Children of the Storm

Elizabeth Peters has returned with another adventure of the Peabody-Emersons. My father was the one who introduced me to the writings of Elizabeth Peters, who earned her PhD in Egyptology from the famed Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. He stopped reading the series a long time ago, but I, a diehard fan of many things, have continued reading and exploring vicariously through these books.

Her novels accurately depict the methods of excavation and nearly everything to do with archaeology and Egyptian myths. Ms Peters also writes cleverly about the late nineteenth to early twentieth century historical and social situation in England and Egypt.

I've long enjoyed the antics and adventures of Amelia Peabody and her husband, affectionately called Emerson (he calls her Peabody). The clan also include their son, Ramses, and his new wife Nefret. Ramses attained his sobriquet after displaying the stern and solemn demeanor that was often attributed to Ramses II. Nefret's name legally belongs to her as she was born in a hidden Egyptian society and spent her youth there before being rescued by Amelia, Emerson and a ten year-old Ramses. Her English parents had perished earlier so she returned to England with Amelia and grew up to be a skilled doctor. Apparantly, her looks weren't too bad either. Strawberry-blonde hair, cornflower blue eyes. Who could argue?

Anyway, Children of the Storm, the fifteenth title in the Amelia Peabody series, sees the Emersons in the period just after World War 1. This is 1919 Egypt, and there is increasing unrest against British rule. Read more.

As for us readers, this is 2003, and a new war may begin tomorrow. We'll have to wait and see how the world turns out. On this night, we are waiting in the eye of the storm.

Posted by Monoceros at March 18, 2003 12:04 AM