This is another enjoyable addition to the series. You can tell that Peters had a love affair for all things Ancient Egypt, because the research she put in just beams off the page. This book, for the first time in the series, even has sketches of several important plot aspects so that the reader can fully understand what is being discussed. I would ding her however for the racism (of course, not from the Emersons), the self-sabotaging anti-interracial relationship mentality, and the “Great White Christian Mother” mindset, if they weren’t a) unfortunately in style with the time period the series is set in, and b) very Wilkie Collins/H. Rider Haggard-esque, whose styles Peters is attempting to emulate.
The usual cast of characters are as fantastic as normal; Amelia is the epitome of stalwart. no-nonsense heroine, Emerson is the rugged, passionate, shirt-ripping by the sheer heft of his musculature, physical in defense of the defenseless leading man (and trust Peters to really double down on letting the reader know that these two fu enjoy a healthy, physical marriage), and Ramses is the slightly eldritch, mildly irritating thing he’s always been. Though with the added bonus of him at the age of 10 apparently falling in love with (and possibly desiring) a 13 year old, I’m sure everything is fine and nothing creepy will happen, even if that 13 yr. old speaks like a thirty-something schoolteacher. Though miracle of miracles, there is a cat that makes an appearance and Ramses apparently does not make off with her. I’ll have to read the next book to make sure he didn’t spirit her away in a saddlebag, but as of now that’s at least one cat he didn’t adopt.
This book also introduces the character of Tarek, who hopefully we have not seen the last of. Emerson may only partially share that opinion though, as Tarek learned English by reading Collins, Shakespeare, and Haggard (it is he who utters the phrase “the Moon can not be with the Sun, Black can not mate with White”) ; I agree with Emerson groaning over the phrasing. The book is also full of sneering villains, politically ambivalent advisors, young fools in love, mentally unbalanced women, scantily clad women falling in love with Emerson (and Amelia threatening violence), men swooning over Amelia (and Emerson threatening violence), near-human sacrifice, and the usual bunch of semi-superstitious peasant-folk being fascinated by Western items and awed and terrified by Radcliffe “Father of Curses” Emerson and Amelia “Lady Doctor” Peabody. Though after the extensive use of lye soap and Castor oil, I don’t think Amelia will keep that epithet.
All in all, this series continues to be an enjoyable read, and I would highly recommend it.
