The Barbary Pirates by William Dietrich, the fourth novel in the Ethan Gage series of rollicking historical thrillers, has the hero on the hunt for the Mirror of Archimedes, an ancient death ray that could tip the balance of power in the Mediterranean. After embroiling three real-life scientists - Georges Cuvier, William Smith, and Robert Fulton - in an imbroglio in a brothel, Ethan is dispatched by Napoleon to find the mirror before the Barbary pirates do. The action ranges from Paris to Venice to Santorini to Syracuse, and at the climax in Tripoli he must rescue his lost love Astiza and a two-year-old son he didn't know he had. Swift, fact-filled, funny, and suspenseful.
"Dietrich is an excellent writer...an action-filled romp that's both historically accurate and great fun." Library Journal.
"Should be heartily recommended to all action-adventure lovers." Booklist.
"Dietrich's imaginative page-turner will enjoy a long and lively run." Publisher's Weekly.
William Dietrich is the author of 13 books that combined have sold into 28 languages. As a journalist he won a Pulitzer for covering the Exxon Valdez oil spill for the Seattle Times. He is also a professor at Western Washington University. HIs historical thrillers combine careful research with rapid-fire action and social commentary.
