The Barbary Pirates by William Dietrich, a fast- paced novel with adventure, humor, and history

The Barbary Pirates is novel that is one of a series written by William Dietrich around the fictitious character Ethan Gage. It is written with some relevance to certain true historical incidents and characters as well. to I was a little confused as I just started this book because I had not read any previous books of the series and the language was a bit modern for a book telling a story set back in 1802. But as I kept reading everything came in to light and it was impossible for me to put the book down.

The main character, Ethan Gage, is as American who has a taste for adventure, treasure hunts, and women. Wherever he goes, he attracts trouble. The plot starts when he is given an assignment by Napoleon Bonaparte to find a legendary weapon called “the mirror of Archimedes”, a super-power weapon apparently originated in Atlantis and later used by Archimedes. Gage is accompanied by Georges Cuvier, William Smith, and Robert Fulton in his voyage from Paris to Venice, Thira and Tripoli, to hunt for the mirror, his lost love, and a son he did not know existed. The journey is full of adventure and danger with Gage's arch enemy Aroura Somerset, a clan called the Egyptian rite, and Barbary Pirates in pursuit, desperate to have the weapon for themselves.

I found The Barbary Pirates fantastic as a novel of adventure, thriller, and history, very fast paced and absolutely funny. The dialogs were hilarious, full of sarcasm towards Gage from others for his attraction to trouble.

There is a historical note at the end of the book that clarifies the historical incidents, places and people that the reader encounters in the book. I found it very informative. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope to get my hands on the other Ethan Gage adventures soon.