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roseleaf24's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the character growth in this one and the return to the Holy City. I cost to read this in story order, not publication order, and I'm really wondering now how different the experience would have been.
carolalovesausten's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
hdechamp's review against another edition
5.0
I was so excited reading this to return to the Lost Oasis. Additionally, as much as I love Emerson, is anyone thinking team Sethos??
seshat59's review against another edition
4.0
2020 Review:
3.5 stars.
I decided to live dangerously and continue my reread chronologically and not in publication order. Chronologically loses something stylistically, however, and I don’t recommend it to new readers. In this first of the two “filler books” (written later to account for missing years and missing Amelia journals), the writing is more like later books and relies far more heavily on Manuscript H than Ape or Falcon did. There are also a few character inconsistencies — Nefret’s medical training is more advanced here than it should be, among other things but I’m nitpicking. Daria’s flimsy character irked me more this read, but returning to the lost Oasis is fun, even if these filler books really break the momentum of the Quartet as well as Ramses and Nefret’s chemistry. MPM wrote this book to flesh out Nefret’s character to her naysayers, though all of this was fleshed out in Amelia’s oblique way all the way back in Camel. Oh well — on wards.
More thoughts below.
————————-
2017 Review:
a favorite novel or series is like a homecoming of sorts, and I delighted in rereading Guardian of the Horizon this time around, ten years later. I haven't read Elizabeth Peters since her last published novel in 2010. Seven years later, in advance of her final post humous publication releasing in a couple weeks in addition to discovering this thought provoking fan fiction in my twitter feed [https://raecharter.tumblr.com/post/162598169051/nefrets-side-of-the-story], I decided to revisit one of my least favorite of her novels.
The books that filled in the "missing years" were never that strong. They disrupt the flow and tension of the quartet. Unlike most of the series, like The Camel Died at Noon, the Guardian of the Horizon is an adventure versus mystery novel. It is of course over the top and ridiculous, modeled after the H. Rider Haggard novels (though this one is lighter and more modern than Camel which was straight up Haggard), and because of that, it is a great deal of fun like all Amelia novels as it never takes itself too seriously.
I highly recommend new readers read in publication, not chronological order. If done this way, I found Guardian of the Horizon to be a revealing book when it comes to building Nefret's character in particular. Though Nefret's actual presence is severely lacking in this installment, what is there and what one must read between the lines is most illuminating. When I first read the novel, I didn't think it made logical sense to impetuously return to the Lost Oasis, but for character development, I much appreciated it this time around. MPM never really allowed for Nefret to resolve the issues tied to her upbringing, but of course that is because both Amelia and Ramses are biased narrators. Nefret clearly had difficult, unresolved issues stemming from the first decade or so of her life, and I felt very bad for her at the end for with whom could she talk to in order to resolve her issues?
Ramses and Daria irked me upon my first read. Now that I'm older and wiser, I could read his actions for what they were. It was very much a rebound, immature relationship. His declaration of love is that of a chivalrous, romantic twenty year old who is more in lust than love but so desperately wants a fulfilling, relationship. He barely knew Daria. (Heck, we barely did. She was a rather weak character, even with Sethos's Big Reveal.) It was a distraction in his long, unrequited longing and of course builds character. Oh, to be twenty.
Otherwise, time with the entire Emerson crew is always delightful and just so much fun; I missed my favorite literary characters, their panache, the innumerable laugh out loud moments, Amelia's abounding "logical solutions," etc. And Ramses. Always Ramses. The later published novels rely more heavily on Manuscript H, to my vast delight.
I'm so excited for the final novel! And if you've never read an Amelia Peabody novel, then you're missing out. Go. Right now.
4 stars.
3.5 stars.
I decided to live dangerously and continue my reread chronologically and not in publication order. Chronologically loses something stylistically, however, and I don’t recommend it to new readers. In this first of the two “filler books” (written later to account for missing years and missing Amelia journals), the writing is more like later books and relies far more heavily on Manuscript H than Ape or Falcon did. There are also a few character inconsistencies — Nefret’s medical training is more advanced here than it should be, among other things but I’m nitpicking. Daria’s flimsy character irked me more this read, but returning to the lost Oasis is fun, even if these filler books really break the momentum of the Quartet as well as Ramses and Nefret’s chemistry. MPM wrote this book to flesh out Nefret’s character to her naysayers, though all of this was fleshed out in Amelia’s oblique way all the way back in Camel. Oh well — on wards.
More thoughts below.
————————-
2017 Review:
a favorite novel or series is like a homecoming of sorts, and I delighted in rereading Guardian of the Horizon this time around, ten years later. I haven't read Elizabeth Peters since her last published novel in 2010. Seven years later, in advance of her final post humous publication releasing in a couple weeks in addition to discovering this thought provoking fan fiction in my twitter feed [https://raecharter.tumblr.com/post/162598169051/nefrets-side-of-the-story], I decided to revisit one of my least favorite of her novels.
The books that filled in the "missing years" were never that strong. They disrupt the flow and tension of the quartet. Unlike most of the series, like The Camel Died at Noon, the Guardian of the Horizon is an adventure versus mystery novel. It is of course over the top and ridiculous, modeled after the H. Rider Haggard novels (though this one is lighter and more modern than Camel which was straight up Haggard), and because of that, it is a great deal of fun like all Amelia novels as it never takes itself too seriously.
I highly recommend new readers read in publication, not chronological order. If done this way, I found Guardian of the Horizon to be a revealing book when it comes to building Nefret's character in particular. Though Nefret's actual presence is severely lacking in this installment, what is there and what one must read between the lines is most illuminating. When I first read the novel, I didn't think it made logical sense to impetuously return to the Lost Oasis, but for character development, I much appreciated it this time around. MPM never really allowed for Nefret to resolve the issues tied to her upbringing, but of course that is because both Amelia and Ramses are biased narrators. Nefret clearly had difficult, unresolved issues stemming from the first decade or so of her life, and I felt very bad for her at the end for with whom could she talk to in order to resolve her issues?
Ramses and Daria irked me upon my first read. Now that I'm older and wiser, I could read his actions for what they were. It was very much a rebound, immature relationship. His declaration of love is that of a chivalrous, romantic twenty year old who is more in lust than love but so desperately wants a fulfilling, relationship. He barely knew Daria. (Heck, we barely did. She was a rather weak character, even with Sethos's Big Reveal.) It was a distraction in his long, unrequited longing and of course builds character. Oh, to be twenty.
Otherwise, time with the entire Emerson crew is always delightful and just so much fun; I missed my favorite literary characters, their panache, the innumerable laugh out loud moments, Amelia's abounding "logical solutions," etc. And Ramses. Always Ramses. The later published novels rely more heavily on Manuscript H, to my vast delight.
I'm so excited for the final novel! And if you've never read an Amelia Peabody novel, then you're missing out. Go. Right now.
4 stars.
ewil6681's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
issyjanejane's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
alrey's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
snowmaiden's review against another edition
4.0
Good old dependable Amelia Peabody. It’s taken me ten years to get this far in the series, and it may take me another ten years to finish it, but she always makes a reliable palate-cleanser.