Customer Reviews

Children of the Storm

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Peters sets up a sprawling ensemble story, with Emerson family members united on the page for the first time in several novels. Yet, the participation of three generations is necessary to the solution of the mystery and to the ultimate understanding of the antagonists' motivations.

I don't think a new reader could step into the series with this book and find it rewarding, yet the details from previous novels that drop in reinforce the set-up that these tales are from the Peabody-Emerson private papers.

More than a few shirts ruined, cats behaving like cats, typical toddler behavior, the sense of world events surrounding the Emerson clan, finally learning Sethos' true name, archaeological projects that play over several seasons & novels, an action-packed finale, my belly laugh at Amelia's disguise, a title that resonants in several threads of the novel, the bittersweet realistic details of well-loved characters aging (from Walter to Nefret), and the fact that Emerson still has it......well, I stayed awake 'til five AM to finish this one.

For me, each Amelia novel now resolves with a sense that an approprate ending to this 28 year long series has been delivered. The series has always been about family, as well as the choices women make for independence. Both these themes play out satisfyingly - and disturbingly - in Children of the Storm.

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

Before commenting on this novel, let me observe that it would be an unhappy error to begin the 15 book Amelia Peabody series with Children of the Storm. You would have a very hard time keeping track of all the characters and the mystery's solution would be totally invisible to you before the solution is revealed. You would probably rate this a one or two star book.

My rating assumes that you have read at least the last 8 novels in the series.

The setting and cast of characters are a major shift from the books in the series set during World War I. With the War to End All Wars having ended, all of the Emerson clan (and I do mean ALL) come together in Children of the Storm. Ramses and Nefret are now parents of active two-year-old twins, so the family has also expanded into a third generation. Those with faulty memories will appreciate the Editor's Note which describes who all these people are and how they are related.

The book opens in Luxor with Cyrus Vandergelt concerned about how much of his large archeological find involving four princesses will have to be presented to the Cairo Museum. The Emersons are working on a messy site with seemingly limited potential which looters and poorly disciplined archeologists have ravaged in the past. M. Lacau from the Department of Antiquities arrives to inspect the Vandergelt artifacts and mummies. Soon he will choose what will remain in Egypt. Consternation reigns when "reformed" antiquities thief, Signor Martinelli, disappears as do several of the best pieces of ancient jewelry. The Emersons vow to recover the jewelry before M. Lacau discovers it is missing. Their search takes them to Cairo where Ramses responds to a note offering a warning only to find himself abducted, drugged and manipulated by a beautiful young woman dressed as the Veiled Goddess Hathor. As the mystery develops, there are mysterious deaths, attacks on individuals, sabotage of conveyances and a reappearance of Hathor in Luxor! Amelia and the rest of the clan are more than usually puzzled. They cannot see a pattern in what purpose could lie behind the baffling activities. When the pattern becomes clear, there's deadly danger to overcome and an exciting finish!

Children of the Storm is exceptional from two perspectives. First, the title captures a myriad of meanings in the context of the story that will enrich your appreciation of the story. Nicely done! Second, I cannot think of a novel that weaves so many characters and story lines together with accuracy and meaning. It must be like carrying the world on your shoulders to plot and develop this complex a story. And it works.

Some things are lost in the process. The story often feels over peopled. This requires a lot of development to fit everyone together in a meaningful way. This development sometimes feels bulky. In addition, a third of the book's length is caught up with details of day-to-day life like looking after for the children, arranging work schedules to appease Emerson, organizing Nefret's clinic in Luxor, and dealing with Emerson's latest toy. The mystery itself would have required about 250 pages, and would have been a page turner. The mystery feels diluted amidst all of this detail of daily life.

The Emersons focus on domesticity also limits the amount of detecting they do compared to earlier novels. So you get less of Emerson's investigative derring-do in Cairo, fewer forays by Amelia on her own, and limited searching by Ramses and David. Sethos plays his mildest role yet even though he is involved throughout the book.

As a result, much of the material in the book feels more like The Forsythe Saga than an early Amelia Peabody thriller. In fact, the book almost felt like a whole new genre . . . the three-generation extended family as detective.

A bright light to look out for in future novels is that the twins seem destined to be very interesting characters which may ignite all of this clan expansion into something more exciting.

After you finish this book, think about how you balance your family, your friends, your work, and your personal interests. How could you make them more positively integrated?

What a blast this novel was to read! It has everything: adventure. excitement, danger, deadly accidents, humor, sadness, Egyptology, and best of all the entire Emerson clan -- incuding Sethos, Walter and Evelyn, and the third generation of Emersons. One of the things that has been missing from the last few novels in this series was the family dynamic. The Emersons are at their best when everyone is working together to solve the latest mystery and having Walter and Evelyn along for the ride, even if it is often brief, only adds to the fun. Add to this the addition of Sethos and his daughter and you got a rollicking good time. This time around I actually have to give some kudos to Ms. Peters for a very well-written and plotted mystery that involves stolen jewels and the appearance of the Goddess Hathor. One of the better developments in this novel is the return of the strong Nefret. The last few novels had her acting immature and overly melodramatic; and while there are some of those moments in this story, overall she really has some opportunities to shine. In addition to the adult Emersons, we also have a few funny and poingant moments with the third generation of Emersons: Sennia, of course; Ramses and Nefret's children, David John and Charla; as well as David and Lia's children, Evvie and Dolly (short for Abdullah). They look to bring back some of the fun that has been missing from the novels since Ramses grew up, especially Dolly and David John who are mostly likely destined to be the greatest of friends. Overall, a fantastic read. I'm only disappointed that I've now caught up with the author and won't be able to easily move on to the next novel (although the latest did just get published!).

In truth, my five stars are intended for a subset of the general reading population, those who have been enjoying the continuing saga of this most peculiar and lovable Egyptological (and much else) family. In my experience, people either get a kick out of the quasi-Victorian tongue-in-cheek flavor of these adventures and dote on their favorite characters, or they don't have the patience or whimsy for them. I am unabashedly in the pro-Amelia (and Ramses and Emerson and Sethos and so on) group, and I loved this book. Unlike many "mainstream" mysteries, these books will not depress you but are excellent company in a comfortable chair, preferably with a cup of "the genial beverage" nearby. (This is not necessarily tea -- Amelia clarifies that when sufficiently stressed, her choice of genial beverage is a whiskey-and-soda.) I wouldn't say it is the very best in the whole series, but it is definitely in the top half. I enjoyed it very much, and if you like this series, you will too. Besides, who could resist Emerson as a grandpa? I also have a strong amateur interest in archaeology and always value the Egyptological tidbits this knowledgable author shares along the way. I also appreciate her essentially compassionate, constructive and anti-authoritarian worldview. These stories are entertaining, but they're not fluff.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I am an avid fan of Elizabeth Peters (and her sense of humor), and have read, reread, and own her entire Amelia Peabody series. This is, without a doubt, the best since"He Shall Thunder in the Sky." It keeps you on your toes and guessing until literally the very end. Amelia and Emerson are as funny as ever, and Ramses and Nefret...are Ramses and Nefret. I was glad to see several of the old characters again, and some new ones too. I hope she keeps it up, because I'll read anything she writes about the Emerson family.

The great war is over, but Egypt remains uneasy as peace begins to make its way into the nation. Peace and jewel thiefs--a former associate of Sethos vanishes along with priceless Egyptian jewelery and Amelia Peabody and her entire clan are quick to get into the act. What follows is a fairly long drawn-out series of misfortunes (their boat sinks, their car crashes, a bug threatens the children, a boogie-man appears at the bedroom window, Sethos's long-vanished daughter appears and is assailed. Somehow, Amelia has to make sense of the entire mess. The problem is, this time, she doesn't seem to be the target. Her usual strategy of letting the antagonists capture her won't work this time.

Author Elizabeth Peters concludes CHILDREN OF THE STORM with a hundred pages of action, suspense, and emotional impact. Without the background of the great war that played such a key role in her recent novels, Peters turns to family details to fill up the remainder of the pages. We all enjoy hearing how much Amelia appreciates Emerson's manly, uh, manliness, but perhaps Peters goes a little overboard. Of course, their son Ramses is hardly less manly--which causes problems given that he's married now and all the women still want him.

Fans of Elizabeth Peters (like me) will enjoy this story and even enjoy most of the family details. Seeing Emerson and his two brothers working together for a change is somehow satisfying. On the downside, Peters doesn't give quite the dose of archeology that I am used to and I found myself missing it. Also, although all of the Amelia Peabody stories are a little over the top, the 'plan' that the criminals are working on this time seems more than a little off. Surely they wouldn't rationally do everything they do here--essentially inviting Amelia and family to investigate them--if their motivation is as described. CHILDREN OF THE STORM is definitely not the book to acquaint new readers with the Elizabeth Peters universe.

Children of the Storm continues the adventures of the archeologist and investigator Amelia Emerson and her family. This story, the fifteenth in the series, opens in Egypt in 1919 after the close of World War I. Although the Great War has come to an end, the dangers that surround the Emerson family show no sign of ending.

Within the vividly depicted context of Egyptian dissatisfaction with British rule, a series of mysterious occurrences begin to trouble individuals close to Amelia. Thefts, murder and peculiar encounters with a mysterious woman set the heroine on a mission to solve the riddle buries within layers of intrigue.

This latest addition to the series introduces new characters, most notably two year old twin grandchildren of Amelia, while retaining familiar ones that fans will be happy to see return. However, new readers may find this a difficulty, as there are fourteen previous books for many complicated relationships to be developed, a number of which play a role in this novel. A prologue attempts to provide a thumbnail sketch of this history, but as a new reader, I found it most valuable as reference material.

With an intricate plot and likable characters, this novel is an enjoyable read. Fans of the series will likely find it more than enjoyable as they will have a familiarity with the world created by Ms Peters that those readers new to the series will not possess. On the other hand, the history that exists within these books provides a depth to the plot and character interactions that may not otherwise exist.

All in all, Children of the Storm is sure to find a spot on bestseller lists sometime this summer. And this is a book ideal for summer reading.

As international tensions spiral out of control, we're all forced to contemplate the uncertain present and future role of Middle Eastern countries in global politics. Centuries-old ideological conflicts have spilled over geographic boundaries into our own daily lives, leaving roiling emotions in their tragic wake. Yet there was a time when this region that lies half a world away held a romantic allure for travelers and historians alike. The mystique of this ancient cradle of civilization sparked the imaginations of novelists like Mailer, Smith, McCullough and Michener, who transported us with a stroke of their pen to the stark deserts, lush river valleys and towering monuments of the Valley of the Kings. Bedouin tents and bustling bazaars fascinated visitors from all over the world.

Elizabeth Peters is one such author who found the beauty of the land and the rich history of its people a compelling backdrop for her historical fiction. With this latest novel, she continues to reach beyond the ugly realities of today's turbulent Middle East to a gentler era of the early 20th century, crafting her enchanting mysteries from the fabric of her own life experience.

CHILDREN OF THE STORM is the fifteenth journal of Peters's beloved fictional character, Amelia Peabody Emerson; it brings together all the family principals of previous novels in one grand reunion. The First World War has ended and the Peabody/Emerson generations are gathering in Egypt for what is hoped to be an uneventful season of reacquaintance and renewal, but fans of Amelia know that it isn't likely to remain that way for long. Ramses and Nefret, David and Lia, and Walter and Evelyn have arrived, accompanied by their respective children, to lend a hand with the latest archeological project that is preoccupying Amelia's husband, Radcliff. Descendants of the faithful Adbullah still comprise the household staff and lend their own colorful facet to the chaos that follows when the priceless Jewelry of the God's Wives goes missing and Ramses is briefly kidnapped by a woman claiming to be the legendary seductress, Hathor. Suspicion for the theft quickly settles on Emerson's half-brother, Sethos, who has shown up to aid in the search for the jewelry but Amelia is convinced that, despite his previous unsavory activities, he's not responsible for this latest criminal caper. As for the abduction of Ramses, there seems to be any number of possible candidates from his past youthful escapades, creating embarrassment and marital tensions for Amelia's handsome offspring.

While Amelia and her family are investigating these events, another familiar face reenters their lives through a mysterious encounter with a strange young boy in the marketplace. Even though she has taken great pains to disguise herself, Sethos's estranged daughter Maryam is eventually revealed to be one of the boy's traveling companions and she soon joins the household, adding further strain on the family dynamics. Ghostly visitors, a series of near-fatal accidents and cryptic messages from the grave all serve to keep the plot moving and the reader guessing. And, as usual, the formidable Amelia takes aggressive action to unravel the puzzle, which evokes Emerson's trademark tantrums and the inevitable verbal tugs of war.

As an Egyptologist, Elizabeth Peters utilizes her substantial expertise to provide an intriguing historical setting to the Amelia Peabody series, reflecting the ambiance of Egypt in the early 20th century. Although the realities of life on an archeological dig were far from glamorous, Peters captures that romanticism of a bygone era that we armchair adventurers love to experience. Ancient secrets, eerie tales and the magnificence of the tombs themselves provide a fertile springboard for the prolific storyteller. Perhaps in these perilous days, it's just the antidote we need to remind us that the true legacy of the Middle East was not always --- and hopefully will not always be --- the face of terrorism.

--- Reviewed by Ann L. Bruns

There are two other mystery series that I would say compete with the Amelia Peabody series as my favorite, but I have to say that this one has become my very favorite.
This, the 15th adventure featuring Amelia & family, is one of the best. There is less action than in other episodes, but the writing of the family's daily life is superb. Ms. Peters has done such a good job of incorporating all the extended members of the family - each one has his/her own personality and each one contributes something to the story that the characters have become almost real to me.
In this entry, a series of events take place that are seemingly unrelated, but Amelia realizes that there must be a pattern. As well, she has been warned that the children are in danger and she assumes that the warning applies to the grandchildren - the twins of Ramses & Nefret and the two children of David & Lia. She cannot, however, recognize the pattern of events (a boating accident, a car accident, a runaway horse, the death of a man that has stolen some artifacts from Cyrus, and more) and her inability to see the big picture almost ends in disaster.
The interaction between Amelia and Emerson is sharp, as always; that between Ramses and Nefret, not so well written, but still entertaining.
The ending is exciting to read and most everything is explained in a satisfactory manner. And the very last event is hilarious and foretells of more fun in the future with the grandchildren.