Customer Reviews

Guardian of the Horizon

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There comes a time in every series that covers a large number of years when it isn't possible to go further without the main characters discovering the secret of eternal life. Elizabeth Peters' Emersons - Egyptologists, amateur sleuths, and eccentrics par excellence - have reached a point where the era they chronicle is gradually coming to a close. Trust Peter's to find a solution, though, a new cache of papers that document the 'missing years' of the family's madcap career across the tombs and monuments of Egypt.

Set just previous to the blossoming of Ramses' relationship with Nefret, 'Guardian of the Horizon' documents the return to the 'Lost Oasis,' a last hidden survival of ancient Egypt - the Meroitic civilization that the Emerson's first discovered in the Sudan ('The Last Camel Died at Noon'). Readers will recall that the Holy City was where the Emerson's found Nefret, whom they late adopted. Now, ten years later, Merasen, a young noble, appears in England with a message from Tarek, king of the Lost Oasis, and a close friend of the family. There is illness in the Sudan and it threatens the survival of this hidden civilization. Amelia, Emerson, Ramses, and Nefret quickly set out.

For Amelia and Emerson, setting out on a secret journey means that only half of Egypt knows that something is up. As soon as word gets out that they intend to return to the Sudan to 'excavate,' a whole host of shady characters a drawn by the legends of hidden treasure that are rumored to be at the Lost Oasis. Of course, that means trouble, and the journey to the Sudan is marred by violence, intrusion, and countless twists and turns as the Emerson's carry out one elusive maneuver after another.

When they finally arrive at their destination they discover that nothing is as they expected. Instead of a sick king, they find themselves embroiled in a series of adventures that mix politics, religion, and, of course, just a bit of treasure. While a bit slow in developing, the book builds to a classic Peters' finish, with the Emerson's concocting on scheme after another as they try to extricate themselves unharmed and save the kingdom at the same time.

Elizabeth Peters does a fine job of returning the reader to the Emerson's past without recreating what was originally one of the family's most irritating periods. Instead, the writer allows Amelia and company just enough additional maturity to keep the story interesting without the extreme vaudeville that marked her work at that time. While any reader knows that a certain amount of the experience of reading one of the Emerson stories is rolling one's eyes at some of the more hysterical displays, that has been kept to a low roar. I enjoyed the book, and think that any other fan will do so as well.

I was looking forward to this book, as I do with all of EP's works. I was so disappointed with this book, I had to read it again just to make sure I hadn't imagined it. It felt as if she had written most of this book some time ago, got stuck, and decided later to slap an ending onto it and release it for publication. As another reader noted, there was no reference to the events in this book in any of the other books that followed this one chronologically. I thought that odd, since surely Amelia would have told Emerson at some point later that Sethos was the 'friend'.

The idea to return to the Lost Oasis was a good one, but the execution left something to be desired. Unlike other readers, I was not shocked nor disppointed with Ramses' involvement with Daria (he is human, after all) but I thought her character was not developed enough for me to care about her one way or the other. A little more information on her history would have helped there. I also thought Nefret acted out of character; she is more strong-willed than this book would indicate.

Go ahead and buy this book if you have the rest of the Amelia Peabody series. If you pick and choose only the best of Elizabeth Peters, you can safely skip this one, as it adds nothing to the overall series.

Don't get me wrong, this book was as riotously funny and exciting as readers have come to expect from this series. But it felt to me like Peters was still trying to find her characters between the periods of their lives that she's chronicled before. The result was shaky, I often found myself hunting in the (chronologically) later and earlier books to get a feel for whether a character would have said that or acted that way, at this point in his or her development. Partly because the events of this book were never mentioned in chronologically later books, as Amelia so frequently does, it came across as sort of marooned in time and place. Yes, the book hadn't been written yet, but it didn't feel to me like part of the subtext of the series. I would hate to think the series were running out of steam, but I have to wonder, with so many tidy happy endings made and enemies killed off or reformed, what's left? If Peters plans to continue these forays into the past, I'll look forward to the next books-- but with some reservations.

GUARDIAN OF THE HORIZON takes place during the 'missing years' that period between the events of THE APE THAT GUARDS THE BALANCE and THE FALCON AT THE PORTAL. The family is lured back to the secret oasis, Nefret's childhood home. When they arrive they discover that the intervening years have not been good. Naturally there are plenty of hidden agendas, false identities, harrowing escapes and dramatic rescues awaiting them there. While sorting out the messsy internal politics of the Oasis Ramses manages to get his heart broken and Amelia once again deals with her elusive but persistent 'Master Criminal'.

This novel bridges the earlier and later novels of the series. In the early novels Amelia and Emerson where the 'whole show', they were involved in the all the action and were the romantic leads as well. Ramses and later Nefret and David made only sporatic appearances. In the later novels the younger generation comes more to the fore on both the action and romance fronts. In THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORIZON David is absent for most of the time but his romance is definitely focused on in the early chapters. Ramses begins to take on a more active role in all areas.

This is, as is the rest of the series, a thoroughly enjoyable read. The writing is clever, the style charming, the action is exciting, the plot has plenty of twists and surprises even though the ultimate triumph of the Emersons is never in doubt. There are flaws, however, Ramses romance does seem to break the flow of the story and Nefret's passivity does not seem to be in character. Despite these problems this is a definite must read for fans of the series. For those unfamiliar with this series though, this is NOT the place to start, go back to the beginning and enjoy.

It is bitter sweet to go back in time with the Emersons. I never want their adventures to end. Slow start to this book, but, I enjoyed the book after a bit. It was so odd reading about Ramses lusting after someone other than Nefret, and slightly off putting when he sleeps with her! I understand where Ms. Peters was going...it didn't make sense that Ramses and Nefret spent all those years alone...that Ramses waited so long for Nefret, and never encountered anyone else that made his heart (or some other organ) turn over. Now, we see that this wasn't the case. There is a reason Nefret deneyed others, and Ramses did lust after others. Some say that they can't see Ramses loving anyone but Nefret. True. I think though Ramses thought he loved Daria, he was only 20 and didn't really realize himself, that it was just lust. So, in the end the book was good, moving and emotional. Funny as always. I always want to finish the book to see where it goes, but hate being done. I miss being admist the Emersons!
Do read it!

"Just when the Editor believed she was nearing the end of her arduous task of editing the Emerson papers, a new lot of them turned up. They include most of the journals from the so-called missing years..."

If you have been following the adventures of Amelia Peabody and husband Radcliffe Emerson, you will realize the excitement these papers have stirred up. Their lively chronicles thus far have omitted 1907 and 1908, but Ms. Peters has now filled in the gap.

In the spring, Emerson, Peabody, their son Ramses and foster daughter Nefret were on an archaeological hunt in Egypt. But Emerson's famous temper --- the very one that earned him the moniker Father of Curses --- got them not only evicted from their site, but evicted with the stern order not to return. While figuring out how to spend their time back at home in England, a young messenger who claims to be their friend Tarek's brother arrives with an urgent plea for help. Tarek, from the Lost Oasis, is in desperate need of medical treatment for a mysterious illness that has afflicted his son. Despite some misgivings, they cannot say no.

Once they put together their supplies and gather their trusted hands, they set out on a treacherous --- and, unfortunately, not so secret --- trek back to the Lost Oasis. Traveling at first by boat, tension mounts with a series of "accidents." Days later, while riding the rails in an effort to throw off any suspicious types, they loudly discuss plans to explore farther south and then quickly abandon the train at an early opportunity.

Through blowing sand, riding cantankerous camels and avoiding marauding ambushers, they make their way, led by the stranger calling himself Tarek's brother. But as one might fear, all is not what it appears. Emerson, Peabody and their entourage meet with disheartening deceit and betrayal. When they left a decade before, Tarek ruled the land. Now, they are not sure what to expect. Once in the holy city, they find themselves fighting for their old friend, their ward Nefret, and their very lives. To complicate matters, Ramses is behaving like a lovesick puppy.

Amelia Peabody is an infinitely spunky woman. A gutsy man of around 20 and a chip off the old block, Ramses marvels at his mother's ability to find excellent solutions to seemingly impossible problems. He has no qualms about carrying out her plans. Quite the opposite, he intrepidly embraces action over inaction --- at least, when he's not pining over the girl. And Emerson, undeniably no coward, boldly goes wherever he wishes, blustering and swearing his way through any and all blockades. Between them, they keep their enemies busy.

Elizabeth Peters writes an intriguing mystery teeming with authentic touches. Her Ph.D. in Egyptology makes her story come alive. And her sense of adventure jumps out from every page.

--- Reviewed by Kate Ayers

What is most controversial about this book? Ramses: In my opinion his relationship with Daria was the best part of this book! It showed that pure human essence of raw emotion and feeling taking control. Speaking as a 20 yr. old, I know that Elizabeth Peters hit it right on the nail by making him frustrated, confused, flawed...human? After all, we can't put Ramses on a pedestal of idealistic manhood now can we? At this age, everything is so intense and you feel strongly and I personally was cheering for Ramses. It was exciting. It was new. It showed that you can fall in love and have your heart broken and still live and love again! I found that message bittersweet. No relationship is perfect. In the end, it makes Ramses and Nefret's relationship that much more real. I loved it and recommend it highly! I truly believe Elizabeth Peters is a brilliant writer and I respect her very much.

I must put The Guardian of the Horizon among my favorite of the Amelia Peabody series. I was delighted to find out what had happened to the denizens of the Holy Mountain introduced in The Last Camel Died at Noon. I was strongly attracted to them when reading Camel and have wondered over the years how they faired.

For me the characters of Nephret and Ramses became more understandable in this book. I must admit that I had been puzzled by the length of time it took Nephret to recognize the romantic and sexual nature of her feelings for Ramses. And, I was puzzled by Ramses extreme reticence to push her in this area. This book gives some explanation for this phenomenom. I know some readers were disturbed by Ramses relationship with Daria. But, to me it seemed perfectly in character for a romatic and frustrated young man such as Ramses.

The only slightly false note in the book for me was that Amelia seemed a little too at ease with Sethos for this point in their history.

But, all and all, a grand read.

I don't know why the others didn't like it -- sordid romance? Please. It made Ramses human instead of so perfect, and made me like him even more. I've been disgusted with Nefret since Falcon at the Portal for not trusting him; but after this book, I understand her actions. Thanks for that, Ms. Peters. A fun, interesting setup for future action, dare I hope!?

If you want a extra treat, buy the recorded book as well.

I agree with many posters that Ramses relationship with Daria makes no sense. Actually, for a normal healthy 20 year old male to be able to resist a beautiful woman throwing herself at him in a deserted space overnight, that would be hard to believe. so I can buy that he caves into temptation. but I don't buy that he would leave Nefret and not rescue her along with Daria and end up in that situation in the first place!! Where's his mother's famous laudenum, smuggled to Daria to put the handmaidens to sleep the following night when Ramses returns to rescue both girls? Why does Nefret go from a headstrong, fiercely independent woman to a cowering pathetic creature incapable of any planning or action? Is she really being drugged? One of the things I love about the Peabody series is the feminist spirit-Nefret's being so similar to Amelia and therefore difficult to control as she wants the same freedom and latitude that the boys enjoy. For her to act so out of character was a major turnoff.

For Ramses to sleep with someone else when he supposedly is so in love with Nefret is unthinkable. I liked that we never knew much about Ramses experience with women prior to Nefret-that's part of the Victorian charming reticence of these novels-just as we never knew exactly what Emerson had been up to in his pre-Amelia days. I HATED that we had to know so much about Nefret's inexperience-we're expected to believe that she marries someone becuase she's so upset at Ramses but never sleeps with the husband? that in that day and age a husband would agree to that (even if he is occupied with dastardly schemes)? and we have to be told this-why? so we'll know for sure it was Ramses baby she lost and justify their being seperated even longer or so that Ramses will know no other man has been with her and she is still worthy of him? which makes me go ewwwww, especially given that we now know for sure he has a sexual history. Why should she wait for him if he didn't wait for her? Granted it would be too much for a Victorian era characters to come out and openly say that they don't embrace the doublestandard still hanging on today-that men can have sex with anyone they want, as much as they want and still marry virgins. but since the Peabody's like shaking up other conventions like inter-racial marriage and adopting the daughter of a prostitute, etc. EP could have shaken that standard up a bit. at the very least she could have left Nefret and Ramses' sex lives alone.

and what was up with the trance stuff and Nefret's supposed inability to love or give up her "maidenhood"? perhaps she's never loved because most men of that era are chauvinists who treat her like she's an idiot. and unconsiously she's in love with Ramses which is so clear in her actions in the books prior to "Guardian" chronologically. this makes more sense than some absurd promise a young girl would have made to her father when she wouldn't even have understood what he was talking about.

I was disappointed that this story was going back to the time when Ramses and Nefret weren't together yet as that part of the series dragged for me. watching Ramses wallow in indecision is not appealing.

That was the main part of the book that irritated me. I agree with the poster that it would be fun to return to the earlier years when Ramses was much smaller and less annoying-give us more mysteries set in England, maybe in Kent during the summer and let us see Amelia and Emerson and various household members in action. a bit more of Evelyn and Walter, David and Lia would be fun.
Sethos behavior seemed in character-having learned of the lost city as Cyrus, it is perfectly logical that he would go there and secure treasures for himself-explains where he's been for the last book. However, Amelia's behavior towards him is not appropriate for where they are in their relationhip. Having just lost Abdullah to Bertha's attempt to kill Amelia, I think she would have a few things to say to him about that.

all that said, I'm still delighted that EP has written a new book in the series and if she wants to return to a different time that's her prerogerative. especially given how large the family is now and I imagine it's dueced difficult to keep them all occupied in one adventure. Perhaps these apparant out of character bits will be explained in future novels, but please let's go back to a bit more subtlety when it comes to the sex. I prefer to not always know for sure what Amelia's referring to than to have it spelled out for me. If I want graphic reality and double standards I'll read a trashy novel.