Amelia Peabody
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.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
- Primula Baggins
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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.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!
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.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
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!
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
~Diana Cortes
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
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
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.
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
~Diana Cortes
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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.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
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.
Or you may want to keep going. The Master Criminal enters in the third book. Everything is more fun with a Master Criminal.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
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...
ETA: I did find the ongoing Master Criminal saga a little annoying, but the family dynamics kind of compensated for it ultimately...
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
~Diana Cortes
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.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.
Just downloaded No. 2 - the Curse of the Pharaohs.
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude
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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:
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.
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One of the pleasures of a story like that one is
Edited to update spoiler tags
Hidden text.
It can be clumsily done, but here I rode along with it very happily.Edited to update spoiler tags
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
- Primula Baggins
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Not a spoiler for you at all, Jude.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King