This is a rollicking adventure, fun for the reader, but not always so fun for the hero, Ethan Gage, who has exhausting, frustrating, sometimes bloody, sometimes heart-breaking experiences, one after another. The character is charming, clever, and likable, and it's easy to root for him, his lovely wife and little boy. If anything, it's a little too much adventure for me!

The year is 1803 and Gage, an American who wants to retire with a treasure found in an earlier book, finds himself at odds with the English and the French, eventually fighting with the Haitian rebels in an effort to rescue his family.



( )

Have never read any of the series, and came across a copy of this and thought I'd give it a try. Appeared to tick a lot of boxes for series I really enjoy. The opening scene was fantastic. First couple chapters were good. After that, I lost interest. DNF. For me, that opening scene set a tone that just wasn't fulfilled through the rest of the book. I may need to go back and try the first book because I can see a lot of potential here, it's just maybe for this later book, the steam had gone out of the series.

***Note this review is from an uncorrected proof, so the actual final print may be slightly different than the reviewed copy.

I absolutely adored this book! [I think I know someone who is so like the main character, Ethan Gage!]

This fast paced thriller takes you from Paris to the tropics. From historical characters with names you're sure to recognize to the un-named heroes of an era long gone.

One is swept up with Ethan Gage as he struggles to keep his family together and protect his fortune. Only to lose both. Then scrape and fight to get them back.

A strange attempt to uncover a lost treasure, only to lose it in the storm of the century. Along with the two family members aboard a ship, where someone will once more be lost.

Despair to hope and back again. Passion. Adventure. Tribal ritual. Voodoo. Military encounters. And so much more will keep you on the edge of your seat!

If you enjoy adventure... you won't want to put this one down!

I give this book Five Stars and a big Thumbs Up!

****DISCLOSURE: This book was provided by Amazon Vine in exchange for an independent and non-biased review. ( )

The Emerald Storm by William Dietrich is his 5th Ethan Gage novel. I would call the main character (Ethan) impetuous. I think for this series, it would have helped to have read some of the previous books because I was left with mixed feelings about it when I was done. Mostly I thought it was a good romp, kind of like the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, where the main characters seem to always be putting their neck in a noose for our amusement.

While there was a lot of humor in the book, it also covered serious topics like racism and freedom rather well. The book takes place mostly in 1803, when Napoleon is conquering Europe and the British are taking over the seas and the United States is thinking about buying Louisiana from the French before the British steal it from them both.

Ethan is a pawn to the powers that be and all want a piece of him. Someone kidnaps his son to get him to find an ancient Aztec treasure lost long ago. His travels take him many places and he meets many interesting people and always seems to be one step behind his sons captors, with his fierce wife by his side.

Overall I enjoyed the book though after a while I got tired of Ethan always seeming to make the wrong decision whenever he had a choice. I also felt that the ending was not in line with the feel with the rest of the book. The ending was projected a little in advance but still was hard to take. This is why I think reading one of the earlier books would be beneficial, to get a better sense of what goes on. ( )