Napoleon's Pyramids (Ethan Gage 1)
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'A magnificent adventure, shot through with mystery. A marvellous tale!' BERNARD CORNWELL 'Superb historical thriller ... Riveting battle scenes, scantily clad women, mathematical puzzles, mysteries of the pharaohs, reckless heroism, hairsbreadth escapes, and undaunted courage add up to an unbeatable adventure' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY(*Starred Review*)
Booklist
The author of, among other thrillers, Hadrian's Wall (2004) and
The Scourge of God (2005) takes us back to late-eighteenth-century Paris,
where American Ethan Gage comes into possession of an ancient medallion and
then, almost immediately, is implicated in a woman's murder. Later, he
joins Napoleon's expedition into Egypt, where the Great Pyramids could
provide the French dictator with the secrets of world conquest or spell
certain disaster--for Napoleon and t he rest of humanity. Rich in period
detail and ancient mythology, this epic-scale thriller succeeds on the
strength of its small moments: a conversation that illuminates the plot, a
description that captures our imagination. It's of interest, too, to see
Napoleon reimagined as an adventurer, a dreamer, and an intellectual.
Incorporating some of the well-known speculation about the pyramids (the
mathematical significance of the Giza pyramid's design, for example) but
not taking it altogether seriously, the novel is a big, exciting romp that
will keep high-concept thriller fans on the edge of their seats. David
Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
The Scourge of God (2005) takes us back to late-eighteenth-century Paris,
where American Ethan Gage comes into possession of an ancient medallion and
then, almost immediately, is implicated in a woman's murder. Later, he
joins Napoleon's expedition into Egypt, where the Great Pyramids could
provide the French dictator with the secrets of world conquest or spell
certain disaster--for Napoleon and t he rest of humanity. Rich in period
detail and ancient mythology, this epic-scale thriller succeeds on the
strength of its small moments: a conversation that illuminates the plot, a
description that captures our imagination. It's of interest, too, to see
Napoleon reimagined as an adventurer, a dreamer, and an intellectual.
Incorporating some of the well-known speculation about the pyramids (the
mathematical significance of the Giza pyramid's design, for example) but
not taking it altogether seriously, the novel is a big, exciting romp that
will keep high-concept thriller fans on the edge of their seats. David
Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The title suggests there may be a "for fans of the Da Vinci Code" motto somewhere amongst the blurb and it's a relief to report that there isn't. Bernard Cornwell has given this book his approval though so that's got to be good, and indeed any fans of Cornwell's will not be disappointed with this. Sure there are the almost statutory links to the freemasons and cliche follows cliche with lots of derring-do and unlikely escapes and coincidences, but somehow, for me, it hangs together well and complies with all that is required for a light-hearted page turning adventure.
It's a bit like Flashman meets Sharpe to be honest; there is more light hearted japery in this book than in Cornwell's books and more blood and guts action than in Flashman though, so it straddles the divide nicely. I can't vouch for the historical accuracy or not and the story veers off into some more "fanciful" areas in any case, but it stands up well against Dan Brown and his ilk as you don't have to suspend disbelief too much.
It would appear that this book came out in the States three years ago so hopefully the follow ups will come out pretty soon as I for one am waiting eagerly for the next installment. This book won't win any literary prizes but is a good and engaging thriller, just right for dark winter nights or for the beach if you want to wait for summer to enjoy it.
It's a bit like Flashman meets Sharpe to be honest; there is more light hearted japery in this book than in Cornwell's books and more blood and guts action than in Flashman though, so it straddles the divide nicely. I can't vouch for the historical accuracy or not and the story veers off into some more "fanciful" areas in any case, but it stands up well against Dan Brown and his ilk as you don't have to suspend disbelief too much.
It would appear that this book came out in the States three years ago so hopefully the follow ups will come out pretty soon as I for one am waiting eagerly for the next installment. This book won't win any literary prizes but is a good and engaging thriller, just right for dark winter nights or for the beach if you want to wait for summer to enjoy it.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
This was a really great surprise, i like the odd trashy thriller, something to give the old brain a rest between some of the more challenging reads, an a good thriller is usually the way to go.
What should you expect, lots of the usual cliches, and yes this book has them, lots of the usual OTT action that any sane person would either avoid or die in, but our hero survives, but that's not the point of these books, the point is to be OTT and to thrill and excite and this book covers that in spades. It also lends a little more credibility that the average thriller which makes it more readable and it does it without taking it out of the adventure thriller market.
Im really looking forward to more Ethan Gage novels, they make for a fun diverting read.
Recommended
(Parm)
Description (from back of book)
Revolutionary Paris, 1798. Adventurer Ethan Gage - gambler, sharpshooter and pupil of the late Benjamin Franklin - wins a mysterious medallion in a card game. Within hours he is framed for murder and, facing the grim prospect of either prison or death, he barely escapes France with his life, choosing to accompany the ambitious young general Napoleon Bonaparte on his glorious mission to conquer Egypt.
With Horatio Nelson's fleet following close behind, Gage sets out on the adventure of a lifetime. But even as he hurtles into war, Gage is pursued by shadowy enemies who seem determined to lay their hands on the baffling medallion, and the powers it could unlock, at all costs. In a race against time and terrain, he must find the answer to one of history's greatest riddles, before it is too late...
What should you expect, lots of the usual cliches, and yes this book has them, lots of the usual OTT action that any sane person would either avoid or die in, but our hero survives, but that's not the point of these books, the point is to be OTT and to thrill and excite and this book covers that in spades. It also lends a little more credibility that the average thriller which makes it more readable and it does it without taking it out of the adventure thriller market.
Im really looking forward to more Ethan Gage novels, they make for a fun diverting read.
Recommended
(Parm)
Description (from back of book)
Revolutionary Paris, 1798. Adventurer Ethan Gage - gambler, sharpshooter and pupil of the late Benjamin Franklin - wins a mysterious medallion in a card game. Within hours he is framed for murder and, facing the grim prospect of either prison or death, he barely escapes France with his life, choosing to accompany the ambitious young general Napoleon Bonaparte on his glorious mission to conquer Egypt.
With Horatio Nelson's fleet following close behind, Gage sets out on the adventure of a lifetime. But even as he hurtles into war, Gage is pursued by shadowy enemies who seem determined to lay their hands on the baffling medallion, and the powers it could unlock, at all costs. In a race against time and terrain, he must find the answer to one of history's greatest riddles, before it is too late...
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Pleasantly surprised by what an excellent book this is. I read it at first for the historical setting and was dubious about the mystery/thriller element, but Dietrich proved himself as the story went on to be such a good writer - very witty and self-aware - that I was won over by the mystery element too. Ethan Gage is also a great character as the accidental but very winning hero, at times quite indignant about his plight but always scraping through.
I was pleased also by the attention to historical detail - or rather, how well Dietrich fits his fictional hero and story into real events (Napoleon's invasion of Egypt) - and impressed by how Dietrich's language alters from lively & amusing dialogue to quite evocative descriptions of the beautiful landscapes Ethan Gage travels through.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a well written and new historical, adventure, or thriller novel.
Already looking forward to the next adventure!
I was pleased also by the attention to historical detail - or rather, how well Dietrich fits his fictional hero and story into real events (Napoleon's invasion of Egypt) - and impressed by how Dietrich's language alters from lively & amusing dialogue to quite evocative descriptions of the beautiful landscapes Ethan Gage travels through.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a well written and new historical, adventure, or thriller novel.
Already looking forward to the next adventure!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Art history, romance and adventure: A delightful find
20% of the way through "Napoleon's Pyramids", I was back on Amazon downloading every book in the series available on Kindle. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Elferrara
A great historical novel.
After reading this book I ordered the next (the Rosetta key) one in the series. A fairly well written novel with a good story line. A little slow in places but a good read. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Chris
Raiders of the lost scrolls
For the first 48% or so of this book (according to my Kindle) this was pretty hard work. I didn't like the protagonist particularly, he seemed virtually indestructible - escaping... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Kenneth F. Mcara
Started well but...
This started off as an interesting Dan Brown-esque chase but soon, for me, deteriorated when it went into great (and dull) historical detail about Napoleon's Egyptian expedition. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Kelly Evans
Historical Action Adventure
I think someone said this is like Indiana Jones, set with a Napoleonic backdrop, and that would be a fair summing up of the plot. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Roger Cave
Indianna Jones Again
This was a disappointing read. It is a book for children with a bit of sex thrown in. The plot has so many holes in it that it should have sunk to the bottom of the Nile along... Read more
Published 9 months ago by maxdiff
Interesting and such fun
I only just bought my Kindle and chose this amongst my first downloads because I liked the sound of it. Read more
Published 9 months ago by M. Long
An Enjoyable Historical Romp
Back when it was first published I'd dismissed Napoleon's Pyramids as yet another 'hunt the lost artefact' adventure riding Dan Brown's coat tails and as a consequence avoided it. Read more
Published 9 months ago by C. Green
Far better than Dan Brown - and different
I agree with the reviewer who warned potential readers NOT to be put off by the Dan Brown comparison. This book is both better and different. Read more
Published 10 months ago by FeatherRuffler
Fun and well researched
A friend recommended this series to me and I'm so glad they did. William Dietrich writes an excellent book. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Reader
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