Rating: 
Summary: Children of the Storm
Review: Each time I start a new Amelia Peabody novel, I think it simply cannot be better than the previous one, and each time I am wrong. Ms. Peters is such a wonderful author that I have given up any hopes of my own of writing a novel, because I could never reach her level of excellence. If you love historical fiction with warm, compelling & sardonic characters, you will love this book and all of its preceding ancestors.
Rating: 
Summary: The Children Will Carry On.
Review: Elizabeth Peters has been one of my favorite mystery writers for many years now. Her Amelia Peabody series is so well written and documented. She's an archeologist, as is her husband, who loves to explore tombs in Egypt. she has a rather long listing of books, many containing hundreds of pages each. She is prolific. None are hard to read. All are interesting.I think perhaps my favorite is "Night Train to Memphis" or could be "The Love Talker." This one follows Ms. Peabody and entourage again to Egypt. She not only explores antiquities in strange places, she is also a Master Investigator which gets her in 'hot water' on occasion. Like me, she indulges in the daily horoscopes. The title for this Peabody/Emerson episode comes from an ancient Egyptian horoscope: "The day of the children of the storm. Very dangerous. Do not go on the water this day." This is the 15th published "journal" of Amelia encompassing three generations of an amazing family saga (35 yrs. of turbulent history) including a diary of son Ramses, named after a pharaoh. Amelia was called by the natives, "Lady Doctor" while Emerson was "Father of Curses." Ramses accompanied his uncle Sethos as a secret agent because of his use of disguises and fluency in languages. Justin had tormented Charla, young daughter of Ramses who'd waited to talk until she got ready, like her dad. Like Eric. Ms. Peters who loves cats almost as much as I do, educated at the University of Chicago like my son Geoffrey, never ceases to amaze me with her knowledge. This is another page turner, always an exciting "adventure" in store. You are kept in suspense about the happenings until the danger is at hand. She is just plain marvelous with her writing abilities and subject matter.
Rating:
Summary: The Children Will Carry On.
Review: Elizabeth Peters has been one of my favorite mystery writers for many years now. Her Amelia Peabody series is so well written and documented. She's an archeologist, as is her husband, who loves to explore tombs in Egypt. she has a rather long listing of books, many containing hundreds of pages each. She is prolific. None are hard to read. All are interesting. I think perhaps my favorite is "Night Train to Memphis" or could be "The Love Talker." This one follows Ms. Peabody and entourage again to Egypt. She not only explores antiquities in strange places, she is also a Master Investigator which gets her in 'hot water' on occasion. Like me, she indulges in the daily horoscopes. The title for this Peabody/Emerson episode comes from an ancient Egyptian horoscope: "The day of the children of the storm. Very dangerous. Do not go on the water this day." This is the 15th published "journal" of Amelia encompassing three generations of an amazing family saga (35 yrs. of turbulent history) including a diary of son Ramses, named after a pharaoh. Amelia was called by the natives, "Lady Doctor" while Emerson was "Father of Curses." Ramses accompanied his uncle Sethos as a secret agent because of his use of disguises and fluency in languages. Justin had tormented Charla, young daughter of Ramses who'd waited to talk until she got ready, like her dad. Like Eric. Ms. Peters who loves cats almost as much as I do, educated at the University of Chicago like my son Geoffrey, never ceases to amaze me with her knowledge. This is another page turner, always an exciting "adventure" in store. You are kept in suspense about the happenings until the danger is at hand. She is just plain marvelous with her writing abilities and subject matter.
Rating:
Summary: As brilliant as always...
Review: Elizabeth Peters has so firmly established a place in my heart as the Mistress of Mystery that I find it hard to write a review without sounding over-effusive in my praise! A word of caution: I advise the Reader to first read at least "The Golden One" and "Lord of the Silent" before reading this; unfamiliarity with the Emerson clan and their far-flung acquaintances (friendly and not-so) will leave you dizzy and rather confused with the intricacies of the plot here. But to continue: Following the tradition of (frustratingly) leaving (tremendously interesting and, one knows, adventure-packed) time gaps between books, "Children of the Storm" picks up two years after "The Golden One" left off. The Great War is finally ended, and at last the Emersons may return to their (rarely!) peaceable archaeological explorations. The entire Emerson clan, now quite large and quite vocal and spanning three generations, are reunited, with the result being that the Reader feels like he (or she) is amongst old friends. This is not without some tinges of nostalgia: all our beloved characters, from the charming Ramses to the inimitable Amelia, are not suspended in time and must grow older, choosing the paths they will take and ineluctably leaving other paths not taken. The effects are as realistic as they are bittersweet. As Readers of "The Golden One" will know, Ramses and Nefret were at the end of that volume expecting a child. This turned out to be a feignt: Ms. Peters has given the darling couple not one but TWO mischief-makers to keep track of. Two-year-old toddlers are a challenge anyplace, but in the midst of Egyptology and intrigue provide an especially frightening prospect. Ramses and Nefret make excellent parents, although whilst I do enjoy the scenes of domesticity (though tranquil is hardly the case with young children!), I find myself rather missing their status as newlyweds...as does Ramses! Emerson, however, is absolutely endearing as a grandfather: as loud and irascible as always, but charmingly affectionate putty in the hands of the small ones. The adventure begins, as always, with a theft and a death or two and several shirts ruined. There is also the requisite abduction of an Emerson and the extravagant plotting of arch-nemeses. To say more than this will be to give the intricately plotted and exquisitely delivered story away, and I refuse to cheat the Reader so. (One side-note that I can't help but declare in delight: we finally learn Sethos' real name!!) I was almost glad to be relieved of the war business: the greater part of the strength and delight of the Peabody mysteries was always the Egyptology that bound the family together, and this volume carries it on with aplomb. The last several novels have been rather nostalgic, even wistful, in their style, and I fear that the series is winding down towards a final conclusion, for there are very few loose ends to tie up and the beloved characters are all growing older. I do hope for at least two more novels (with the alarming revelation about Ramses' children on the last page, I see delicious prospects for continuation) but will be glad of what I am allowed - any Emerson is better than none! One cannot help, whilst reading this, but to long for those days, real or partly-imagined, when innocence was oft forgotten but not wholly lost, where real romance meant more than simply sex, and where the strength of family affection was more potent than any villain's hatred or attempts at terror. I think this is the thing that makes me love this series most: the truth of emotion in them. Ms. Peters gives armchair adventurers their share of action, but doesn't fail to deliver a rousing tale of family, loyalty, love, and hate. These qualities are in all of us, of all colours and races and creeds, and that is what strikes so deep a chord with me. She has captured the essence of people themselves, and for that, I think Elizabeth Peters will be "The Golden One" of mystery for a very, very long time. ~ Reviewed by Megan Stoner
Rating: 
Summary: Used to Love 'Em, But It's So Over Now
Review: I agree with the reader who said the series peaked with LAST CAMEL. Granted, the romantic tension b/t Ramses and Nefret in that more recent trilogy was a reason to keep reading, but the series' humor and wit died long ago. Come on, Elizabeth Peters fans, can you honestly say any of the last several installments in this saga can hold a candle to the early books? Compare and weep! I'm not trying to be unkind here: no one wishes more than I do that this series was still any good. For years, it was Elizabeth Peters...and nobody else. Now it's just...nobody.
Rating:
Summary: A delightful read.
Review: I agree with those who advise that this is not the book to start reading the Peabody series with if you have never read any of the previous 14 books. To those who have, I suggest that this one is a refreshing entry in the series. If nothing else it serves to keep both the author and the characters out of a rut. Yes, it is a whole lot more domestic than previous adventures considering this is the first "family reunion" in years. But enjoy the book for what it is and leave reality TV to Hollywood.
I liked the book in spite of its faults.
Rating: 
Summary: A bit of a let-down
Review: I am a huge fan of the Amelia Peabody books and would give every other one a 5-star rating. However, this one just wasn't up to Amelia's usual standards. It was slow-moving, empty of the witty lines that normally have me laughing hysterically every other sentence, and the characters were a bit flatter than their usual, exciting and individual selves. The funny traits, such as Amelia's list-making and Emerson's loud and oftentimes rude outbursts were more rare and written in less amusing ways. After being excited about reading another of Amelia's journals, from editor's note through the end it was mostly a let-down. I'm very happy that everything with the Peabody-Emerson family seems to be resolved, and the book is worth-it to read if you are a fan. However, I hate to say it, but I think that there's nowhere else to go. Amelia's generation is in their sixties, the Master Criminal has reformed, Ramses's generation is trying to settle down and become responsible parents, and Davy's generation is too young to do anything exciting. The war is over and Sethos has reformed... I think it's time to be happy with re-reading all the books we have and with the knowledge that everything worked out well. After all, if every year there continues to be "another dead body", I don't think there will be any more amusing people left in Egypt!
Rating:
Summary: She just keeps getting better...
Review: I found Elizabeth Peters in Victoria Magazine and am so happy I did.With each of her books she is so skillfull in the way she weaves the characters together. "Children of the storm "is no different. I find I have a very hard time putting her books down. This book kept me right on the edge of my seat the entire time. I think when I read her books that "Oh , That was the best book by far!"But not so, the next one is just as good as the last one was. She really does keep getting better and you won't be sorry you read this one if you have read the others in the series.
Rating:
Summary: A Little Boring
Review: I have been a fan of Elizabeth Peters since before she started the Amelia Peabody series; she is one of my favorite writers.
So I was dismayed to find that the latest sequel in this series falls a little flat, because I have grown so fond of these characters and look foward with keen anticipation to their next adventure. The first part of the book is filled not with action and mystery, but with tedious domestic details. And there are so many members of the three-generation family and extended family that it is difficult to keep them straight, and many of them add nothing to the book at all. The usually razor sharp wit of the characters seemed dulled to me; they just didn't seem to be having much fun (nor was I, for that matter). And the spine-tingling adventure that normally keeps the reader on the edge of his/her seat was sadly missing. The characters never seemed to be in any serious jeopardy, unlike past novels in this series. The plot was pretty transparent as well, and I was disappointed that there weren't the usual red herrings cast about to keep the reader guessing. Fortunately, the book does pick up steam toward the end. However, if you haven't followed the series from the beginning, you may well be lost in the overpopulated maze of too many characters and references to previous books. To be completely fair, the book is reasonably good; it is only in comparison to earlier and far better novels by Peters that it falls short. There is still enough good writing in this to make it a worthwhile read -- Peters is the author, after all, and few write as well as she does, even when she's not at her absolute best.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed With Amelia
Review: I have read all Amelia Peabody books and would give any other an enthusiastic five stars! But this one just lost its charm. At LEAST 50% of the book was boring an uneventful. The book was missing the usual wit and humor behind almost every line out of Amelia's mouth. David and Ramses were trying to be responsible parents and didn't sneak out on adventures. There was not a lot of disguising (on the part of the Emerson's, that is.) If you're a huge fan, like myself, I'd read it (but it isn't worth buying, get it from a library) just to meet Ramses' and Nefrets twins, Davy and Charla, and learn Sethos's real name!
Otherwise, if you want to read fabulous, funny, page-turning books, start with The Crocodil on the Sandbank and work your way up to The Golden One!
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