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hollie313's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
psalmcat's review
4.0
...and Amelia and Emerson sail into the sunset...
Not exactly! This is not the best finale to a series, but it's never going to measure up to the whole canon as a whole. Good story, great characterization... I am going to miss these folks. It might be time to start over and read the whole series again straight through...
Not exactly! This is not the best finale to a series, but it's never going to measure up to the whole canon as a whole. Good story, great characterization... I am going to miss these folks. It might be time to start over and read the whole series again straight through...
terann's review
1.0
I am a long time fan of Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels/Barbara Mertz. I own the Amelia Peabody series in hardcover and paperback and e-book.
This book will not be added to my collection.
The relationships were off, the voices were off. Stupid mistakes threw me out of the story. Then Nefret started giggling and said something and in my mind I was hearing Claire Malloy's annoying daughter, Caron, and that was it for me.
The story descended into a sly parody starring Claire as Amelia, Pete as Emerson, and Caron as Nefret.
It seemed like the series had not been read prior to this book being written. No mention made of the reason Nefret went off to marry Geoffrey or where that "reason" was. No mention of Walter or Evelyn? Amelia saying "Inshallah"? I was thrown out of the story constantly. The ending was abrupt to say the least.
This is not the way I want to remember the Emersons.
I just want to cry...
This book will not be added to my collection.
The relationships were off, the voices were off. Stupid mistakes threw me out of the story. Then Nefret started giggling and said something and in my mind I was hearing Claire Malloy's annoying daughter, Caron, and that was it for me.
The story descended into a sly parody starring Claire as Amelia, Pete as Emerson, and Caron as Nefret.
It seemed like the series had not been read prior to this book being written. No mention made of the reason Nefret went off to marry Geoffrey or where that "reason" was. No mention of Walter or Evelyn? Amelia saying "Inshallah"? I was thrown out of the story constantly. The ending was abrupt to say the least.
This is not the way I want to remember the Emersons.
I just want to cry...
duffgt06's review against another edition
2.0
Completely out of tone with the rest of the series. If you're a fan of the characters I wouldn't recommend putting yourself through this.
lostinmusicals's review against another edition
1.0
DNF’d at page 129. The premise sounded amazing, but it was slow going. It started off strong, then dropped in the middle. I also didn’t care for the characters, I didn’t like anyone in particular. Everyone seemed very harsh and extreme. I might pick this up again in the future.
harrietnbrown's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not generally a fan of posthumously finished series, but Joan Hess has done a solid job here.
jennereads's review against another edition
3.0
I was hungry for this book, which probably explains some of my subsequent disappointment. I appreciate the effort that was made here and it sometimes rang true as a faithful Amelia Peabody tale; however, there were too many instances of repetition and places where the author seemed to try too hard to sound like Peters. It took me FOREVER to read, mostly because I would read and then get frustrated and stop for a time. If Hess writes another Peabody, I still might give it a try.
krisrid's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a bittersweet read for me. I ADORE Amelia, Emerson and their miscellaneous family, friends and associates, and this entire series has been in my top two of series EVER since I first discovered it. I have loved visiting with these characters in each succeeding book, and while I am sad that this will be the final new book now that Elizabeth Peters has passed away, it was a lovely visit back to Egypt with all the wonderful people in the Emerson family's world.
I don't know how to review this, really. If you have read the Amelia Peabody books, then you already know how delightful, quirky, funny and entertaining they are, and you don't need to be convinced. If you haven't read the books, I highly recommend you go get the first book in the series - Crocodile on the Sandbank - immediately, and introduce yourself to some of the most clever, unique, funny, and, yes, odd, characters you have ever come across, doing the most outrageous, but entertaining things you can imagine.
This book was again set in the past, so we go back to a time just after Nefret's disastrous short lived marriage [you really need to read the books in order in this series, so I won't say more about this to avoid spoilers] but the family is in Egypt, doing what they do best . . . which, contrary to their opinion, is not, in fact archaeology, but rather inadvertently becoming embroiled in matters of a criminal nature.
All the things I love about this series are on full display in this last book - Amelia and Emerson having snappy repartee between them as they battle for the upper hand, Ramses and David going off on their own and having danger, drama and excitement, the family inter-play among all of them, and the humour, oh, the humour! of these characters written by the incredibly smart and deft hand of Elizabeth Peters, whose wonderful perspectives on her marvellous characters will be sorely missed now that she is gone.
If you have read the other books in this series, you will want to read this final new book as well. If you haven't . . . why the heck not?! Get thee to a bookstore and introduce yourself to these fantastic characters immediately!!
I don't know how to review this, really. If you have read the Amelia Peabody books, then you already know how delightful, quirky, funny and entertaining they are, and you don't need to be convinced. If you haven't read the books, I highly recommend you go get the first book in the series - Crocodile on the Sandbank - immediately, and introduce yourself to some of the most clever, unique, funny, and, yes, odd, characters you have ever come across, doing the most outrageous, but entertaining things you can imagine.
This book was again set in the past, so we go back to a time just after Nefret's disastrous short lived marriage [you really need to read the books in order in this series, so I won't say more about this to avoid spoilers] but the family is in Egypt, doing what they do best . . . which, contrary to their opinion, is not, in fact archaeology, but rather inadvertently becoming embroiled in matters of a criminal nature.
All the things I love about this series are on full display in this last book - Amelia and Emerson having snappy repartee between them as they battle for the upper hand, Ramses and David going off on their own and having danger, drama and excitement, the family inter-play among all of them, and the humour, oh, the humour! of these characters written by the incredibly smart and deft hand of Elizabeth Peters, whose wonderful perspectives on her marvellous characters will be sorely missed now that she is gone.
If you have read the other books in this series, you will want to read this final new book as well. If you haven't . . . why the heck not?! Get thee to a bookstore and introduce yourself to these fantastic characters immediately!!
pussreboots's review against another edition
5.0
Barbara Mertz, aka Peters, died in 2013 and I thought therefore that A River in the Sky was her last installment, with Laughter of Dead Kings being her way of tying her two best series into one hilarious universe. I only happened to hear of this final book, finished by Joan Hess, through Barbara Rosenblat's Facebook page. Rosenblat, is the narrator for Peters's audiobooks.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2017/comments_10/painted_queen.html
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2017/comments_10/painted_queen.html