not deathless prose either. It would be a decent companion on a plane or on the beach.
October 9, 2014
Even though this was the 6th book in the Ethan Gage series, it is the only one I have read. Even without reading the previous 5 books, I really enjoyed this book.
This book has 2 narrators, Ethan and his wife Astiza. They have been separated and Ethan is trying to get back to Astiza and their son Harry. On his way across Europe, Ethan gets into multiple scrapes, gets conscripted into Napoleon's service, gets shot, shares a coffin with a dead woman, making enemies and a couple of friends along the way.
Meanwhile, Astiza and Harry have been taken captive. Astiza's captors believe that she is capable of alchemy, turning base metals into gold and also find the key to eternal life. She is forced to work in a dungeon, keeping them at bay by pretending to be on the right track. They are also looking for an automaton called the Brazen Head, which is supposedly able to foretell the future. For this they also need Ethan.
This book is full of adventure and humor and I think the chapters with Ethan as narrator are great. The chapters narrated by Astiza aren't as good in my opinion, mostly because they don't have the charm and wit of Ethan but also because all of her talk of mysticism wasn't interesting to me,
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I plan to go back and read all of the other Ethan Gage novels.
This book has 2 narrators, Ethan and his wife Astiza. They have been separated and Ethan is trying to get back to Astiza and their son Harry. On his way across Europe, Ethan gets into multiple scrapes, gets conscripted into Napoleon's service, gets shot, shares a coffin with a dead woman, making enemies and a couple of friends along the way.
Meanwhile, Astiza and Harry have been taken captive. Astiza's captors believe that she is capable of alchemy, turning base metals into gold and also find the key to eternal life. She is forced to work in a dungeon, keeping them at bay by pretending to be on the right track. They are also looking for an automaton called the Brazen Head, which is supposedly able to foretell the future. For this they also need Ethan.
This book is full of adventure and humor and I think the chapters with Ethan as narrator are great. The chapters narrated by Astiza aren't as good in my opinion, mostly because they don't have the charm and wit of Ethan but also because all of her talk of mysticism wasn't interesting to me,
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I plan to go back and read all of the other Ethan Gage novels.
March 27, 2015
This was my introduction the world of Ethan Gage. I now need to buy the six previous novels to truly fill out my grasp of the hero of this story!
First, there is always the challenge of jumping into a book series without doing your background work. I did not know anything about Gage, so there were some obvious gaps in my knowledge reading this one. He refers back, at times, to events that a new reader will not understand. That's the price you pay.
Second, the historical setting works. I have read a decent amount of both non-fiction and fiction in this era, having devoured works like Forester's Hornblower series as well as just loving to read history. (I don't always remember it well, but I love to read it.) It was a time of chaos and superstition, alongside the science and open religion. Dietrich portrays this well.
Third, the plot is good. There are the competing and complementing needs to both stop the bad guys and reunite the family. These weave together nicely. As Dietrich pulls in some of the fantasy-type elements, the world does get a little bizarre, but you're reading a novel, not a history book.
Is it worth your time? I think so. But it's also expensive, because now I've got to go back and pick up all six prior Ethan Gage novels, because I'm intrigued.
First, there is always the challenge of jumping into a book series without doing your background work. I did not know anything about Gage, so there were some obvious gaps in my knowledge reading this one. He refers back, at times, to events that a new reader will not understand. That's the price you pay.
Second, the historical setting works. I have read a decent amount of both non-fiction and fiction in this era, having devoured works like Forester's Hornblower series as well as just loving to read history. (I don't always remember it well, but I love to read it.) It was a time of chaos and superstition, alongside the science and open religion. Dietrich portrays this well.
Third, the plot is good. There are the competing and complementing needs to both stop the bad guys and reunite the family. These weave together nicely. As Dietrich pulls in some of the fantasy-type elements, the world does get a little bizarre, but you're reading a novel, not a history book.
Is it worth your time? I think so. But it's also expensive, because now I've got to go back and pick up all six prior Ethan Gage novels, because I'm intrigued.
June 4, 2021
The Ethan Gage books by William Dietrich are amazing. The 5 stars I give are as much for the series as this book. All are good on their own, but many deserve that 5 star rating. It helps if you have read the other 6 books to fully appreciate this one. Without them maybe this one might only be 4 stars.
Ethan Gage in this instillation of mayhem in the early 1800s is back at it, as an American rogue in central Europe. He's exciting, daring, unconventional, but mostly fun. Ethan can shoot, fight, and gamble better than most and as a Franklin man and electrician he has the most marvelous escapes, usually into more trouble.
The villain's in this book and the series are top notch. Some are evil and dark, others are tempting and beautiful. They are all so very interesting and usually Dietrich provides several in a book.
My top rating for this book is bitter sweet, William Dietrich seems to have stopped writing. Alas, there is only one more of the series left for me to read, "The Trojan Icon" by a different publisher. Maybe, I'll go back and read a couple of my favorites before finishing the last in the series. "The Dakota Cipher", "The Emerald Storm" and "The Barbary Pirates' are all worth a second read.
Ethan Gage in this instillation of mayhem in the early 1800s is back at it, as an American rogue in central Europe. He's exciting, daring, unconventional, but mostly fun. Ethan can shoot, fight, and gamble better than most and as a Franklin man and electrician he has the most marvelous escapes, usually into more trouble.
The villain's in this book and the series are top notch. Some are evil and dark, others are tempting and beautiful. They are all so very interesting and usually Dietrich provides several in a book.
My top rating for this book is bitter sweet, William Dietrich seems to have stopped writing. Alas, there is only one more of the series left for me to read, "The Trojan Icon" by a different publisher. Maybe, I'll go back and read a couple of my favorites before finishing the last in the series. "The Dakota Cipher", "The Emerald Storm" and "The Barbary Pirates' are all worth a second read.
April 17, 2014
My son & I have been looking at this series for some time. But we just never seem to go ahead and buy it. Winning this book as a first-read giveaway was exciting. I would FINALLY be able to say "yea" or "nay". So here is my decision: YEA!!! The best was for me to describe this book is by movies it reminded me of. It is a cross of Sherlock Holmes (with Robert Downey, Jr.), the Mummies movies (with Brendan Fraser), & The National Tresure films (with Nicolas Cage) and that is the feel of this book. Ethan Gage spends most of his time trying to locate & get to his wife & son. However, he is always getting waylaided by other things. His wife & son get kidnapped. She, as an Egyptian priestess, is expected to find the Philosopher's Stone. Their son, Harry, though not yet five, may be smarter than his parents. The story is told through Ethan & through his wife. We will be buying the rest of the series when we can. I have found a new favorite author! Thank you for selecting me for this giveaway!
November 6, 2014
This is a rollicking adventure series set in 1805 and follows the hero/anti-hero Nathan Gage and his wife, the Egyptian priestess Astiza, as they struggle to find each other and to stay alive. Astiza is imprisoned and forced to use her alchemy skills to turn base metal into gold, with their son Harry’s life forfeit if she doesn’t succeed. Gage is an American adventurer and he is very sorry to be thrust into Napoleon’s presence again. Napoleon is a dangerous man and while he respects Gage, he slows him in his search for Astiza. Gage has many clever thoughts, some of them humorous. Of Napoleon he thought that he is "dangerous as adders, but seductive as succubi." Magic, romance, war and danger on are every page so there is never a dull chapter. This book is number 7 in the series and now I want to read the first book in this series titled “Napoleon’s Pyramids.”
August 8, 2023
I started with Napolean's Pyramids. I have enjoyed the historical fiction series with Gage as a neer do well who slowly becomes a bit less focused on self. I think I most enjoyed the way Napoleon is intertwined with Gage's adventures. This book is the first that isn't entirely from Nathan Gage's point of view. I know this is a fairly popular writing style but I don't care for it. Invariably I lose track of who is narrating the part I'm on and have to backtrack to the beginning of the chapter to verify. I do however realize, that Nathan is away from his wife during some significant events which make it difficult to tell the story only from his point of view. The chapter from his son's point of view is a bit stilted, I think to represent a child's thinking but it doesn't work well. I enjoyed it enough I am off to read The Trojan Icon and see what happens next!
July 30, 2016
**I received this book as a Good Reads First Read giveaway**
I have actually had this series recommended to me in the past by a friend, but never got around to picking it up so I was a bit excited to dive into this book. Unfortunately, I found myself a bit bored with it. I'm placing most of the blame of my disinterest in the fact that my first introduction to the Ethan Gage character was Book 7 in this series.
Although I was not completely captured by this particular book, it has led me to seek out the earliest Ethan Gage books. I like the idea of this guy rubbing shoulders with some of the great figures in history and, therefore, willing to give Gage and William Dietrich another chance.
I have actually had this series recommended to me in the past by a friend, but never got around to picking it up so I was a bit excited to dive into this book. Unfortunately, I found myself a bit bored with it. I'm placing most of the blame of my disinterest in the fact that my first introduction to the Ethan Gage character was Book 7 in this series.
Although I was not completely captured by this particular book, it has led me to seek out the earliest Ethan Gage books. I like the idea of this guy rubbing shoulders with some of the great figures in history and, therefore, willing to give Gage and William Dietrich another chance.
June 19, 2014
Ethan Gage just isn't as much fun as he was before he got married to Aztisa. I like Aztisa, but I do think that she either needs to play her part in these stories better, or be written out of the story. Although, I kind of fear that because I wouldn't want to see Ethan become all melancholy and weepy. Oh, well. It's out of my hands. The search for the Brazen Head - this episode's mystical relic - sees Aztisa and Harry imprisoned by a cult leader while Ethan manages inadvertently self-conscript himself into Napoleon's army. Battles rage - not just on the battle field, but in the hearts and minds of all involved. Will Ethan every find his family? Will they ever find the Brazen Head? Will the adventures ever end? I hope not!
May 26, 2014
The seventh, and newest, book in the Ethan Gage series is one of the best. Filled with it's normal twists and turns, the hero and his family are once again caught in the middle of an array of events that can change history. William Dietrich provides a totally exhilarating, fast paced thriller and weaves many historical facts and unusual tidbits into his story, making the book both enjoyable and informative. For those that have not read any books in this series, I recommend that you start with book one, as some of the story line builds upon earlier characters and events. For anyone that enjoys an "Indiana Jones" type adventure, these are must reads.
February 17, 2014
First I want to thank the publisher for giving me a chance to read an advanced copy to review.
Another great Ethan Gage novel. Dietrich really does his research. There are so many factual events used in this Fiction Historical novel, that the events seem plausible. There is adventure, suspense, and intrigue. Ethan has a way of getting side-tracked, but always ends up where he is needed right on time to save his family and find the mysterious object that was his intended quest from the beginning. Readers will enjoy the twists and turns, and will not stop reading until the conclusion.
Another great Ethan Gage novel. Dietrich really does his research. There are so many factual events used in this Fiction Historical novel, that the events seem plausible. There is adventure, suspense, and intrigue. Ethan has a way of getting side-tracked, but always ends up where he is needed right on time to save his family and find the mysterious object that was his intended quest from the beginning. Readers will enjoy the twists and turns, and will not stop reading until the conclusion.
May 21, 2014
Ethan Gage, the rogue adventurer from America, returns in this series set in the early 1800s. This is set primarily in eastern Europe during the Napoleanic battle of Austerlitz. Ethan struggles to reunite with his family, while his enemies search him, all the time searching for a treasure. This is a nice rebound to the series after a couple of mediocre entries, I really enjoyed it. The best part is of course another face-to-face meeting with Napolean. I'd recommend this series to anyone who enjoys adventure novels and this time period.
August 18, 2016
I received The Three Emperors (Ethan Gage, #7) from a Goodreads giveaway!
This book was my first entry into the series, so I came in quite a bit late. This book, I believe, is the 7th in the series. It picks up after the battle of Trafalgar and I found it easy to figure out what was going on. Ethan Gage and his family have a lot of grand adventures and I felt the pace was exciting, but the characters at times a bit flat.
Overall, a nice fiction with historical facts weaved into the story.
This book was my first entry into the series, so I came in quite a bit late. This book, I believe, is the 7th in the series. It picks up after the battle of Trafalgar and I found it easy to figure out what was going on. Ethan Gage and his family have a lot of grand adventures and I felt the pace was exciting, but the characters at times a bit flat.
Overall, a nice fiction with historical facts weaved into the story.
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