Egypt and her hoary secrets are no match for New York Times-bestselling Grandmaster Elizabeth Peters and her indomitable archaeologist sleuth Ameli...
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Jan 30, 2011
Jamie
rated it: 
This is my favorite Amelia Peabody adventure so far - but I've said that about the last several books. They keep getting better. The early books were amusing enough, but they were light, frivolous reads. Peters has gradually increased the drama and the emotional intensity. After I finished the previous book, The Falcon at the Portal, I was so caught up in the story that I immediately started this one.
It's set in 1914, during the Great War. Peabody and Emerson have been granted permis More...
It's set in 1914, during the Great War. Peabody and Emerson have been granted permis More...
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May 09, 2010
Jasmine1
rated it:
I love this series and this is one of my favourites. As always Peters develops an intriguing mystery artfully intertwined with actual historic events all set in the exotic and beautifully described background of turn of the century Egypt.
The characters are fun, intelligent and slightly flawed which makes them all the more loveable. I especailly adore the return of Sethos who has always been the dark horse of the series.
The fact that we see both the younger and older gen More...
The characters are fun, intelligent and slightly flawed which makes them all the more loveable. I especailly adore the return of Sethos who has always been the dark horse of the series.
The fact that we see both the younger and older gen More...
Aug 04, 2011
Robin
rated it: 
Skip River in the Sky and read this one right now.
You can go back later if you want to, but I am *telling* you, go read it right now. I'll wait.
Okay, not really. I have to wonder if Elizabeth Peters thought this was going to be her last novel, because just a large number of stories get resolved here. (It took me forever to read this. I stayed up late. You have NO idea how much I like to sleep, and I GAVE IT UP to finish this book.)
I won't give away spoilers, be More...
You can go back later if you want to, but I am *telling* you, go read it right now. I'll wait.
Okay, not really. I have to wonder if Elizabeth Peters thought this was going to be her last novel, because just a large number of stories get resolved here. (It took me forever to read this. I stayed up late. You have NO idea how much I like to sleep, and I GAVE IT UP to finish this book.)
I won't give away spoilers, be More...
Jul 09, 2010
Kaye
rated it:
My absolute favorite of the series. I stayed up late listening to the ending and had to re-listen in the morning just so I knew I didn't miss anything important. This is the story where Ramses is finally seen by his parents as the adult he has become. With his parents and David's help he is undercover helping British authorities stop an attack on the canal. The story sets the right tone as WWI breaks out and friends and family now have children serving in the military. Sethos is back and mo
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Feb 25, 2009
Nicole
rated it:
I picked up this audiobook having never heard of the series before. In fact, I didn't realize it was one in a series until I started listening, I only noted that it was a highly rated book when I decided on a whim to purchase it. I really loved it! The reader was extraordinary in handling the huge cast of characters and the story managed to contain both overt and subtle humor without sacrificing drama, suspense, and even a little romance. I've been yearning for another since I finished it but th
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Jun 07, 2009
Heather
rated it:
I haven't read and Elizabeth Peters book for ages. I remember the mom of one of my boyfriends turned me on to Amelia Peabody and other historical mysteries in the early 90s. I'd forgotten how much I loved the characters. It was esp. fun to read a story set in Egypt after just having visited there for the first time.
It's interesting to see Ramses all grown up (I've missed several books in between) and how the Emerson family has changed and grown. This story is set at the beginning of More...
It's interesting to see Ramses all grown up (I've missed several books in between) and how the Emerson family has changed and grown. This story is set at the beginning of More...
Apr 06, 2010
Grace
rated it:
I really respect the treatment of World War I in the backdrop of the Amelia Peabody stories. She nails the know-it-all priggishness of the British upper classes that laid waste to a generation. It's interesting to learn how Egypt and the middle east was effected by the war.
For different viewpoints of World War I, I heartily recommend Regeneration, Home is where the wind blows and If the war goes on. More...
For different viewpoints of World War I, I heartily recommend Regeneration, Home is where the wind blows and If the war goes on. More...
Dec 16, 2009
Sarah
rated it:
Book 12
This book deserves 6 stars
Left me in a daze of joy. Ramses is the hottest thing ever put in print. Damn.
This book deserves 6 stars
Left me in a daze of joy. Ramses is the hottest thing ever put in print. Damn.
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Jan 28, 2011
Deanna
rated it:
Ah, finally .... this one of the Amelia Peabody series has thrill after exciting thrill as the Emersons become involved in the mess that was World War I in the Middle East. True to form, Ms. Peters has done her research, with the real events of that time interwoven with the fictional adventures of this family. Espionage, traitors, plots for revenge and uprising all interweave with developing romance among the younger Emersons, while Amelia and Radcliffe try their best to protect those they lov
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Aug 15, 2010
Morgan
rated it: 
The close of 1914 finds Amelia and Emerson back in Egypt for another season of archaeological excavation, despite the increasing danger of an attack on the Suez Canal and on Egypt itself. Trouble is brewing in Cairo and the defiantly pacifist stance of Ramses is earning the young man the derision and much worse of the British expatriate community. Meanwhile the charismatic nationalist el Wardani is said to the fomenting insurrection in the ancient city. Since there is no way to stand outside
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Oct 16, 2011
Tory
rated it:
Finally. I really loved the way this book played out.
I've had a hard time with some of the past books because of the short shift Ramses was given by his parents (although he was quite young). In this one, they finally begin to see him as the intelligent man he's grown up to be, and they finally start showing some emotional bonds. There were a couple of books where I didn't much like Amelia because of her treatment of her son, this one resolved many of those issues.
I wonde More...
I've had a hard time with some of the past books because of the short shift Ramses was given by his parents (although he was quite young). In this one, they finally begin to see him as the intelligent man he's grown up to be, and they finally start showing some emotional bonds. There were a couple of books where I didn't much like Amelia because of her treatment of her son, this one resolved many of those issues.
I wonde More...
Jan 09, 2009
Maria
rated it:
Barbara Rosenblat gets better and better as she reads these Amelia Peabody books-on-tape. I had already read them all in paperback, but the way she reads them presents me with a different perspective in many places, so I am thrilled to be listening to her interpretation. When she reads the part of Sethos, she practically has one melting into the pages. I certainly didn't have that reaction to the paperback! She is amazing! This Amelia Peabody was perhaps the most difficult to read, concerni
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Sep 25, 2011
Tiffany
rated it:
Now that I had a grasp on many of the characters, I enjoyed this book much more than I enjoyed number eleven before it. I wasn't confused on characters so I could acutally sit back and enjoy the story....imagine that! It was stupid of me to start in the middle of the series, but I was so enthrawled with the love story between Nefret and Ramses. I still think her books are wayyyy too longs and they see to drag sometimes, but she is a very talented writer. She developse the characters amazingl
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Aug 14, 2011
Bridget
rated it:
This is the twelfth Amelia Peabody mystery by publishing order and the fourteenth by chronological order. It is the finale of the four-part miniseries building Ramses/Nephret's relationship (the first three parts are Seeing a Large Cat, The Ape Who Guards the Balance, and The Falcon at the Portal) and takes place in 1914-15, about 3 years after The Falcon at the Portal. Two later published books, Guardian of the Horizon (1907-08) and A River in the Sky (1910), are placed between The Ape Who Gu
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Dec 27, 2011
Angela
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
May 09, 2011
Patti
rated it:
I would give it more and I wish I could, but I seriously hate damned Nefret for no other reason than that she is such a cardboard character with no flaws whatsoever. She doesn't deserve Ramses. But, like in all of my reviews, I'm biased because I want Ramses for myself. Never before have a I read about a character that turns me on as much as he does. Forget Edward, Jacob, Patch, Daniel Grigori, Stark, and other characters, Ramses is HOT. Not only does he have an amazing intellectual capacity, bu
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Jul 11, 2010
Deb
rated it:
A summer book. I like all of her books -- an engaging heroine with a hilarious voice, very funny in general, though you still care about the characters. Setting of Victorian-era Egyptian archaeology. This is not the book to start reading -- it is too late in the series and assumes a lot of prior knowledge and prior engagement in the characters' lives. I've only read the first 5 or so, and this was #12, so even I felt a little late in the game. A major character died whom I hadn't even seen intro
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Mar 29, 2011
Rach
rated it:
Finally! Finally Finally Finally Finally!! :D
I won't leave it at that, though. There were parts of this book that were hard to read because they were too real. War is hard, and painful, and sometimes seems pointless to those involved in it. I agree with much that Ramses had to say about the pagentry of war, especially at the time and place they were. Also, my overwhelming hatred for Percy really made some parts hard to stomach, but the end more than made up for those, to be honest. More...
I won't leave it at that, though. There were parts of this book that were hard to read because they were too real. War is hard, and painful, and sometimes seems pointless to those involved in it. I agree with much that Ramses had to say about the pagentry of war, especially at the time and place they were. Also, my overwhelming hatred for Percy really made some parts hard to stomach, but the end more than made up for those, to be honest. More...
Jun 14, 2007
Ann
rated it:
I am only putting this one up here just because there are so many Elizabeth Peters/ Amelia Peabody mysteries that I don't want to clog this shelf. But this is an especially good one. Amelia Peabody is an Egyptologist who, along with her Egyptologist husband Radcliffe Emerson, spends an awful lot of time getting involved in murder and antiquities theft plots while on excavations in Egypt. The stories take place in the late 19th and early 20th century, and Amelia Peabody is quite the forward thi
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Oct 24, 2009
Dacia
rated it:
I think half of what makes me love this book so much is the title! It's such a strong and mysterious title, and I love thunderstorms, so it draws me instantly.
Yet the story here is strong and interesting. It's one of my favorites of the series. The younger generation really comes into their own in this book, and though much of it is filled with strife that could be overcome if people would just TALK to each other - the tensions are classic Emmerson!
The history invo More...
Yet the story here is strong and interesting. It's one of my favorites of the series. The younger generation really comes into their own in this book, and though much of it is filled with strife that could be overcome if people would just TALK to each other - the tensions are classic Emmerson!
The history invo More...
Oct 07, 2009
Nikki
rated it:
While I love the Amelia Peabody books generally, I find it difficult to focus sometimes. I love the detail of the books, don't get me wrong, but sometimes when there is little happening, I have a hard time remembering to pick the book up to read it. I had no such problem with this particular book. I guess I really like Ramses and since this book features him quite a bit, I enjoyed it more than most. I also felt like there was more "going on" in this book than in some of the others i
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Aug 11, 2011
Whew! Finally finished this book :) First, it took me a long time to rescue it from Mt. TBR & then I felt like I was reading it forever!
It was a pretty good book - I think it would have benefitted from a little more editing. The other thing I didn't like was the ending ... I guess I won't say any more because I don't want to spoil it for others. I liked Elizabeth Peter's book Seeing a Large Cat better. If you like the Amelia Peabody series, you'll probably like this book.
It was a pretty good book - I think it would have benefitted from a little more editing. The other thing I didn't like was the ending ... I guess I won't say any more because I don't want to spoil it for others. I liked Elizabeth Peter's book Seeing a Large Cat better. If you like the Amelia Peabody series, you'll probably like this book.
Jan 28, 2009
CJ
rated it:
My first Paperbackswap book! It's time to take a small break from Amelia Peabody. I really liked this book, but I found myself racing through it to get to the end so I could find out what happened. I don't feel like I enjoyed it enough.
Peters tied up all the loose ends from previous books in this one. That was very nice - it helped me remember a lot of things from past adventures.
I already have the next couple of books in the series, but there are so many other things More...
Peters tied up all the loose ends from previous books in this one. That was very nice - it helped me remember a lot of things from past adventures.
I already have the next couple of books in the series, but there are so many other things More...
Feb 01, 2009
Schmerica
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Feb 05, 2012
Tarran
rated it:
Elizabeth Peters just keeps getting better and better. In this book we have the Emersons at the start of WW1 and it is in this book that you find out some home truths about the family as well as trying to stop the Germans from invading Egypt.
Fantastic story and we get to finally witness a romantic engagement that has been hinted at throughout the series.
Brilliant and highly recommended!!
Fantastic story and we get to finally witness a romantic engagement that has been hinted at throughout the series.
Brilliant and highly recommended!!
May 12, 2011
April
rated it:
I loved this one MUCH better than the one before! The humor was back and the story moved along at a quick pace. Percy deserved everything he got, he was the worst! Amelia and Emerson were much more emotional than in previous books, but I liked it. My favorite story, was Ramses and Nefret, all I can say is: FINALLY!
I would definately have this one on hand when reading The Falcon at the Portal as it is a wonderful wrap up to the stories.
I would definately have this one on hand when reading The Falcon at the Portal as it is a wonderful wrap up to the stories.
Feb 28, 2011
Callista
rated it:
*Much* better than the previous book in terms of plot, but enjoyable largely because of the way the Emersons interact. This is the most caring I've ever seen them toward each other, and it's adorable. Amelia and Ramses have some especially lovely moments, but there are some nice Emerson-Ramses and Emerson-Amelia moments, as well. Of course, there are lots of things to chuckle at, too. The plot was deliciously complicated, and several things that seemed extraneous at first ended up being importan
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Jul 09, 2011
Sono passati ormai molti anni da quando Amelia Peabody ha sposato l'uomo della sua vita, l'archeologo Radcliff Emerson diventando sua compagna nella vita e nel lavoro. Amelia è una donna forte, pratica, indipendente. Suo marito è irascibile, orgoglioso, testardo. Non stupisce quindi che da questa unione sia nato un figlio "forte come un toro, coraggioso come un leone, testardo come un cammello" sempre pronto a rischiare l'osso del collo insieme all'amico David e a Nefreth Forth, giovan
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Jun 11, 2010
J.
rated it:
Had not read any Elizabeth Peters books before and found this one surprisingly good. I am not noramally interested in archaeology, but she made it interesting and had a good story wrapped around the topic. I would read another book by her.
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"
Jun 04, 2009
Rachel
rated it:
I really enjoyed this book. I liked that it completes a mini quartet in the larger series.(Comprising of, Seeing a Large Cat,The Ape Who Guards the Balance, The Falcon at the Portal and Thunder in the Sky).It has an exciting plot and fairly rattles along. Definitely one of my favourites of the series.
