Synopses & Reviews
American adventurer Ethan Gage barely escaped with his life from murderous thieves, survived a nerve-racking sea voyage and the deadly Egyptian sands when attached to Napoleon's army, and solved a five-thousand-year-old riddle with the help of a mysterious medallion.
But that was child's play . . .
The year is 1799. As Bonaparte's army descends upon Israel, intent upon conquest, Ethan Gage finds himself embroiled in an ancient mystery in the Holy Land, searching for a legendary Egyptian scroll imbued with awesome powers.
The courageous and resourceful Gage must keep the mysterious document from his enemy, Napoleon—or, failing that, wrest it from him, even if it means pursuing his vengeful adversary back to France. And the wisdom of his great mentor, Benjamin Franklin, will offer Gage no solace should Bonaparte succeed in unlocking the terrible secrets of the Book of Thoth—for whoever masters its magic will rule the world.
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"Fast moving....The descriptions of the myriads of cities and landscapes and cultures that Gage encounters are marvelous and filled with color....The Rosetta Key is action packed, reads easily, and is ideal for the big screen." Historical Novels Review
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"Does the late George MacDonald Fraser's irresistible anti-hero, Sir Harry Flashman, have some competition? We hope so." Sacramento Bee
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"An electrifying combination of battles, exotic landscapes, and colorful characters who really lived." International Thriller Writers Blog
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"The Rosetta Key creates a satisfying blend of military and ancient history, adventure and romance." Newark Star Ledger
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"Entertaining and vividly evocative, The Rosetta Key is William Dietrich at his fast-paced, cliff-hanger best. For lovers of stirring historical adventure laden with intriguing mystery and puzzles galore, The Rosetta Key is a terrific thrill ride not to be missed." MizB Blog
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"For lovers of stirring historical adventure laden with intriguing myste ry and puzzles galore, The Rosetta Key is a terrific thrill ride not to be missed." Anacortes Now (WA)
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A full-bore thriller and who better than Dietrich for an all-out romp with seductive characters, alluring plot, and dynamic historical elements? In this installment in the popular Ethan Gage series, the search is on for the Book of Thoth, an ancient, possibly magical Egyptian scroll. Booklist
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"Exciting and well-written....Dietrich's latest tale is ripe with rich detail of the Holy Land of the period and its disparate peoples. Fascinating historical and fictional characters and good dialog add to the mix. Offering high adventure and good history, it's also great fun." Library Journal
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"Historical fiction meets thriller here, with plenty to interest fans of both genres. The action is nearly nonstop, the humor is plentiful, and the intrigue is more than enough to keep the pages turning." School Library Journal
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"In recent years he turned to writing historical novels, successfully redirecting his knack for summarizing complex historical events quickly in clear, concise and interesting terms. His painstaking research and eye for detail allows him to bring characters and their surroundings vividly to life." Anacortes American (WA)
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"The Rosetta Key is a fast-paced thriller that races between the Holy Land and the New World." National Examiner
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"The prize-winning journalist/novelist...brings back the explorer hero from his popular adventure saga Napoleon's Pyramids for a fast-paced sequel in which he continues his globe-trotting search for an Egyptian scroll reported to have magic properties." Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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"An utterly captivating romp....Dietrich spins a merry magical mystery tour, winningly intricate....It's the history that grabs you, rewritten as a pulse-pounding cliffhanger action flick....Mr. Spielberg! Mr. Lucas! It's your move." Seattle Times
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"Sit down, suspend disbelief, and enjoy Dietrich's fabulous romp through history." Bookloons.com
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"Ethan Gage undergoes further life-threatening adventures in this rollicking sequel....Ever the incorrigible gambler and all-around scamp, Gage makes an irresistible anti-hero. The ending promises more volumes in what one hopes will be a long series." Publishers Weekly
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“A full-bore thriller, and who better than Dietrich for an all-out romp with seductive characters, alluring plot, and dynamic historical elements?” Booklist
Synopsis
“An utterly captivating romp from the treacherous tunnels beneath Jerusalem to the lost City of Ghosts (Petra, Jordan) to the tumult of revolutionary Paris….Dietrich spins a merry magical mystery tour, winningly intricate and anchored to actual historical figures and events….Mr. Spielberg! Mr. Lucas! Its your move.”
—Seattle Times
Dashing and courageous American adventurer Ethan Gage returns in William Dietrichs The Rosetta Key—the thrilling sequel to the Pulitzer Prize-winning authors acclaimed Napoleons Pyramids. An eighteenth century Indiana Jones, Gage swashbuckles once again, this time in pursuit of a precious Egyptian relic that would give its owner the power to rule the world. The Rosetta Key an adventure in reading that is not to be missed, especially by fans of George MacDonald Frasers Flashman novels and aficionados of a grand literary tradition dating back to Jack London, Robert Lewis Stevenson, and H. Rider Haggard, and carried on today by such notables as James Rollins, David Liss, Steve Berry, and Kate Mosse.
About the Author
William Dietrich is the New York Times bestselling author of ten novels, including the upcoming Blood of the Reich and the Ethan Gage adventures, The Dakota Cipher, The Rosetta Key, and Napoleon's Pyramid. He is also a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, historian, and naturalist. A winner of the PNBA Award and Washington Governor Writer's Award, he is a professor of journalism at Western Washington University.