Napoleon's Pyramids by William Dietrich

In revolutionary France, Ethan Gage, expatriate American and assistant to Ben Franklin finds himself on the receiving end of relentless pursuit by infernal characters coveting a mysterious coin he won in a poker game. Fearing for his life, and being framed for the murder of a prostitute he has the choice of prison or to take refuge with none other Napoleon Bonaparte on an expedition to conquer Egypt and unlock the mysteries of the Pyramids.

Banaparte, in search of more power, uses Ethan, this curiously engraved coin and 167 other scientists and engineers to unlock the mysteries of the ancient Pyramids. Wielding a Pennsylvania long-rifle and tomahawk, Ethan fights alongside the French in head to head battle on swash-buckling ships against the English and in the desert sands of Egypt.

William Dietrich’s Napoleon’s Pyramids is one of my favorite books. Dietrich uses the flavor of a French backdrop to throw you into the story with an invigorating American hero Ethan Gage to weave a story comparable to the Indiana Jones sagas. The reader will enjoy encounters with a spectrum of rich characters from scantly dressed hookers, to an enchanting Gypsy lover, to Napoleon Bonaparte and to a beautiful servant girl.

This was an impressive experience to read a historical novel with so much action and authentic characters. If you’re searching for a refreshing adventure novel, this is the one for you, especially if you enjoy history, mystery and a whole lot of fun!