He Shall Thunder in the Sky

Rating:
Summary: A rampageous finish to the quartet!
Review: This is, without doubt, one of her best books; tightly plotted and fast moving with all the verve and style I've come to look forward to in Ms. Peters' books.  The humor is deft, the suspense gripping and the action taut.

A newcomer to Ms. Peters will not feel short changed if this is their first book. It is not as necessary as one might think to have read the previous three books or any of the others, for that matter. The author brings the reader up to speed with the same efficiency that Peabody brings to her detectival pursuits. I would recommend reading them all, though, starting with the first in the Peabody series "Crocodile on the Sandbank" (all her books are still available, I believe).

Ms. Peters does what few mystery writers are successful at accomplishing - bringing depth and maturity to her characters without losing touch with the plot.  She conveys the growth and changes they have seen over the years without becoming maudlin.

Ms. Peters ties up many plot threads from previous stories and cleverly sets the stage for new adventures and new dangers.  Let me add my voice to the rest of Ms. Peters' fans by saying please, PLEASE, write more Amelia Peabody and/or Ramses and Nefret adventures!

Rating:
Summary: An author worth returning to
Review: Amelia Peabody Emerson's spirited feminism, clothed in a genteel package, is both nurturing and beguiling. I kept picturing Helena Bonham Carter, from the film A Room with a View, as Nefret. Ramses is downright sexy, in body and mind. Charismatic characters bring me back to an author again and again. Elizabeth Peters masters this. But then anyone who's studied the Egyptian Pharoahs would know a thing or two about charismatic characters. The author, by the way, is an Egyptologist herself.

He Shall Thunder In The Sky is the second of Elizabeth Peters' books that I read. I recommend this series to anyone who's interested in ancient Egypt and likes to read cozies.

Rating:
Summary: My Favorite!
Review: About a year ago, a friend of mine recommended the Vicky Bliss series by Elizabeth Peters. I read through all of those books, and hungry for more, picked He Shall Thunder in the Sky off the shelf. I was hooked. Ramses is so noble and adventurous, Nefret is beautiful yet also smart and talented, Amelia was hilarious, and the Father of Curses, well the name just says it all.
I think the best part about the Emersons is how well they react to each other. I was laughing out loud. He Shall Thunder combines just the right amount of mystery, suspense, romance, and action that you can't put it down. In addition, the character development is first-rate.
Since first reading it, I've gone back and reread it a few times, and each time I pick up something new that I may have missed.
For me, it was better to start on one of the later books because, in my opinion, they are better. You can still fully appreciate the first one even after reading the last. Although, since He Shall Thunder does resolve many ongoing conflicts, if you haven't read at least The Hippopotamus through The Falcon, it may be confusing.
In conclusion, He Shall Thunder in The Sky is one of the best books written by Ms. Peters so far. I have found it to be entertaining, romantic, and full of intrigue. Six stars.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: I couldn't put it down. Couldn't wait for the end and never wanted it to end at the same time. Ties up loose ends from previous books in the series. Can't wait for the next one.

Rating:
Summary: Great Volume in a Great series
Review: I began reading the Amelia Peabody series in the middle with Hippopotamus Pool. I figured I would not be as attached to the characters if I had read them from the beginning. But I was wrong. Each book brings a certain maternal feeling as Ramses has grown up in each book. He Shall Thunder in the Sky is the book where Ramses is no longer just part of the plot, he is an integral part of the story. Not that he wasn't before, but an omniscent view of his escapades added to his mother's "journals" make for a more involved and evolved story. Elizabeth Peters has done a wonderful job bringing the Emerson family to life, and I can see the series going on for years.