Amelia Peabody

Post by **Frelga** » Sat Sep 28, 2013 3:16 pm

Elisabeth Peters does have other series and standalone books, most tied to archeology in some way. I find the Peabody/Emerson series to be superior, possibly because they were successful enough that the publisher allowed them to grow longer and more detailed. She is always fun and intelligent, though.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Sat Sep 28, 2013 6:10 pm

Elentári wrote:
Primula Baggins wrote:I just bought the first book and am having a delightful time with it.

I've read some of Peters' medieval (Cadfael) books and found them predictable and a bit sentimental. This protagonist, however, would never permit such a thing! I hope so, anyway; I would love to have a long string of entertainment stretching out ahead.

An understandable confusion, Prim....the Cadfael books were written by Ellis Petters (the Nóm de plume of Edith Pargeter). Elizabeth Peters is a totally different author who also writes under several other names...

I'm glad you are enjoying the first book so much!

Yikes! Thanks for straightening me out, Elen. I read my mother's copies of the Cadfaels, years ago, and don't have any of them on my own shelf.

Still really, really enjoying book 1 and looking forward to loading one or two more onto my Kindle for next weekend at the beach. I so love a story that's both entertaining and intelligent, where you pass the time pleasantly without feeling you're wasting it. A non-guilty pleasure.

Post by **Elentári** » Sat Sep 28, 2013 9:25 pm

Oh gosh, just noticed I made a typo, but I'm sure you all realized the Ellis surname was meant to be Peters, not Petters!

Post by **Jude** » Sat Oct 05, 2013 7:24 pm

Just picked up the first one (Crocodile on the Sandbank) but I'm saving it for reading on the plane - in about 3 weeks.

I read the Cadfael series years ago and enjoyed them immensely. Also her books written as Edith Pargeter. My favourite was The Horn of Roland - I can't tell you why it was my favourite without giving away major spoilers. If you're really curious, you can ask me by PM

Post by **Frelga** » Sat Oct 05, 2013 8:00 pm

Cadfael by a different Perers, right?

Post by **Jude** » Sat Oct 05, 2013 8:17 pm

Yes, Ellis - see above

Post by **Inanna** » Sat Oct 05, 2013 8:40 pm

I finished Crocodile on the Sandbank some time ago. It was enjoyable.

Post by **Elentári** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 7:24 am

I've finished all 19 books now! I've been totally captivated by the whole premise of the series, which runs right up to the discovery of Tutankhamon's tomb in 1922. After that book Peters went back and started "filling-in" the gaps in the chronology. Sadly she passed away back in August, but apparently there's a good chance another book will be published posthumously - the working title is/was "The Painted Queen" and was originally slated to appear back in the Spring of this year.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 5:40 pm

I've read the first two and will probably continue, though not all in one go. I really enjoyed both, but I thought the plot of the second was a little too much of a repeat of the effects in the first. Still glad I read it, as it sets up the rest of the series nicely.

Post by **Frelga** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 7:41 pm

I forgot which one was the second. You may want to skip forward a few books if you get bored. Maybe to The Last Camel Died at Noon, where Nefret is introduced. It is plainly an H. Rider Haggard tribute, but I think it's the point where the series really tips from being romantic period mystery into a more of a historical novel with all the charm and humor of the original.

Or you may want to keep going. The Master Criminal enters in the third book. Everything is more fun with a Master Criminal.

Post by **Elentári** » Tue Oct 15, 2013 9:16 pm

I didn't really notice too much similarity between plots...other than many of them are based around preventing tomb robbers getting away with the goods. There are exceptions to this theme, and at least one is set wholly in England rather than Egypt. Another is set in Palestine. As the kids grow up, the politics of the era in Egypt come into play in the storylines, too.

ETA: I did find the ongoing Master Criminal saga a little annoying, but the family dynamics kind of compensated for it ultimately...

Post by **Inanna** » Thu Oct 24, 2013 2:43 am

Frelga wrote:I forgot which one was the second. You may want to skip forward a few books if you get bored. Maybe to The Last Camel Died at Noon, where Nefret is introduced. It is plainly an H. Rider Haggard tribute, but I think it's the point where the series really tips from being romantic period mystery into a more of a historical novel with all the charm and humor of the original.

I just finished the Last Camel Died at Noon - that was available on nypl so I picked it up for my kindle. I enjoyed it far more than No. 1.

Just downloaded No. 2 - the Curse of the Pharaohs.

Post by **Impenitent** » Thu Oct 24, 2013 5:40 am

Inanna wrote:that was available on nypl

I read it as nipple. Teehee! [/osgiliation]

Post by **Jude** » Thu Dec 12, 2013 2:40 am

I forgot to report back here - I read the first one. I found it good, even very good, but not great. Mind you, I was reading it while being miserable and stranded in Heathrow Airport for over 8 hours, so that might have coloured my perception of the book.

I still enjoyed it, and plan to get the next one (Curse of the Pharaoh) as soon as I get a chance.

Vague spoiler follows:

Hidden text.

Post by **Frelga** » Thu Dec 12, 2013 3:25 am

Jude wrote:Vague spoiler follows:

Hidden text.
Was her engagement to Emerson supposed to be a "big surprise"? I saw that coming since shortly after their first meeting.

I doubt it, as she sort of spoils you in the first paragraph, IIRC.

Post by **Jude** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 2:18 am

I'm enjoying the second one a lot more than the first one...

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 7:07 am

One of the pleasures of a story like that one is

Hidden text.

It can be clumsily done, but here I rode along with it very happily.

Edited to update spoiler tags

Post by **Jude** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 9:28 am

Is it safe to read your spoiler if I'm about 3/4-way through?

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:29 pm

Not a spoiler for you at all, Jude.

Post by **Jude** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 12:52 am

I just finished Lion in the Valley. I think the series is getting much better as it goes on.

The boy Rameses isn't remotely credible, but he sure is hilarious.