Elizabeth Peters

[Rowan]

I adore Elizabeth Peters ever since my aunt introduced me to her many years ago. With her incorigible son Ramses and hot-tempered husband Emerson, the stories "written by" Amelia Peabody are truly an adventure into the world of Egyptology and archaeology in general.

Anyone else a fan?

[pat]

Rowan, I agree! They are a delightful easy read, where you do have to think a bit as there is sometimes a twist in the tale!

[diamondlil]

I am working my way through the Amelia Peabody series at the moment and I love them!

I also am enjoying her Vicky Bliss series, and am glad to hear that she has just released a new book in that series. Not bad for an author who is in her mid-80s!

[Melisende]

I agree - Amelia Peabody stories are great!

[diamondlil]

Oh, and if you ever get a chance to listen to either series on audio take it. The narrator, Barbara Rosenblat is awesome!

[mta91423@bigpond.net.au]

I started reading these books some years back, and never tire of them.
Have recently ordered a few from the Bookmooch site, as I would like to try and get the collection.
The characters are great, and you almost feel part of the "family" as you follow them through all their escapades.

[Madeleine]

I have all the Amelia books (although I've only read a couple so far) and have recently bought the Vicky Bliss books too, as they were re-issued over here last year with new covers, both series are great fun, easy reads with likeable characters.

[Rowan]

The characters are great, and you almost feel part of the "family" as you follow them through all their escapades.


That's it exactly! You feel like you're part of the family. I also like the way it's written as if the stories are taken from a real person's journal.

[Carine]

The Amelia Peabody books sound good ! I have 2 of them on my TBR pile and looking forward to reading them.

[Ellie]

I love the Amelia Peabody series, undoubtly some of the greatest characters I have ever read about.

[Anna Elliott]

The Amelia Peabody series is one of my absolute favorites! Have you listened to the audio books read by the amazing Barbara Rosenblat? They are incredibly good. He Shall Thunder in the Sky is especially great.

[diamondlil]

I've listened to a couple and Barbara Rosenblat is just excellent! She also narrates the Vicky Bliss series as well.

[Anna Elliott]

I love Barbara's readings of the Vicky Bliss books, too. It's crazy how attractive she makes Sir John sound--you can totally forget it's, you know, a woman doing the voice!

[Sheramy]

I've been reading Elizabeth Peters for years and years! Love her books. I wasn't wild about the latest Vicky Bliss though (Laughter of Dead Kings), I have to say. Night Train to Memphis was much better.

Re: Amelia Peabody series...can anybody else totally picture Hugh Jackman as Emerson??!!

[diamondlil]

Actually looks wise I can. I don't know that I can picture him being surly enough though, but he's a good actor so I am sure he could.

[Ellie]

I'm pretty sure Hugh Jackman could do just about anything, I'd love to see him as Emerson.

[Nefret]

I'm pretty sure Hugh Jackman could do just about anything, I'd love to see him as Emerson.

Works for me. But who would play Ramses and David?

[Madeleine]

Ooh yes definitely Jackman, he's pretty surly as Wolverine remember!

[ellenjane]

The Amelia Peabody series is one of my absolute favorites! Have you listened to the audio books read by the amazing Barbara Rosenblat? They are incredibly good. He Shall Thunder in the Sky is especially great.

I generally listen to the audiobooks - I find Barbara Roseblat's Amelia particularly helpful in motivating me to do housework and other things I'd rather not. :D

I was using up my two monthly credits at Audible, and saw the description for "Falcon at the Portal," and thought that it looked like a lot happened, so I should probably read that one in hard copy. So I checked it out from the library and got the audio download of "He Shall Thunder in the Sky." Well, I finished "Falcon" and wanted to know what happened next so badly that I ran out and bought myself the paperback (library was closed). I just couldn't wait to listen to the audiobook. Whew! I'm glad I did - I don't think I would have followed everything as well if I'd listened to it. I think I can return to normal now that all has been revealed and resolved, though!

[SusannaG]

I think the Amelia Peabodies are great fun - I have just discovered them this year.

I also liked The Murders of Richard III, which was written in 1974 and is not a historical, actually. It's about mayhem among the Ricardians, though.

[Anna Elliott]

I generally listen to the audiobooks - I find Barbara Roseblat's Amelia particularly helpful in motivating me to do housework and other things I'd rather not. :D

I was using up my two monthly credits at Audible, and saw the description for "Falcon at the Portal," and thought that it looked like a lot happened, so I should probably read that one in hard copy. So I checked it out from the library and got the audio download of "He Shall Thunder in the Sky." Well, I finished "Falcon" and wanted to know what happened next so badly that I ran out and bought myself the paperback (library was closed). I just couldn't wait to listen to the audiobook. Whew! I'm glad I did - I don't think I would have followed everything as well if I'd listened to it. I think I can return to normal now that all has been revealed and resolved, though!

He Shall Thunder in the Sky is my absolute, utter favorite Elizabeth Peters! Now that you've read it and are no longer in dire suspense, I definitely recommend listening to the audio book anyway--I've checked it out of our library so many times I practically know ever inflection by heart. But it's so, so good!

[Sheramy]

River in the Sky is already on Amazon and will be released 6 April 2010. Oh Boy! :)

[Anna Elliott]

Ooooh, how exciting! I thought she'd ended the series!

[Leena]

I don't know which of her books is my favorite. Every time I read Elizabeth Peters, I feel like I'm coming home. That sounds a little mushy, I guess, but I kind of think of the Emersons as my family. I've been reading her books for so long! I also enjoy her Egyptology texts. They're well done but not stuffy, and they've been in print for years. I think she's one of the few authors who has actually written a text on the every day life of the ancient Egyptians. It's called Red Land; Black Land.

[Sheramy]

I think Red Land, Black Land was recently published in a revised, updated edition. I really need to read it.

She has a PhD in Egyptology from the Univ of Chicago, which is still one of the premier places to study in that field.

[Anna Elliott]

Red Land, Black Land and her other book on Egyptology, Tombs, Temples, and Pyramids, were both recently re-released as new and updated versions. They're both excellent--fascinating and scholarly but very readable and even very humorous. She's just an amazingly gifted writer in all genres!

[Leena]

Very true, Sheramy and Anna.

It's sometimes hard to find books that give you information on every day life. I've researched other people from the ancient world and too often have found mostly archaeology but not much that gives an idea how the people were living in their ordinary existence. One can get good general ideas about the culture at large from archaeology. So with Red Land, Black Land, at least one can extrapolate a little on how life was managed in the ancient world, being careful to keep the cultural differences in mind. From that standpoint, Dr. Mertz's book is a treasure.

I'll take a look at your websites. Best of luck on your novels. :)