The Barbed Crown audiobook

The 6th Ethan Gage swashbuckling adventure once again puts poor Ethan into incredulous adventures that strain the bounds of possibility…but then that’s the point. Ethan begins this volume in a fairly steady place. He has lost his wife in a hurricane at the end of the last book so has moved back to England and is trying to raise his young son. He also has a bit of money in the bank, for a change, having sold a valuable emerald and invested the proceeds in England.Of course that steady state of affairs doesn’t last long and he soon finds himself working with Napoleon once again and then manages to become a double agent for England as well. In fact he bounces back and forth so many times that I lost count, but all through humorous circumstances and all at Ethan’s escalating peril. The plot culminates with the battle of Trafalgar and Ethan’s unwilling participation with Lord Nelson as well as on the French/Spanish side. This is a crazy exciting plot, and I couldn’t even begin to properly summarize it (as is usually the case with an Ethan Gage novel). And at the same time it’s a great way to get up close and personal with historical events.On to book #7,The Three Emperors.

I have to say that as an author who combines historical profiles and fiction, William Dietrich does a great job. I've been a fan of Ethan Gage since Napoleon's Pyramids. Gage is evolving as a character and it was something different for the man himself to recognise that his notoriety was both a blessing and a curse, to be used as necessary. I thought that the scenes were very well done and in particular, the Battle of Trafalgar was particularly enlightening. Dietrich's scenes with Nelson were very well done and helped bring humanity to a historical figure that I, like many, I had heard of, but never knew about the man himself.My one complaint is that ending the book almost immediately after Trafalgar was a bit of a let down as the book spent a fair bit of ink setting up the search for the Brazen Head, a medieval form of a android that could help someone takeover the world.Overall, the book was a good read. The story moved along and the ride was more or less enjoyable. Worth the time spent reading.

Although not one of the best books in this series, The Barbed Crown still maintains the standards of the Ethan Gage series, continuing to be my favorite historical fiction adventure series'.The book does get a little slow throughout the necessary periods in between action, but the action scenes themselves are classic Dietrich-crafted, historically accurate, excitement that you simply can't put down. Another feather in the author's cap is his insistence on portraying, and sticking to, the accuracy of the historical events portrayed in the story. And, last but not least, the main character, Ethan Gage, is one of the most enjoyable characters to follow. You just can't help but love the insightfully smart-assed, bad luck ridden, unabashed adventurer for all his quirks and qualities.

** spoiler alert ** Ethan Gage is not as witty as he says he is, and so deliciously clumsy you can't put down the book. You have to read on, and discover what trouble he's going to attract next. All right, maybe calling Trafalgar's battle trouble is a euphemism. No matter. Read the book. It's good.

Rollicking Fun Read Poor Ethan, a pawn in the political gales of his time, blown between forces he can’t possibly control, even as he makes desperate attempts. I’m very much enjoying his adventures so cleverly interwoven with real history. Now on to book #7.

The Ethan Gage series is just plain fun. Want adventure, (light) historical fiction, a good laugh? Then this series is for you.This time Ethan is once again a spy for the English, then the French, then?? He is motivated to make Napoleon pay for the death of his wife. His son is left in the hands of a couple in England and his wealth, bought by the sale of a (cursed??) emerald is safely invested. And of course, he is traveling with a beautiful woman whose motive is to over throw Napoleon and return the Royals to power.Immediately things go wrong and our hero finds himself questioning his decisions and wondering how he is constantly being manipulated into doing things he doesn’t want to do. He really just wants to retire to the countryside and live a quiet life. If you know Ethan Gage, you know that is NEVER going to happen.Lots of laughs and of course, a set up for the next book. This is a great series to read when you just want to relax and enjoy.

I think Ethan Gage himself best sums up the social and political complexities of this sixth installment in the eponymous entertaining series:“I catalogued my alliances. I’d conspired with the British spymaster Sidney Smith to take revenge for the death of my wife who, as it turned out, was not dead. I’d partnered with Comtesse Catherine Marceau for a return of royalists who, as it turned out, were arrested, scattered, or repatriated. I’d allied with Real to advise Napoleon’s army officers, allied with Napoleon to find a medieval automaton I was skeptical existed, allied with odd Palatine to disrupt Napoleon’s coronation with religious blasphemy, and been promised ten thousand francs by Talleyrand to let him try this ‘android’ first. Now I was sitting in the center of an agitated porridge of two million excited Frenchmen who, if they knew what I was about, would rip me limb from limb.For such a simple man, my life is surprisingly complicated,” (p. 194).But, as with all the other Ethan Gage novels, delightfully fun too. Although, admittedly, both The Barbed Crown and The Emerald Storm focus more on Ethan’s political machinations (or should I say those who use Ethan to further their own political ends) than on the wild adventures of treasure seeking that characterized the first four books. That doesn’t make The Barbed Crown any less of an enjoyable read. If anything, it’s kind of fun trying to keep up with whichever side Ethan is on at this moment in time.The sixth installment does open with Ethan smuggling himself, and the beautiful Comtesse Marceau, into France on a quest to assassinate Napoleon as vengeance for the death of Astiza in a hurricane at the end of Book 5. Ethan had made his way back to England after losing Astiza, and was partnered with the comtesse by his longtime on-and-off ally, Sidney Smith. She dreams of restoring the line of Bourbon kings to the French throne. Smith wants spies in France to report back on what Bonaparte is up to. But, lo and behold, Ethan makes it to shore and who should be waiting for him? Astiza! Alive and well, and on a quest to catch up to her wayward husband so she can continue research she started in the Caribbean in Paris. The trio make their way to the city center, where, rather than assassinating Napoleon – no need to do that now that Astiza is alive – they will try to ruin his coronation by replacing his crown with the legendary Crown of Thorns; the one worn by Jesus at his crucifixion.What a plan.And when it goes wrong, as things so often do with Ethan, he once again finds himself separated from Astiza and his young son, Harry, and ping-ponging back and forth between France and England trying to negotiate peace between the two nations as the historic Battle of Trafalgar draws ever near.Oh yeah, and in the midst of this back-and-forth, back-and-forth, Ethan was tasked by Napoleon to track down another historic treasure: the Brazen Head – an automaton built by Albert Magnus sometime in the 13th century that is rumored to predict the future. When is Gage supposed to find time to look for it? Well, it is Astiza who is charged with this hunt more so than Ethan, so the Brazen Head does take a back seat to the rest of Gage’s adventures in this installment.But as with the preceding five books, The Barbed Crown is pure fun. I wish the novel hadn’t spent quite as much time on Ethan’s ping-ponging, but it was still great escapism. Now I come to the latest release: The Three Emperors. What happens next, oh Mr. Gage?

Over the course of six novels, author William Dietrich has introduced us to the refreshing character --- Ethan Gage. Set firmly amidst the Napoleonic era, Ethan Gage is an American swashbuckler with an allegiance that sways between America, England and France with each passing chapter.I have previously referred to Ethan Gage as a delightful cross between Captain Jack Sparrow and Indiana Jones. To that must be added the keen and sharped tongue wit of a master salesman. Gage is a true scoundrel who is often misunderstood by those he aligns with as well as whoever his enemy seems to be at the time. Whatever he is, Ethan Gage has managed to continuously find himself at the center of some of the most important moments in European history --- to the delight of all readers!THE BARBED CROWN is the sixth novel in the Ethan Gage adventure series. This novel starts off with a bang and never seems to let up, giving the reader little time to breathe. Throughout this series Gage has been part of everything from the Louisiana Purchase to the Barbary Pirates and even ancient pyramids in Egypt. Regardless of what side he may be operating on he has consistently wanted to accomplish one thing --- stopping Napoleon Bonaparte at all costs.Freshly reunited with his wife, Astiza, and son Horus “Harry”, Ethan Gage plans to lead a band of rebels into Paris to do what they can to thwart Napoleon. This is easier said than done as Napoleon always seems to be one step ahead of Gage. Primarily, this is due to a never-ending stream of ‘comrades’ who consistently double-cross Gage leaving him odd man out every time. This time, Ethan and Astiza believe they have just the thing to bring down Napoleon and shame the Corsican even in front of his loyal supporters. If they can replace a crown that Pope Pius is scheduled to place on Napoleon’s head during his coronation with an infamous religious artifact it should be enough to raise enough sentiment against the diminutive Emperor and bring him down. Alas, not everything Ethan Gage conceives goes as planned.One mantra that has guided Gage through these novels is: “Men fear humiliation more than death, or there’d never be battles at all”. THE BARBED CROWN presents European and world history in such an accessible way you lose sight of the fact that you are gaining a great lesson because you’re too busy having fun reading what Gage is doing next.From the crosses and double-crosses to religious intrigue and finishing up with the bloody Battle of Trafalgar that depicts the demise of one of England’s most famous naval heroes, THE BARBED CROWN is swash-buckling historical fiction at its’ boldest. This series is so audacious and vivid it simply demands big or small-screen treatment so that the maximum amount of fans can enjoy the treats Dietrich displays on every page. I anxiously await the next entry in the Ethan Gage saga!

I began this thinking it would be another period slap and dash through French and English history with perhaps a bit of bodice-ripping along the way. There was little bodice-ripping, though the constant threat of it is one of the comic highlights of a very funny romp. Surprisingly based on real characters such as Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton and Napoleon and his court, it sets Ethan Gage, an American adventurer, loose among the governments of both England and France. He has married an Egyptian beauty, Astiza, with whom he has a son named Harry, Gage is constant to them above all, no matter how tempted he may be to canoodle with the Comtesse Marceau who originally rejects him only to attempt to seduce him at every chance later. Robert Fulton is in the cast, Talleyrand, of course, Sir William Congreve and many more actual figures from history. Gage wisecracks his way through every scrape, finds himself fighting against and for both sides and he may have contributed the Jaeger rifle that killed Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar—assuming, of course, that you can be led to believe that’s what may have happened. The battle scenes are realistic and horrendous, the foreign policy and political problems historically-based and the whole tone of the Scarlet Pimpernel and other greet naval comedy-dramas of the 50s on film generates a manic energy that both keeps the pages turning and inspires lots of laughter. Let me close by allowing Gage to summarize his situation shortly after Napoleon’s coronation: “I’d conspired with the British spy-master Sidney Smith to take revenge for the death of my wife who, as it turned out, was not dead. I’d partnered with Comtesse Catherine Marceau for a return of royalists who, as it turns out, were arrested, scattered or repatriated. I’d allied with Réal to advise Napoleon’s army officers, allied with Napoleon to find a medieval automaton I was skeptical existed, allied with odd Palatine to disrupt Napoleon’s coronation with religious blasphemy, and had been promised ten thousand francs by Talleyrand to let him try this ‘android’ first. Now I was sitting in the center of an agitated porridge of two million excited Frenchmen who, if they knew what I was about, would rip me limb from limb.” Enough complexity for you? Just a superb summer read on so many entertaining levels.

I began this thinking it would be another period slap and dash through French and English history with perhaps a bit of bodice-ripping along the way. There was little bodice-ripping, though the constant threat of it is one of the comic highlights of a very funny romp. Surprisingly based on real characters such as Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton and Napoleon and his court, it sets Ethan Gage, an American adventurer, loose among the governments of both England and France. He has married an Egyptian beauty, Astiza, with whom he has a son named Harry, Gage is constant to them above all, no matter how tempted he may be to canoodle with the Comtesse Marceau who originally rejects him only to attempt to seduce him at every chance later. Robert Fulton is in the cast, Talleyrand, of course, Sir William Congreve and many more actual figures from history. Gage wisecracks his way through every scrape, finds himself fighting against and for both sides and he may have contributed the Jaeger rifle that killed Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar—assuming, of course, that you can be led to believe that’s what may have happened. The battle scenes are realistic and horrendous, the foreign policy and political problems historically-based and the whole tone of the Scarlet Pimpernel and other greet naval comedy-dramas of the 50s on film generates a manic energy that both keeps the pages turning and inspires lots of laughter. Let me close by allowing Gage to summarize his situation shortly after Napoleon’s coronation: “I’d conspired with the British spy-master Sidney Smith to take revenge for the death of my wife who, as it turned out, was not dead. I’d partnered with Comtesse Catherine Marceau for a return of royalists who, as it turns out, were arrested, scattered or repatriated. I’d allied with Réal to advise Napoleon’s army officers, allied with Napoleon to find a medieval automaton I was skeptical existed, allied with odd Palatine to disrupt Napoleon’s coronation with religious blasphemy, and had been promised ten thousand francs by Talleyrand to let him try this ‘android’ first. Now I was sitting in the center of an agitated porridge of two million excited Frenchmen who, if they knew what I was about, would rip me limb from limb.” Enough complexity for you? Just a superb summer read on so many entertaining levels.

William Dietrich's Ethan Gage series ("Napoleon's Pyramids," "The Barbary Pirates") plugs merrily along, offering the reader thrills and laughter in equal proportions. The titular hero, Ethan Gage, remains a handsome engager of derring-do feats, as good with a quip and he is with a rifle or tomahawk. Disciple of Ben Franklin, friend and foe to Napoleon, and occasional spy for any and all sides, Gage is a perfect cipher to play alongside Bonaparte, Tallyrand, and the other giants of the age."The Barbed Crown" opens with Gage trying to re-enter France to avenge the death of his enchanting wife, Astiza, lost in a hurricane in the Caribbean in "The Emerald Storm." Gage's quest of revenge is somewhat truncated when he learns that (mild spoiler alert) Astiza is in fact alive and well and already in France . . . trying to save him. This is typical Gage - his rare flights of nobility are undercut by the facts on the ground. This development sets the tone for the novel, for as Gage swings from escapade to escapade - including trying to subvert Napoleon's legendary coronation - Gage inevibly learns that he is far from the master of events.That's not to say that Gage is either incapable or a buffoon. Very few could survive his various scrapes, and Dietrich keeps the action coming from scene to scene. Even fewer could offer Gage's hilarious, self-deprecating narrative. Far from the dour rifleman Sharpe, Gage is much more on the level of Flashman. His bon mots and internal observations are more than worth the price of admission.The good humor wisely drops to one side as the book builds to the epic battle of Trafalgar, which Gage observes from the deck of a French warship. Writers should be careful when describing pivotal historical developments - Dietrich's description of the battle, the players involved, and its horrifying human cost does it justice.Dietrich also populates "The Barbed Crown" with a cast of historical figures that give "The Barbed Crown" a legitimacy that might otherwise seem lacking - it's as realistic as Indiana Jones going head to head with the Nazis. The good news is that it's also as fun.Highly recommended, and a sterling addition to the series.

I love this series and The Barbed Crown has all of the twists, turns and historical references that you've come to expect. However I did find Ethan Gage's involvement to be a bit passive from William Dietrich. Ethan has always been a victim of the turbulent times that he's depicted in, but in this book he seemed to have even less influence on the plot then usual. But all of the adventure and humor is there with the promise that the return to exotic locations and MacGuffins are just around the next corner.

Another rousing Ethan Gage historical adventure. This time Ethan finds himself an unwilling double agent for the British and Napoleon as the French prepare to invade England. I enjoyed the sardonic verbal dueling between Gage and Napoleon, and Ethan’s humorous monologues about the foibles of society and the temptations of lovely ladies, as well as more serious considerations about the horrors of warfare at that time (and any). The climax in the naval Battle of Trafalgar is vivid and gripping. Keep it up, Ethan!

As a continuation of the series I found it enjoyable. I enjoy the fact that the twists and turns make for a exciting and enjoyable read. Given the fact that these novels are treasure hunting stories the author ads the right mix of action and suspense. I enjoy these novels and need to read the rest of the series. They would make great movies. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mythological treasure hunting with high action and adventure.

So I was a little Leary of reading this at first but am very glad i decided to read it! Dietrich does a wonderful job of characterizing Ethan Gage and building a world around him. It has definitely wet my whistle for the rest of the series. I cannot wait to read the books previous and look forward to reading any other books that may follow this one. (And I'm sure there will be others.)

Once again a very entertaining volume of the adventures of Ethan Gage. This time he is the shuttlecock between England and Napoleon's France that begins with the attempted invasion of England and ends up in the battle of Trafalgar. Along the way there are spies, counterspies, admirals, captains and of course Napoleon himself.A fun read that reminds me of George MacDonald Fraser.

A nice romp through Napoleon's territorial ambitions through historical fiction. A light, entertaining story about a pretty tumultuous time in French history. A good vacation read, but not terribly complex or nuanced.