Rating: 
Summary: It keeps the romantic tension going
Review: To those reviewers critical of changes in the behaviour of Amelia and Emerson, it should be noted that 20 or so years have gone by since they met in Crocodile on the Sandbank. It's a bit unreasonable to expect them to remain exactly the same. As for Ramses and Nefret, yes, the Falcon at the Portal is frustrating, but I suspect that E. Peters knows what she's doing. Look at her Vicky Bliss series. The romantic tension between Vicky and John went on for four novels and was a vital part of their quality. But in Night Train to Memphis they resolved all their misunderstandings, declared mutual love etc. and there hasn't been a Vicky Bliss novel since 1994. It's likely that E. Peters can't think of anything really interesting to do with John and Vicky now. Think about it. The Amelia/Sethos tension kept the first several Amelia Peabody novels really alive and I think that the Ramses/Nefret situation has made the three most recent novels interesting in a similar way. Things shouldn't be all neatly wrapped up at the end of every book; not if they are part of a series. All in all, I really enjoyed The Falcon at the Portal and I look forward to the next in the series -Egyptian nationalism is on the rise, Percy is lurking about somewhere, the First World War is looming.
Rating: 
Summary: of all the...
Review: Well, I have to say that I was a little disapointed with this one. I have read every single Amelia book, and compared to all the rest-except Deeds of the Disturber, that was really bad-this book just wasn't that good.First of all, the archeology wasn't as interesting as usual, in fact, it wasn't even a major part of the story. Second, the mystery wasn't good at all. I knew who it was two chapters after meeting the main bad guy. But, I did like the whole Ramses-Nefret deal, although I'm totally disgusted by Nefret, she's being way too melodramatic, and it's not good at all because she used to be one of my favorite characters, but now I just want to tell her to stop messing with his mind. Anyway. I disagree with everyone who thinks the "children" are annoying, because they have breathed new life into the books, especially Ramses-I love him!-and I'd like to humbly ask Ms. Peters to please KEEP PUTTING THEM IN! That quartet is the main reason I-and everyone else I know-read them! Anyway, even though this wasn't my favorite, I'n DYING to read the next one, and I hope that Ms. Peters will continue the series for a long time.
Rating:
Summary: Great book - disappointing audio book
Review: This is one of my favorite books in the "Amelia Peabody" series, but this abridged version cuts out most of the romance, and all of the humor. Samantha Eggar does a great job bringing each character to life. The vocal portrayal is excellent. You can tell just from her voice, much about each character. And you have to; much of the text pertaining to character development has been left out. In shortening the story for the audio version, the quirky things I treasure about Peabody, and Emerson and especially Rames have been cut out. Secondary characters like Lia and Katherine pop in briefly, and only confuse the narrative. This leaves a bare and somewhat disjointed plot.
Rating:
Summary: This series is getting better again!
Review: I love Amelia and her family, even when their enemies are confused, disorganized or downright silly. However, I feel that a really devious villain strengthens the plot, just as maturity strengthens the characters. This is the best since, THE SNAKE,THE CROCODILE & THE DOG,I think. The only disappointment was to my greed, as I'm dying to know what happens next!I won't rehash the plot here (I do wish people would NOT say so much about the plots of mysteries -- spoils the fun!). I particularly liked the development of Ramses & Emerson's characters as they relate to Sennia, and the deepening of Amelia's relationship with Abdullah (OK, so he's dead -- you think a little thing like that could stop either of them?). I enjoy the use of letters and other narratives to tell the story, and in this book I felt I finally began to understand Nefret's apparent blindness in her relationship with Ramses. Kudos to Peters for exploring the development of the Egyptian Nationalist movement, for developing a most excellent villain, and, of course, for bringing back the ineffable Percy! Readers who love outrageous plots, eccentric characters who defy stasis and the jolt of story lines turned inside-out will go for this. Readers who don't...won't!
Rating:
Summary: Great book - disappointing audio book
Review: This is one of my favorite books in the "Amelia Peabody" series, but this abridged version cuts out most of the romance, and all of the humor. Samantha Eggar does a great job bringing each character to life. The vocal portrayal is excellent. You can tell just from her voice, much about each character. And you have to; much of the text pertaining to character development has been left out. In shortening the story for the audio version, the quirky things I treasure about Peabody, and Emerson and especially Rames have been cut out. Secondary characters like Lia and Katherine pop in briefly, and only confuse the narrative. This leaves a bare and somewhat disjointed plot.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I have never liked the character of Nefret. I wish it had never been introduced to the Peabody series. I hope the future books are better than this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Cliffhanger!
Review: what an incredibly suspenseful cliffhanger! Couldn't stand the ending (though the rest of the story was great!) because of all of the loose ends. I guess it just gives Peters another book to tie it all together in! Great book, leaves you hanging, but altogether another Peter's mystery caught in the folds of Egyptology.
Rating:
Summary: Amelia does it again!
Review: The amazing and bullheaded Amelia is back. But of even greater significance, so is her son Ramses and ward Nefret. As usual this book entertains the reader, but there is even more intrigue when Ramses is getting in on the act. If you loved the other Peabody mysteries, this one will have you enthralled as well.
Rating: 
Summary: -The Falcon at the Portal
Review: While I've only read three of the Amelia Peabody Mystery's by Peters' (and totally enjoyed each one) this paticular book left me with a sour taste for the book series. The situation with Nefret and Ramases is sad. And Nefret is made out to be well to lack of a better term a "Hussy". I want to read the next book in the series but I don't want to be let down again.
I hope that the mystery and allure of "The Ape that Gaurds the Balance" my favorite in this series so far comes back in the next book. After all it's the mystery that is what brought me to these books and well maybe the romantic life of Amelia.
Rating:
Summary: A different sort of novel
Review: Falcon at the Portal was a new type of Amelia Peabody book for me. Very different to others in the series I have read, I did feel somewhat let down by it. The mystery storyline we have come to expect is, in this book, only incidental. Family drama is what Peters has given us instead. In the hands of a less accomplished writer, I would be tempted to call it melodrama. The difficulty for me is, The Deeds of the Disturber is the most recent book in the series I have read before this; so what may make sense in the context of the whole series came out of nowhere for me. The two-star rating is partly because, as well written as Falcon at the Portal is, this book is not what I've come to expect either from Peters or from her series.
The book opens with the wedding of Amelia's niece Lia to Egyptian family friend David - and the revelation that David is suspected of trading in stolen antiquities. This gives the whole Emerson clan a new mystery to look into when they travel to Egypt for their annual archaeological dig. The usual roll-call of old friends and new characters appears once the action shifts to Egypt - and one of them ends up dead at the bottom of the shaft in the pyramid the Emersons are excavating. So between the need to clear David's name and the need to explain the fate of the murder victim, there is a great deal of scope for Amelia's usual feisty investigations, backed up by Emerson's temperamental but kind-hearted assistance.
But sadly, Peters provides little of this. The bulk of the book is actually taken up with the romantic drama between Ramses, Amelia and Emerson's son, and Nefret, their ward. Ramses has loved Nefret for years, and seems finally to have won her heart - until circumstances intervene, when Nefret repudiates Ramses and takes precipitate action, the repercussions of which will be felt for a long time to come.
I did not like the impulsive and unreasonable Nefret. I have never liked Ramses. Peters' treatment of him comes dangerously close to hagiography, and I find all his noble suffering tedious. That said, I might feel differently had I read the other books that introduce Nefret and deal with Ramses as an adult.
I read the Amelia Peabody series for mystery and adventure, and especially for Amelia and Emerson. I'm not really interested in their children and all their carryings-on, and so I would be very glad for the series to return to its original focus. However, this is a matter of personal taste. Others like different things from the series, and Falcon at the Portal is undeniably a well-written book, with some powerful scenes.
So if you want a family drama with all your favourite characters, you may be satisfied by this - but you will have to read Thunder in the Sky afterwards. If you want a proper mystery novel, you should perhaps look elsewhere.
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