A Plague of Zombies

Lord John Grey #3.5

by Diana Gabaldon

Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Outlander series, delivers a captivating tale of history and suspense, with a touch of the supernatural, featuring Lord John Grey. This novella, originally published as “Lord John and the Plague of Zombies,” is now available as a standalone eBook.
 
Lord John Grey, a lieutenant-colonel in His Majesty’s army, arrives in Jamaica with orders to quash a slave rebellion brewing in the mountains. But a much deadlier threat lies close at hand. The governor of the island is being menaced by zombies, according to a servant. Lord John has no idea what a zombie is, but it doesn’t sound good. It sounds even worse when hands smelling of grave dirt come out of the darkness to take him by the throat. Between murder in the governor’s mansion and plantations burning in the mountains, Lord John will need the wisdom of serpents and the luck of the devil to keep the island from exploding.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Outlander, Fiction, Historical, Fantasy, Mystery, Audiobook

101 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 4, 2011

About the author

Diana Jean Gabaldon Watkins grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona and is of Hispanic and English descent (with a dash of Native American and Sephardic Jew). She has earned three degrees: a B.S. in Zoology, a M.S. in Marine Biology, and a Ph.D in Ecology, plus an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Glasgow, for services to Scottish Literature.

She currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona .

Reviews

[Deb · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hey Gabaldon! Stop fooling around with this half-assed zombie gay mysteries of the 18th century crap and get Jamie and Clare back on track!

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 2 out of 5]

CW: sexual references

2.5 Stars

Book 15 in my Zombie-a-thon!

Ok. I'm sure this would have been a lot more interesting had I actually read Outlander, or even watched it. Alas, I have not. I think I would quite like it based on this glimpse. A fun mystery novella with creepy zombies.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm having fun today! I'm 100% caught up with NetGalley....at this minute....with my 200th review posted so decided to relax and celebrate by browsing my Goodread's short story shelves and hopefully knock a few out. I've owned this one....A PLAGUE OF ZOMBIES....for quite a few years.

If you're an OUTLANDER fan like me, you're familiar with Lord John Grey and his love for the hunky red-headed Jamie. Unfortunately, Jamie's not present in this one, but he is briefly mentioned.

It's 1761 Jamacia and Lieutenant-Colonel John Grey has his new assignment....to stop the maroon slave rebellion. Governor Warren and the people are terrified with the on-going burning and destruction of plantations; thus enter Lord John with his 300 troops and artillery.

But when Lord John first arrives, he has more to worry about than violent men....like deadly spiders and snakes, cockroaches that feed upon your eyebrows plus other bloodthirsty insects....not to mention murder, curses, threats, zombies and a voodo priest!

And then we have Geillis Duncan, better known as Mrs. Abernathy in this story. She fits right in....we all know how wicked she can be with her penchant for making potions and disposing of husbands.

Not OUTLANDER but an entertaining read nonetheless.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

As per all of Diana Gabaldon's books, I loved it. As always the characters were well drawn, the story well told and the writing fabulous, using beautifully crafted English.

The Lord John books are far cleaner than the Outlander books in the story telling and that is more my preferred style; so I find every Lord John book a refreshing read as well as a satisfying one. I like how they inform the Outlander series also.

To anyone who is a fan of the Outlander series but who hasn't read the Lord John books, I strongly advise that you do ASAP. If you love the Lord John books and haven't yet read this, try to do so soon. If you've read the Outlander books and enjoyed some aspects but found them a little wordy, try the Lord John books, you'll be very pleasantly surprised by how comparatively crisp the writing is.

I hope there are a lot more of them written. I enjoy every one of them and exploring John more deeply as a character, as he is simply fabulous and gets more so with each read.

[Elisa Glendenning (mostly off-line) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good until the confusing/abrupt ending!

[Lisa Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the lightest entry in the Lord John series of books and novellas. It an interesting story, in which Lord John goes to Jamaica on behalf of the army to help control a slave rebellion, but instead finds corruption among the governing bodies and must deal with rumors of zombies.

It's entertaining and short, and I always enjoy Lord John, but this particular novella is probably the least consequential, as far as I'm concerned. Perhaps because John is away from home for the entire story, it lacks the charm of seeing John's interactions with his family and friends and the entertainment of social customs in London.

Fans should absolutely read Plague of Zombies -- or even better, listen to the audiobook, narrated by the incomparable Jeff Woodman.

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look, I don't like zombies. I always thought the whole concept was rather silly and could never take them seriously. Even Buffy couldn't make zombies work, though that episode is responsible for the single greatest Giles quote ever:



Supernatural did a good zombie episode in season two, and Grimm did a great season finale cliffhanger that I still remember as being uber creepy, but that's about it for me and satisfying zombie stories. (Oh, if only these two shows had stayed good. *sigh*)

But Gabaldon, while she deals with the mystical and timey whimey stuff in Outlander, keeps Lord John firmly set in reality, which means the zombies he encounters are the legit thing. And it's creepy as hell. Like, I didn't even know this was a for real thing until I read this because I never bothered to research it or pay any attention to it, and the idea that someone can just zombify you and you'll spend the rest of your days an animated vegetable is just disturbing, to say the least. Yes, it's super cliche, tropey and stereotypical of Jamaica and I don't care. It works. Mostly because Gabaldon is so great at writing fully realized three-dimensional characters.

John has his work cut out for him in Jamaica trying to squash a slave rebellion. (Let them rebel. Damn you, white oppressors!) Tom's mostly worried about the giant cockroaches and snakes. John has to deal with figuring out what started the supposed rebellion and why. It's not all as it seems, of course, because that would make John's life too easy.

I somehow remembered this being longer, so the abrupt ending was kind of jarring, and I wanted to see more of Gellie. I'll just have to await her appearance in Voyager for that. It did however jog my memory about the connections between Gellie and Dr. Abernathy though, which I had also forgotten.

It was fun rereading/listening to these in chronological order along with Voyager. If anyone else feels compelled to do the same, the order is:

Voyager Ch 1-14
LJ & The Hellfire Club
LJ & The Private Matter
LJ & The Succubus
Voyager Ch 15
LJ & The Brotherhood of the Blade
LJ & The Haunted Soldier
A Custom of the Army
The Scottish Prisoner
A Plague of Zombies
Voyager Ch 16-end

It does make some minor continuity errors between Voyager and the LJ series (which were written much later) pretty glaring, but overall, it was fun to make all these side trips to see what John was up to during that time. (And I was totally right in my review of Custom of the Army. In the afterward to this book, Gabaldon wrote that she just looked up events going on in any given year and sent John off to them to write these stories. Vindication!)

[Dawn Lennon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am hopelessly addicted to Diana Gabaldon's fiction for a lot of reasons, most notably characters drawn with such depth that I feel (no believe) I have known them wherever they are in their travails in other times.

I would never read a book about zombies unless lured there by Diana, and of course, her ever-compelling Lord John Grey. This novella takes you back to a time period (1761)when John finds himself in Jamaica to deal with a series of aggressions by the maroons. It's a brief whodunit but what's special about it is how Diana, once again, gives us a chance to understand a piece of the culture of the indigenous people there, including what a zombie is, how it's created, and how matters of magic are twisted for evil purposes by the indigenous and the "civilized" Brits who came there.

Diana's prose is such a pleasure to read, her stories captivating, and her ability to keep me waiting eagerly for her next work extraordinary.

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Good but a bit confusing at times. Review soon.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who is a fan of Gabaldon knows it takes a long time for each installment in the “Outlander” series to come out, (like, several years) so these little interludes, in the form of short stories and novellas, are a great way to get your “Outlander” fix, while also filling in some gaps and backstory in the plot. However, while entertaining, “A Plague of Zombies” answers very little in that regard, but it is still a fantastic read.

I was completely enthralled with the writing and the story, but the ending seems a bit rushed and incomplete. However, that's the only criticism I can give of this book. As is her style, Gabaldon carries her reader along with such a gentle touch that reading her books is like a vacation, as it should be. Her characters are vibrant and memorable, and if you’re a fan, this novella only reignites your interest in what comes next in the “Outlander” series.

[Bárbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

After The Scottish Prisoner, this one was an odd step forward into LJG's life journey (and a journey it was indeed).

This story was too short, although nicely developed. Plus, the deal about the zombies was weirdly appealing. But then again, at this stage I think that having LJG as protagonist would make whatever scenario interesting.

It was not as good as what I'd been reading last, but it was still pretty decent. 3.5

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Gabaldon's final piece (to date) of Lord John-centred writing, she succeeds in weaving another great tale with her ever-resourceful Lord John Grey at the helm. In Jamaica on official business, Lord John is soon drawn into a phenomena new to him; the emergence of zombies. Waking one night by a visitor whose human form is questionable, Grey wonders if there is more to this myth than strict lore. When the Governor is found murdered, the scene leads many to believe a pack of zombies may be behind the crime. However, Grey is not so sure and mounts clues to turn the investigation in another direction. With many wishing him gone (from office as well as from the earth), the Governor's demise leaves many suspects for Grey to ponder. That said, the power of zombies appears stronger than even and Grey seeks to learn more about them if for no other reason than to quench his curiosity. Another great novella by Gabaldon to keep the reader on the edge of their seat and with an eye on packs of unknowns lurking the streets at night.

Gabaldon's OUTLANDER series is one of my great guilty pleasures. Her plethora of characters leaves a great opening for many interesting branch-off stories or novellas. That said, her character Lord John Grey, whose role in the Outlander series is minor in the first three novels, is one perfectly suited for a series of novels. An 18th century Sherlock Holmes on one hand and a tyrannical man whose lust for Jamie Fraser fuels a powerful hatred in the main novel series cannot be discounted. Gabaldon has done a masterful job of painting a calmer and more likeable side to Grey in this series, as well as jumping on the 'zombie' bandwagon made overly popular by THE WALKING DEAD. A great novella for fans of the series or newbies alike, it makes for a highly entertaining read for the curious reader.

And so another segment of the OUTLANDER series is complete. Lord John has played the role of a bridging character, his adventures and interactions with Jamie Fraser held between the two periods of Claire's appearance through the Standing Stones. While given a brief glimpse of LJG in VOYAGER, as both Governor of Ardsmuir and Governor of Jamaica, these novels and novellas serve to offer more insight and surely pave the way for new and exciting adventures to come. I had read the entire LJG series before, piecemeal, but it is only now that I read them all sequentially that the thread makes a lot more sense. Well-written and highly entertaining, Gabaldon has a great handle on her characters and the stories they weave.

Kudos, Madam Gabaldon for this off-shoot series and all that you write. I am obsessed and will forge ahead, back with the Outlander gang to see what's to pass in the American Colonies.

Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the Outlander novellas I've read so far (and I'm slowly but surely making my way through them all), this is by far the best one yet! Lord John Grey has arrived to Jamaica and discovers zombies.... His trying to solve this mystery takes him to visit Mrs. Abernathy who creeps him out....and that really is just the beginning!

There was enough mystery in the story that I remained interested and thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Victoria Zigler · Rating 4 out of 5]

My actual rating is 3.5 stars, but I rounded up.

It was interesting to get to read another chapter in Lord John’s life, but this wasn’t nearly as good as everything else I’ve read from this author.

[Mahayana Dugast · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a nice little spicy addition to the Outlander series with Lord John Grey, a lieutenant-colonel in His Majesty’s army, on an adventure to abolish a slave rebellion in Jamaica, only to be met by local voodoo-type dark magic. Fun and short!

[Julianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for THC Reviews
A Plague of Zombies falls about one year after The Scottish Prisoner in the Lord John Grey series chronology. In this one, John has now been promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and is finally the one in charge of the troops. He’s been sent, along with a number of other soldiers, to Jamaica to put down a slave revolt. As with most things in life, this isn’t as simple and straight-forward as it seems. As John starts looking into matters upon his arrival on the island, he starts to uncover government corruption and other criminal deeds, some of which have led to the slaves rebelling. Add in tales of the supernatural and John being attacked by what appears to be a zombie, and you have the makings of a fun and engaging read.

As always John shows that he’s an honorable man who always tries to do the right thing, standing out in contrast to the corrupt officials who think nothing of using and abusing slaves, as well as engaging in other misdeeds. He also proves himself, once again, to be highly intelligent, methodically investigating the root cause of the slave uprising and later a murder, and of course, figuring everything out in due time. John gets to show his diplomatic side as well, when he must negotiate with the maroons (those who are essentially at the head of the rebellion) for the release of his men. In this, he also proves his bravery again, too. According to Diana Gabaldon’s author note, all of this is apparently in preparation for John eventually becoming governor of Jamaica, which is where he is when Jamie and Claire find themselves there in Voyager. Last but not least, I love that for a man from his time period, he’s almost surprisingly colorblind. In Custom of the Army, he had a very brief affair with a Native American, and although nothing comes of it this time, he, nonetheless, finds himself extremely attracted to one of the governor’s black servants in this story. So all in all, John is still the amazing hero I’ve come to love over the course of reading the Outlander series and now his own books.

Overall, I really enjoyed A Plague of Zombies. Out of the shorter novellas of the series, this is now my favorite one. It may have partly been because the military theme was fairly minimal this time. But I think it may also have to do with it being a little more closely related to events in the Outlander books than some of the other Lord John stories are. Not only do we get to see John taking actions in Jamaica where he will eventually be in charge, but he also interviews Geillis Duncan who, of course, is now Mrs. Abernathy of Rose Hill plantation, right after her husband dies. Being the sharp investigator that he is, John almost immediately realizes that she’s probably guilty of murdering the man herself, although he has no proof, merely a hunch. John also briefly meets up with a couple of members of the Twelvetrees family who’ve been a thorn in his side, while trying to keep his duel with Edward Twelvetrees back in London a secret. The last thing that really made this novella pop for me was the zombie theme, which is really interwoven with the black African culture of the island. I don’t know if it’s actually possible to make a zombie as presented in the book, but I know Ms. Gabaldon is a master at research and if she included it, there must be at least some anecdotal evidence for such a thing. I think I’m an armchair anthropologist at heart, so I loved learning about the cultural aspects of voodoo and other mystical practices that the Africans brought with them, as well as how the former slaves escaped into the hills of the island. It all made for a fascinating story that kept me riveted throughout. A Plague of Zombies was originally published in the multi-author anthology, Down These Strange Streets, and was later republished as a stand-alone novella in eBook format. It’s most recent publication is in the single-author anthology, Seven Stones to Stand or Fall, along with several other Outlander related novellas.

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

As Diana Gabaldon notes in her author's note preceding this story, Lord John Grey's status as an unmarried man of means allows the author the liberty of sending him to far-flung locations, despite the difficulties of travel in the late 1700s. So she takes a previously empty timeframe within the overall timespan of the story, finds something interesting going on in the world, and sends Lord John on his way there. This time it's Jamaica... and zombies.

For this one, no real background from the rest of the Outlander series is particularly needed, and with its length SIGNIFICANTLY shorter than the Outlander books, it could be a good spot to see if you like Gabaldon's writing style.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where I got the book: purchased on Kindle.

This is not really a novel, more a novella or longish short story. A rather lightweight story, too, with Lord John Grey in Jamaica getting mixed up with zombies. The best thing about it is Gabaldon's explanation of how zombiedom can be achieved without actually raising the dead; I also appreciated seeing Geillis Duncan aka Mrs. Abernathy, and would have liked more of her.

One for the fans, definitely, but not the best one.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever story written about a Outlander character we know and like. This and the other short stories written by Diana Gabaldon fill the gap while we wait for MOBY to publish at the end of the year. After reading the anthology this one was included in along with the author's notes, I understand why these stories get written and appreciate them better.

[Barbara Foster]

I love all Diana Gabaldon's stories

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever, clever Lord John, or is it just luck? Either way I love this character keep writing about him please!

[KatieMc · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella did not change my life, but I enjoy me some Lord John.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story, John Grey is in Jamaica but this is years before his appearance in Voyager. He's there to stop a rebellion that's happening, but encounters more than he expected. I liked how the zombies were handled and the history/science of how people became that way. The ending was very abrupt, but other than that I quite enjoyed reading this book.

[Cassie C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella for the most part didn’t make an impression on me, except for when it mentioned Tom Byrd’s age. He’s 19 here, which would make him only 13 in the events of The Scottish Prisoner (in which he’s shot) and all the back to only 10 in the earlier John Grey stories? I knew he was young and maybe I wasn’t paying close enough attention in those other books, but I didn’t think Gabaldon had a literal child doing all these things. Of course, it may just be that she’s not keeping track of these details, which she outright admits in one of the other Outlander novellas in an author’s note.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most entertaining. And brief. And it sheds a lot of light on how on Earth Lord John Grey ended up being the governor of Jamaica.
Bearing the title in mind, it may not sound so weird that I read the last chapter unable to get Michael Jackson's Thriller video and music out of my mind. I was dancing by the end!
I just love Diana Gabaldon and Lord John Grey. Perhaps not as much as the ginormous Outlander novels, but still.

[Jujubee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever, clever John. Always the diplomat. Ever the brotherhood of a soldier. A satisfying series (end?)

[Jillian Ferry · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting insight to where zombies come from and a connection of LJG to Abernathy aka Gillian Edgars.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, fun Lord John novella in the spirit of the season! I love him, I love the book.

[Kenzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved going on this mini adventure with Johnny Boi. Bummer that it ended so abruptly, tho.

[Iris Butler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. Awful and pointless.