Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Egypt

Bonnie said, "Napoleon's Pyramids by William Dietrich came out earlier this year, and is a very good choice for Egypt. Here's my review. It's historical in that it's about Napoleon invading Egypt, but it's also very much FICTION and not something that happened. The fun part is imagining what if it HAD happened this way."

What mystical secrets lie beneath the Great Pyramids? Traveling with Napoleon's ambitious expedition, American adventurer Ethan Gage solves a five-thousand-year-old riddle with the help of a mysterious medallion. Ethan Gage, assistant to Ben Franklin and expatriate American in post-revolutionary France, wins an ancient—and possibly cursed—medallion in a card game one night. It turns out that the medallion, covered in seemingly indecipherable symbols, may be linked to a Masonic mystery. That same night, however, Ethan is framed for a prostitute's murder and barely escapes France with his life.

Faced with either prison or death, Gage is offered a third choice: to accompany the new emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, as France sails to conquer Egypt — with Lord Nelson's fleet following close behind. Once Gage arrives, he encounters incredible surprises: one in the form of a beautiful Macedonian slave and another in the dawning knowledge that the medallion may solve one of the greatest riddles of history — who built the Great Pyramids, and why. What is revealed to Gage is more shocking than anyone could ever have imagined.

William Dietrich's books have been hailed for their vivid imagery, evocative atmospheres, impeccable historical accuracy, and ambitious plots. Now, in the breakout novel of his career, he delivers an enthralling story of intrigue, greed, and danger. Moving from the lascivious salons of post-revolutionary Paris to the Mediterranean's high seas to the treacherous sands of Egypt, Napoleon's Pyramids is a riveting, action-packed thriller that will captivate readers and introduce them to this supremely talented author.

2 comments:

Historia said...

OOh this looks like a great novel. I gotta find this one to read.

Ramya said...

hey bonnie - here's another one for your egypt collection - The Cairo Trilogy by egypt's nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz. It is a compilation of three books - The Palace Walk, The Palace of Desire, Sugar Street. The review for this book is in my blog as well :
http://addicted-to-books.blogspot.com/2007/09/cairo-trilogy.html