The Three Emperors - (Ethan Gage Adventures) Large Print by William Dietrich (Paperback)

About the Book

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?"

Book Synopsis

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?

From the Back Cover

Venice: Ethan Gage has escaped after surviving the naval battle of Trafalgar. His plan: to circumvent the French Empire and rescue his wife, 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, Gage seeks an unlikely ally in Jewish Napoleonic soldier Gideon Mandel, who saves Ethan's life at Austerlitz, and Gideon's father, Aaron, a rabbi whose knowledge of legends of the Golem adds another layer to the hunt for the Brazen Head. Meanwhile, Astiza uses her own research to concoct an explosive escape and find a lost tomb, with their tormentors in relentless pursuit.

William Dietrich skillfully weaves intrigue, magic, romance, and danger in a historical thriller that sprints from the fury of the Napoleonic wars to the mystic puzzles of Central Europe--where a medieval machine promises power over the future.

Review Quotes

Praise for Ethan Gage and The Barbed Crown: "Ethan Gage is not a man to let the grass grow under his feet. A non-stop page-turning adventure of wit, entertaining history, and characters who roll with the punches of fate." - Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series on The Barbed Crown
"A master at blending accurate historical fact with fictitious love and war storytelling." - Seattle Times
"Dietrich should be lauded." - USA Today
"Dietrich seamlessly blends historical fact with fiction." - Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers
"Another rip-roaring nineteenth-century adventure that combines historical people and events with imaginative fiction." - Booklist
"William Dietrich has created a truly unique hero in Ethan Gage." - Bookreporter.com
"Rousing adventure. . . . The latest rousing adventure from Dietrich shows antihero Ethan Gage, his exotic wife and a varied cast of characters grappling with an especially tumultuous historical period." - Kirkus Reviews
"Ethan Gage is one character in the suspense world that readers have grown to truly love. . . . This is a very busy tale with family, friends, and bad guys jumping from place to place to solve some pretty amazing puzzles that readers will not soon forget. Yet a new Gage story that will have everyone cheering!" - Suspense magazine
"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." - Library Journal
"Dietrich's creation Ethan Gage is no typical action hero. . . . Dietrich has the Gage series down to a formula, blending history with entertaining tall tales and a good deal of irreverence." - Kirkus Reviews
"Utilizing his trademark combination of wit, wile, and homespun American common sense, Ethan successfully integrates himself into the sophisticated intrigue of the Old World." - Booklist
"Rich in historical detail. . . . The battle of Trafalgar is narrated magnificently. There are also plots, twists, and counterplots along with searches for religious relics . . . Historical fiction fans will relish this over-the-top romp as they wallow in the color and the history." - Library Journal on The Barbed Crown
"Brilliantly conceived and crafted from the first word. Dietrich puts great characters in seemingly impossible scenarios on every page. A fun, fast, exhilarating read. I haven't read a historical novel this good since Ken Follet's Pillars of the Earth." - Robert Dugoni, author of The Conviction
"Exuberant . . . . Along the way readers will be treated to Dietrich's fascinating 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." - Publishers Weekly on The Barbed Crown
"I am a big fan of William Dietrich's Ethan Gage novels and The Barbed Crown is a great addition to the series. Gage is a rascal and he's in trouble again. . . . An exciting, funny, and educational read." - Philip Margolin, author of Capitol Murder