The Emerald Storm: An Ethan Gage Adventure    by William Dietrich Order:  USA  Can Harper, 2013 (2012) Hardcover, Softcover, CD, e-Book     Reviewed by Bob Walch William Dietrich describes his popular hero, Ethan Gage, as, 'Not the sort of man you bring home to meet mother. But he's delightful and inspiring company. Like all of us he's trying to make his way in a complicated and sometimes hostile world, using wit and charm as much as gun and tomahawk to carry the day'. The sometimes hostile world Gage lives in is the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This fifth historical thriller featuring the American adventurer is set in 1803 and unfolds on the islands of the Caribbean where Gage, his wife, Astiza, and their three year old son, Harry, have hopes of living a quiet life. Of course, this is not going to happen. Not only does Gage become embroiled in the slave revolt in Saint Domingue (Haiti) but he also is caught up in the hunt for Montezuma's treasure that is thought to lie somewhere in the vicinity of Martinique. At the heart of the cache are two valuable items. One is an emerald reputedly stolen from the pasha of Tripoli that ended up with the Aztec Emperor Montezuma. Captured in the looting of the Aztec Empire the precious stone disappeared while being sent back to Europe. The second item of interest is far more exotic. It is the plan for a reputed flying machine that the French army would like to have. If the ancient machine can be recreated it holds the key to the French plan to fly across the English Channel and conquer their old nemesis. When his son is kidnapped, Gage is thrust into the hunt to locate the emerald and flying machine plans. Along the way he'll rub shoulders with real historical figures such as British glider inventor George Cayley, Napoleon, and Touissant L'Ouverture, a revolutionary, slave leader. Gage's previous adventures have occurred in a wide range of locales and involved Egyptology, Templar mysteries, Kabbalistic numbers, controversial rune stones, and white slavery in the Barbary states. It comes as no surprise to those who have followed the series to find him now in the Caribbean seeking Aztec treasure and the secret of manned flight! Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Historical books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews