The Rosetta Key audiobook

Another exciting Ethan Gage adventure! Just a heads up: this is the second Ethan Gage saga, so there may be spoilers to Napoleon's Pyramids in this review.I'll admit: it took me a minute to warm up to these books. I thought that Ethan Gage was a bit pretentious and the story a little implausible in the first book, and had trouble getting past that. BUT once you decide to just sit back and enjoy the ride, these books are such fun! Yes, Ethan is still a bit pretentious, but I think that's at least partly due to the historicity of the books. They're set in the late 1700s, when upper class white males did honestly think themselves better than most other people. And when Ethan repeatedly refers to himself as a "savant," he's not being snobbish (in that moment); he's using the word in the historic, literal sense, and telling us that he's well-educated and well-read. The Rosetta Key also continues to be pretty implausible, but it's fiction. Go ahead and let yourself be carried along on the adventure and you won't regret it!The Rosetta Key finds Ethan still in the Middle East, but this time in Jerusalem. He's looking for the Book of Throth, to keep it from falling into the wrong (Napoleon's) hands. Along the way, he also hopes to find Astiza. If you remember, he lost her when she fell from the hot air balloon into the Nile. I assumed her dead.... I have now learned a lesson in keeping up hope! Especially in fiction. ;) Turns out she's alive and well and needs to be found. Ethan practically singlehandedly fights off the British and the French and the king of Egypt in order to outsmart them all in following the clues and finding the Book of Throth. (I warned you that it's slightly implausible.) With this one, though, I let all logic fly out the window and ended up loving seeing how Ethan would tackle each new problem or puzzle that arose. I cheered for him whenever he'd solve a clue or overcome an obstacle, and laughed at some of his naivete in some social situations. There's a whole scene involving two women that I found particularly amusing. :)Then the book ends... with a heavy hint at the next Ethan Gage adventure! I've already downloaded The Dakota Cipher to listen to next! Got to see where that crazy Ethan Gage ends up.I listened to The Rosetta Key, as opposed to reading a physical book, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The narrator gives Ethan a voice that seems real, and does believable, noncondescending accent for the foreign characters. The cadence and pacing feel good: not too fast and not too slow. I would certainly recommend this audiobook.

This is the second fast-paced rollicking historical adventure featuring Ethan Gage. A former student of Benjamin Franklin, Gage has survived the adventures recounted in Napoleon's Pyramids and has now engaged upon a search for a legendary Egyptian scroll, the Book of Thoth, in the Middle East. The action takes place among the backdrop of Napoleon's 1799 campaign along the coast of Palestine as he tries to emulate the success of Alexander the Great and make inroads to Asia. Ethan and his cohorts participate (sometimes accidentally) in warfare at Acre, Jaffa, and the Battle of Mount Tabor. Several historical personages make an appearance here including Sir Sydney Smith, General Phelipeaux, Haim Farhi, and Djezzar. Gage's time in the Holy Land is, of course, fraught with danger as one adventure leads to the next. Just when he manages to extricate himself from one near fiasco he falls into the next. He is often driven by his love for a woman...or sometimes, it is for the love of a different woman. Most of what happens to him is not by his own design but somehow always manages to land him where he needs to be. Sort of a cross between Indiana Jones and Maxwell Smart. He suffers from extremely bad luck on multiple occasions but, fortunately, this is balanced by extremely good luck when his life is at stake.The thing I find intriguing about this character is not so much his swashbuckling adventurer side, but rather, his scientific side. As a student of Ben Franklin, Gage has absorbed a thirst for scientific knowledge as well as a gift for applying his knowledge in practical ways. His innovative use of electricity from crude batteries actually turns the tide of battle in one scene.I'm enjoying these adventure novels and looking forward to the next.

An Indian Jones type of story set in Egypt, Israel and France, late 19th century. Entertaining. Suspend disbelief before opening the book.

A roaring adventure in the vein of the pulp classics but with a modern wit and eye for historical detail. Just as fast paced and fun as the first. Cornwell's Sharpe meets Indiana Jones with a fascinating historical plot that Dan Brown wishes he had the skill to write.

Love this series! The author is a genius at never going where you think he will...or want him to.

Ethan Gage is a combo of Indiana Jones with Sherlock Holmes’ snarky sense of humor. The result is a lovable character that’s the underdog you want to root for. This book has the perfect blend of history, adventure, treasure hunts and outrunning bad guys.

I really enjoyed it, but it didn't keep me up all night reading. I read a chapter or two at a time and was okay to stop for a few hours or a day. Even with the literary devices employed to keep me going, I felt curiosity but no rush. The humor was delightful.

A fun book! Has the scent of an Indiana Jones flick, with a dose of National Treasure!

So much adventure set in Jerusalem and surrounding regions. Ethan Gage is a funny, likeable character. Just when you think things have settled down, they start right up again. Non-stop action.