An American ex-pat is on a mission for Napoleon in the Dakotas while searching for an ancient Norse relic in this historical thriller. Ethan Gage wants to enjoy the fruits of victory after helping Napoleon win the Battle of Marengo, but an ill-advised tryst with Bonaparte's married sister has made that impossible. So now, with President Thomas Jefferson's blessings, Ethan and a mystic Norwegian, Magnus Bloodhammer, embark upon an expedition into America's western wilderness—dodging hostile Indians and a British seductress as they search for the mythical hammer of the Norse god Thor. The prize, which was allegedly carried to North America more than a century before Columbus arrived, leads them across a landscape no white man has yet traversed. Here Gage's skills will be tested as never before—as he braves frontier peril en route to the most incredible discovery of all time. Praise for The Dakota Cipher "Fast, fun and full of surprises, Dietrich's rollicking third Ethan Gage escapade (after The Rosetta Key) . . . The tale twists and turns like a spitted serpent, but Dietrich shows his sure hand as a storyteller, leavening a tale rich in intrigue and impressive historic detail with abundant wit and humor." — Publishers Weekly, starred review "If there weren't already an Indiana Jones, Dietrich's Ethan Gage could certainly fit the bill. . . . Dietrich does an excellent job of creating the historical settings of the novels, and the real-life characters Ethan meets along the way . . . feel just right—not historically accurate but labored creations but real people. A spirited installment of what promises to be a long-running series." — Booklist
