Rising from the Ruins

by Daniel J. Peters

The author of The Luck of Huemac, Tikal, and The Incas plunges the reader into the jungle depths for an unforgettable archaeological adventure. Peters, an avid amateur archaeologist, vividly portrays the excitement of modern archaeology including the tensions, discoveries, warfare and romantic involvements.

316 pages, Hardcover

First published February 28, 1995

Reviews

[Marilyn Saul · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a surprising (to me) departure from Danny's trilogy on the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incans, focusing instead on the interactions of archaeologists when out in the field. In a sense, it was a trip down memory lane, though I never worked in the Mesoamerican field. In that regard, I really didn't need to be reminded how crazy that whole scene was, but it was fun to recognize certain of his characters who were based on former colleagues of mine in Arizona. The archaeology itself, though sparsely mentioned, was interesting and tantalizing -just too infrequent. If you've never been in the field, you might like this. But if you are more interested in Danny's woven novel interpretations of life at the time of these empires, I suggest you stick with the trilogy. Luck of Huemac is by far one of my favorite "keeper" books, and I plan on revisiting it.

[Christopher Parsons · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story of a couple involved in the excavation of a Mayan ruin pales in comparison to Daniel Peters' other three novels ("The Luck of Huemac", "Tikal" and "Incas")concerning the great pre-Columbian civilizations of the Americas, but it's still a good enough read if you like the subject matter.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book several years ago, but it seemed not realistic enough in its Mayan archaeolgy to read. My sense of humor seems to have changed and I found this very readable, amusing, and jungle-ish. Maybe not the most well-written book I've read, but I found it a good light-hearted read.