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kathrynch's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars - when read in chronological order, this provides some additional colour to the paths of Ramses and Nefret but it's a shame we didn't see more from Nefret's pov considering the setting. As with the Camel Died at Noon, I preferred the portion of the book describing the journey to the Holy Mountain over the sections of the book set there, which do drag a little. Still great fun, particularly as narrated by the incomparable Barbara Rosenblat.
kccrewdson's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
rach's review against another edition
3.0
For the first time, the Amelia Peabody series is jumping back in time to "fill in" one of the missing years from its timeline. This book, which chronologically takes place directly after [b:The Ape Who Guards the Balance|64255|The Ape Who Guards the Balance (An Amelia Peabody Mystery, #10)|Elizabeth Peters|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1297727767s/64255.jpg|62382], transports us back to a time before Ramses' and Nefret's marriage and children, before Nefret even realized she loved Ramses. If I had read this book right after TAWGTB, I would have loved it more, I think. Amelia, Emerson, and company head back to the Lost Oasis, one of my favorite locations. Also, Selim and Daoud get to go with them and actively participate in the extracurricular action. And anytime we get more Sethos is fun to read, especially pre-reform, still-Amelia-loving-and-helping Sethos. I especially loved hearing about Amelia's first Abdullah dream, as they have become epically well-known in later (chronologically) volumes.
So what didn't I like about this jump back in time? Mostly I didn't appreciate the reversion of Ramses' and Nefret's relationship. Some unrequited love and angst is fine, but for the last four novels, the couple has been happily together and married. It is a hard mental switch to make to think of them as anything else. Everytime Nefret called Ramses her brother (and vice versa), I cringed. Also, Ramses relationship with Daria felt so much like illicit cheating. It make me pretty uncomfortable and sad.
So, as much as I enjoyed this fun, rollicking adventure, I just wish I could have read it sooner, because I think I would have appreciated it much more. And I hope there don't end up being any more of these "flashback" novels.
So what didn't I like about this jump back in time? Mostly I didn't appreciate the reversion of Ramses' and Nefret's relationship. Some unrequited love and angst is fine, but for the last four novels, the couple has been happily together and married. It is a hard mental switch to make to think of them as anything else. Everytime Nefret called Ramses her brother (and vice versa), I cringed. Also, Ramses relationship with Daria felt so much like illicit cheating. It make me pretty uncomfortable and sad.
So, as much as I enjoyed this fun, rollicking adventure, I just wish I could have read it sooner, because I think I would have appreciated it much more. And I hope there don't end up being any more of these "flashback" novels.
hissingpotatoes's review
2.0
I struggled to get through this one and often tuned out of the audiobook, finding that when I focused again I really hadn't missed anything and could still follow what was going on. It was strange and frustrating to go back in the series timeline and deal with a pre-Ramses/Nefret relationship, knowing everyone survives (granted the main characters always do, but it still removed that element of suspense), and pre-Sethos revelations. The entire book seemed like filler to a series that didn't need it. Narrator Barbara Rosenblat, as always, brought Amelia and the cast to life and injected a familiar depth and humor to the characters that makes me keep coming back to this series. She got me through this book, but overall the plot and character actions did not hold up to standard Elizabeth Peters.
bethb3's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars. Not my favorite of the series, but has some merit.
catsbah's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book! I actually listened to the audio version of this one and the reading style was fantastic. Very believable.
hollie313's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
psalmcat's review against another edition
3.0
The latest, just out this month, in the Amelia Peabody series.
Where to start...if you haven't read this series this explanation will probably make no sense.
So, Ramses is 20, Nefret is 23, and the elder Emersons are in their mid-fifties (which means in the previous book, published last year, Ramses was 30+, Nefret was mid-thirties, and their parents are........holy cow! Almost 70!). Ramses is much less stolid in his parts of the narrative, as befits his age. But it is disconcerting to see him getting all hormonal about all the lovely women, not excluding Nefret of course.
I love this series. I love Elizabeth Peters; anything she writes. Except I didn't like this book. I turned against it from the start, for a couple of reasons: lots more swearing than I remember in other books (usually very Victorian in their used of "confounded" etc., the Emersons, all of 'em, swear up a storm here), and seemingly less explication, and more dialogue. The plot just seemed much looser than the norm. Maybe The Editor didn't have the usual depth and quality of notes with which to work...?
Where to start...if you haven't read this series this explanation will probably make no sense.
Spoiler
I'll do my best. The Editor has "discovered" some lost papers that cover the years between about 1906 and just before WWI. These papers detail the Emersons return to The Lost Oasis ten years after their departure with Nefret. They are invited to return because of alleged illness in the royal family. Of course, that turns out to be a ruse; the usurper-king really needs Nefret back to bring stability to the kingdom. Which, of course, the Emersons are not going to be giving freely, since they back the true king, who was overthrown and is leading a slave revolt. There are many more Englishmen who have discovered the Oasis, and the end of their thousand-year-old seclusion is clearly present.So, Ramses is 20, Nefret is 23, and the elder Emersons are in their mid-fifties (which means in the previous book, published last year, Ramses was 30+, Nefret was mid-thirties, and their parents are........holy cow! Almost 70!). Ramses is much less stolid in his parts of the narrative, as befits his age. But it is disconcerting to see him getting all hormonal about all the lovely women, not excluding Nefret of course.
I love this series. I love Elizabeth Peters; anything she writes. Except I didn't like this book. I turned against it from the start, for a couple of reasons: lots more swearing than I remember in other books (usually very Victorian in their used of "confounded" etc., the Emersons, all of 'em, swear up a storm here), and seemingly less explication, and more dialogue. The plot just seemed much looser than the norm. Maybe The Editor didn't have the usual depth and quality of notes with which to work...?