Elizabeth Peters - Thunder in the Sky (2000)

This is book 12 in the Amelia Peabody series.

It's 1914 and the Emersons are spending another dig season in Egypt, but their archaeological yearnings take a backseat to World War 1. Ramses, opposed to war, is collecting white feathers from the British community. David is interned in India and Nefret is foolishly playing with their newest enemy, Percy. Aside from the Emerson-family-theatrics is the civil unrest in Egypt as an uprising looms in Cairo, and the influx of soldiers, training for trench warfare and protecting the Suez Canal.

The Emersons work well together in this book, apart from Nefret, whom they still don't seem to entirely trust. Not surprising considering how prone she is to impulsiveness. Which is one of the main reasons Percy is now their enemy - Nefret betrayed Ramses' secret in a fit of rage to Percy. But, alls well that ends well - sort of. I'm happy Sethos is back and I absolutely do not believe the ending - it's just not possible! I really enjoyed this episode in the Emerson-drama. Finally the characters are meshing together and becoming that indomitable team that they just feel like they should be.

Elizabeth Peters - The Falcon at the Portal (1999)

This is book 11 in the Amelia Peabody series.

The Emersons are in 1911 Egypt, excavating at Zawyet el'Aryan. It's more like an English cemetary with lots of little tombs and they don't expect to find much there.

David has recently married Lia and they're off in Europe on their honeymoon. Whilst he's absent someone is pretending to be him to sell antiquities supposedly belonging to his late grandfather Abdullah.

Naturally the Emersons all run off searching in different directions for the forger, without consulting each other. Initially they get in each others way until they realise they're better working together.

They have a new nemesis, Amelia's nephew Percy and he brings darker troubles for the family than they've ever faced before. It's a much somber book. Usually the troubles are deep, but obviously surmountable. Yet this book just made me feel sad and overwhelmed.

I'm really starting to like Ramses and Nefret again. They have matured and are less like arrogant idiots. The whole family is more cohesive and open with each other. They work great as a team. Yet, I find Nefret's marriage impossible to believe. It's probably the feminist in me, but I just cannot comprehend how a woman could be that stupid or petty. Nefret almost threw her life away without a good reason. I know the character is impulsive, but that is taking it all a bit far. I do wonder sometimes what kind of people Peters knew that put these characteristics in her mind.

As ominous as this book felt, I did like it, even though the ending had me raging. I'm really saddened that Peters is dead, I feel like something bright has been lost from the world and there is no-one gifted enough these days to take her place.

Elizabeth Peters - The Ape Who Guards The Balance (1998)

This is book 10 in the Amelia Peabody series. The Emersons are initially in 1907 England where Amelia is fighting the suffragette battle for equality and almost getting kidnapped in the process. Naturally her husband whisks them all off to Egypt, a location he considers much safer for his family - he's obviously learned nothing from the 9 preceding books.

Ramses is arrogant and annoying. Nefret continues to flirt with all and sundry. David is a doormat - sad, considering how stubborn and strong he began as. The trio find a papyrus and try to hide it from their parents, even though it puts all of them in danger. They insist they're adults, and being in their early 20s they are, but they continue to act like immature and foolish teenagers. By the end of the book they're doing better at being less secretive with each other, but not enough to keep themselves out of danger.

I was so happy to have Sethos back, but then Peters rudely took him away again in the first few chapters. I think that it soured the book for me. This is honestly a good book, a really fun book in the series but... I just really like Sethos, it's my romantic flaw.