Napolean's Pyramids: William Dietrich

For more than four thousand years, the Pyramids of Giza have been a source of curiousity and worship for a varied number of people. The why's and wherefore's of their existence has never been explained to the complete satisfaction of anyone. Investigation into the pyramids revealed that no one was actually buried there. If this was the case then why were they built? The Greek philosopher Herodotus claimed that the pyramids were simply there to cover a much deeper mystery contained in subteranean caverns below the water level of the Nile. For much of the Western world Egypt was just a far-away fairytale until Napolean Bonaparte invaded in 1798, intent on finding the mysteries and taking them for his own. In Napolean's Pyramids William Dietrich takes us on a fictional account of that invasion. The ride he creates is nothing short of incredible.

Ethan Gage is an American in Paris and he is willing to take all the perks that has to offer to him. He came to Paris as an apprentice to Benjamin Franklin and that association, combined with his frontier attitude and his lax membership as a Mason makes him a very popular man. Gage is more then happy to spend his time drinking and gambling and has no other plans until another card player uses an ancient Egyptian medallion as a wager. When Gage wins the pot, and the medallion, he becomes the target for several groups intent on claiming it for themselves. Gage soon becomes the main suspect in a murder and his only way out is to get himself attached to the group of savants that will be traveling to Egypt with Bonaparte. Once there things take a sharp turn and it becomes apparent to Ethan that many of the things he held to be true were not. His only allies will be a befuddled French journalist, an Egyptian slave with many secrets of her own and a pair of Mameluke brothers. Will the free-thinking American allow himself to believe in the Egyptian mysteries he is bound up in before he loses everything he has come to hold dear?

You can probably already tell but I loved this book. I actually had trouble putting it down. The author has woven a very plausible tale of the reason for the pyramids and tied it all to the French invasion very convincingly. I loved the idea of the American diplomat/frontiersman racing through Egypt with his Pennsylvania longrifle and his tomahawk. I was a little confused when the author started in with the mathematical equations but math isn't my strong point. It didn't daunt me in the least however as it all seemed to make very good sense. I highly recommend this book for anyone with an interest in Egyptology, Mason lore, the French Revolution or anyone who just likes a really good adventure.
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Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (February 6, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0060848324
ISBN-13: 978-0060848323
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