Review: Ethan Gage returns in 'Emerald Storm'

By AP's Jeff Ayers

[May 09, 2012]  OXFORD, Conn. (AP) -- "The Emerald Storm: an Ethan Gage Adventure" (Harper), by William Dietrich: William Dietrich brings back his hero, Ethan Gage, in an early 19th-century swashbuckling adventure, "The Emerald Storm."

Gage is married with a young son. He's tired of the adventurous life working for Napoleon Bonaparte and wants to retire in luxury. He has recently stumbled on a rare emerald worth a fortune, but when he tries to sell it, trouble ensues. A corrupt police commissioner believes the emerald is part of a larger treasure, so he kidnaps Gage's son to compel Gage to find the remaining hoard.

When Gage and his wife arrive in Haiti to start their search for both their son and the riches, they soon learn that others are looking for the lost treasure of Montezuma. The British want it to fund a slave revolt; the French want the money to assist in funding the war with Britain. Can they rescue their son and keep their enemies at bay?

Dietrich seamlessly blends historical fact with fiction. A historical note at the end of the novel reveals the real people that Gage meets. It's fun to see him interact with so many familiar men and women throughout history. Dietrich also has a knack for making the world of 1803 come alive. The novel starts slowly but persistence pays off in a grand way.

Newcomers will have reminders from Gage himself about previous adventures because he likes to brag. Readers will see an obvious direction for the next Gage adventure.

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Online:

http://williamdietrich.com/

[Associated Press; By JEFF AYERS]

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