The Three Emperors

September 1, 2014
Dietrich's seventh Ethan Gage adventure (after 2013's The Barbed Crown) delivers more of the usual action-packed, at times implausible, intrigue with little character development. In November 1805, Gage, who describes himself as the "American sharpshooter, savant of electricity, treasure hunter, spy, diplomat, and mercenary," is believed dead after the Battle of Trafalgar. In fact, he's in Venice, posing as Hieronymus Franklin, a "distant cousin of Benjamin." Almost a year after last seeing his wife, Astiza, and their four-year-old son, Horus, Gage is understandably preoccupied with finding them, especially after learning that Astiza may be burned as a witch. The narrative switches perspectives between husband and wife; Astiza's sections detail her struggle to stay alive and to locate a "mechanical man, or âandroid,'" built by 13th-century scholar Albertus Magnus and able to predict the future, which she could use as a bargaining chip. Gage's flippancy makes it hard to invest in the battle scenes, and the prose is sometimes labored (e.g., "As with all grand and venerable castles, the agglomeration of architecture at Ceský Krumov is haunted"). Agent: Andrew Stuart, Stuart Agency.

May 15, 2014

Early 19th-century American adventurer Ethan Gage is part con man and part hero. He is also sometimes very deadly, and his adventures have carried him all across Napoleonic Europe and North America. Along the way, he has acquired a wife, Astiza, and a son, Harry. He and his loved ones are constantly in danger and now he is on a quest to rescue them. In his seventh adventure (after The Barbary Pirates), Gage is also tasked to find a demonic device called the Brazen Head, which, in the wrong hands, could change history. At the same time, he has to foil the plots of those who wish to stop him, and that includes Napoleon himself. VERDICT Dietrich's writing style is vivid, lush, and rich. Readers will get the feel of the time period and the places involved. His plots, and his latest is no exception, are fast-paced and filled with derring-do and close escapes. Readers should suspend their disbelief, make popcorn, and enjoy.--Robert Conroy, Warren, MI

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