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Lord John Grey #2
Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade
In her much-anticipated new novel, the New York Times bestselling author of the Outlander saga brings back one of her most compelling characters: Lord John Grey--soldier, gentleman, and no mean hand with a blade. Here Diana Gabaldon brilliantly weaves together the strands of Lord John's secret and public lives--a shattering family mystery, a love affair with potentially disastrous consequences, and a war that stretches from the Old World to the New. . . .
In 1758, in the heart of the Seven Years' War, Britain fights by the side of Prussia in the Rhineland. For Lord John and his titled brother Hal, the battlefield will be a welcome respite from the torturous mystery that burns poisonously in their family's history. Seventeen years earlier, Lord John's late father, the Duke of Pardloe, was found dead, a pistol in his hand and accusations of his role as a Jacobite agent staining forever a family's honor.
Now unlaid ghosts from the past are stirring. Lord John's brother has mysteriously received a page of their late father's missing diary. Someone is taunting the Grey family with secrets from the grave, but Hal, with secrets of his own, refuses to pursue the matter and orders his brother to do likewise. Frustrated, John turns to a man who has been both his prisoner and his confessor: the Scottish Jacobite James Fraser.
Fraser can tell many secrets, and withhold many others. But war, a forbidden affair, and Fraser's own secrets will complicate Lord John's quest. Until James Fraser yields the missing piece of an astounding puzzle, and Lord John, caught between his courage and his conscience, must decide whether his family's honor is worth his life.
In 1758, in the heart of the Seven Years' War, Britain fights by the side of Prussia in the Rhineland. For Lord John and his titled brother Hal, the battlefield will be a welcome respite from the torturous mystery that burns poisonously in their family's history. Seventeen years earlier, Lord John's late father, the Duke of Pardloe, was found dead, a pistol in his hand and accusations of his role as a Jacobite agent staining forever a family's honor.
Now unlaid ghosts from the past are stirring. Lord John's brother has mysteriously received a page of their late father's missing diary. Someone is taunting the Grey family with secrets from the grave, but Hal, with secrets of his own, refuses to pursue the matter and orders his brother to do likewise. Frustrated, John turns to a man who has been both his prisoner and his confessor: the Scottish Jacobite James Fraser.
Fraser can tell many secrets, and withhold many others. But war, a forbidden affair, and Fraser's own secrets will complicate Lord John's quest. Until James Fraser yields the missing piece of an astounding puzzle, and Lord John, caught between his courage and his conscience, must decide whether his family's honor is worth his life.
494 pages, Hardcover
First published August 28, 2007
1615 people are currently reading
20088 people want to read
About the author
Diana Gabaldon
210 books181k followersDiana 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 .
She currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,275 reviews
December 4, 2013
I dithered about this. I feel a little odd giving a guilty-pleasure just-for-fun book like this five stars, but when I compare it to what I have recently given four, well, I have no choice. Because I loved this so very, very much.
This is the kind of book I want to write, the kind of book I wish there was a whole lot more of. It's basically slash fanfic for her Outlander series, I gather, and it seems that whichever you read first, you prefer. (And oddly, the bits that involve Jamie Fraser are my least favorite. I don't care for the one-sided relationship.) What I love is that it has gobs of UST and semi-explicit erotic romance but is not, at heart, a romance. I am not a romance genre fan, and that is what wrecks most m/m novels for me. This is an adventure/mystery story, and the plot twists that deal with the realities of being a homosexual soldier and nobleman in the 18th century are fabulous and terrifying at the same time. The battle scenes are gripping, and the society interludes wickedly funny. I appreciate the careful structure, with guns subtly hung on the walls in early parts that are later duly fired to great effect. The characters are interesting and engaging and seem quite real to me.
I also have to admit that a large part of my enjoyment of this book was listening to the audio version as narrated by Jeff Woodman. Be still my heart, especially in the more explicit scenes. He does the accents expertly and it all comes alive, and people wonder why I'm grinning like a fool while I'm jogging down the river path. La la la.
This is the kind of book I want to write, the kind of book I wish there was a whole lot more of. It's basically slash fanfic for her Outlander series, I gather, and it seems that whichever you read first, you prefer. (And oddly, the bits that involve Jamie Fraser are my least favorite. I don't care for the one-sided relationship.) What I love is that it has gobs of UST and semi-explicit erotic romance but is not, at heart, a romance. I am not a romance genre fan, and that is what wrecks most m/m novels for me. This is an adventure/mystery story, and the plot twists that deal with the realities of being a homosexual soldier and nobleman in the 18th century are fabulous and terrifying at the same time. The battle scenes are gripping, and the society interludes wickedly funny. I appreciate the careful structure, with guns subtly hung on the walls in early parts that are later duly fired to great effect. The characters are interesting and engaging and seem quite real to me.
I also have to admit that a large part of my enjoyment of this book was listening to the audio version as narrated by Jeff Woodman. Be still my heart, especially in the more explicit scenes. He does the accents expertly and it all comes alive, and people wonder why I'm grinning like a fool while I'm jogging down the river path. La la la.
February 2, 2010
I still don't understand why Gabaldon's Lord John books are not more popular than they are. Is the "gayness" of the main character really such a huge turn-off? Because I can't find any other reason to dislike these books. To me, "Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade" is another great historical novel, full of subtle wit and humor, details of 18th century London society and entertaining descriptions of military living during the Seven Year War, along with a nice mystery (this time directly involving Lord John's family).
It should be noted however that Gabaldon turns the gay sexy up here a notch. There are some man on man scenes, fairly explicit IMO, with generous use of words like "prick" and "arse." I don't think I enjoyed these scenes too much, but I have to admit, some of my curiosity was satisfied. I only hope I got the "logistics" right, it can be confusing when two he's are involved in the matter. But I digress...
Aside from that, I've learned many other curious things about the period: there were actually chamber pots located right in the dining rooms, just hidden my screens, and they were used during parties (!); officers used to sleep with curling papers in their hair, even during war time; the ratio of gay to straight men was quite high, based on Lord John's experiences. Who would have thought?
But joking aside, I really enjoyed this book (maybe not as much as the first Lord John novel) and will definitely read future Lord John stories. Gabaldon is definitely a special writer...
P.S. I partially listened to this book and the narrator is great!
Reading challenge: #21.
It should be noted however that Gabaldon turns the gay sexy up here a notch. There are some man on man scenes, fairly explicit IMO, with generous use of words like "prick" and "arse." I don't think I enjoyed these scenes too much, but I have to admit, some of my curiosity was satisfied. I only hope I got the "logistics" right, it can be confusing when two he's are involved in the matter. But I digress...
Aside from that, I've learned many other curious things about the period: there were actually chamber pots located right in the dining rooms, just hidden my screens, and they were used during parties (!); officers used to sleep with curling papers in their hair, even during war time; the ratio of gay to straight men was quite high, based on Lord John's experiences. Who would have thought?
But joking aside, I really enjoyed this book (maybe not as much as the first Lord John novel) and will definitely read future Lord John stories. Gabaldon is definitely a special writer...
P.S. I partially listened to this book and the narrator is great!
Reading challenge: #21.
February 9, 2017
I love Lord John Grey. I kind of want to be best friends with him. Or, at least take him out for drinks and commiserate about how he has absolute shit luck with romance. He seems okay with his life, but I just feel so bad for him, like, all the time.
Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade is the second novel in the Lord John spin-off series which takes place during the twenty year timespan of Voyager. You don’t need to have read the Outlander novels to enjoy these books, though. They stand very well on their own.
The Lord John books are essentially historical mysteries set during the time of the Seven Years War. Lord John is a an officer in the British army. He is also gay, something which was absolutely taboo at that time, and punishable at times by execution. The central mystery of the book features Lord John and his family once again becoming embroiled in the scandal that killed his father years before. Because of the scandal, which ended with the Earl supposedly killing himself, and LJG’s older brother refusing to take his title, the remaining Grey family has had to step carefully lest they too be accused of treason.
The thing is, LJG’s father didn’t kill himself; he was murdered, and his mother made it look like suicide in order to keep her children safe. So when pages from his father’s journal start showing up as threats in his family’s mail, LJG is drawn back into the scandal, trying to dig up the truth. All the while this is going on, his mother is about to remarry, bringing with him a new stepbrother called Percy, with whom John becomes romantically entangled. LJG’s investigation also brings him into contact with Jamie Fraser, the Scottish Jacobite prisoner he fell in love with during his time as warden of Arsdmuir prison. Jamie does NOT reciprocate his feelings, but he may have information that could clear his father’s name.
Despite being a well-educated man of means, Lord John Grey is a constant underdog, forced to live in a world where he can never be himself. His constant transgressions provide a backbone of conflict that runs throughout even the most mundane of his interactions. Nobody in his life suspects his double life, and at points he’s forced to act as if he was “normal” and punish those who commit the same acts he does privately in order to remain safe. It’s an institutionalized hypocrisy that all these secretly gay men lived with daily, and Gabaldon manages to portray her world as one where Lord John is far from the only person in this precarious social situation. It’s a fascinating and heartbreaking dynamic.
I’m SUPER excited for the next book in this series, which is supposedly the story of how Jamie and Lord John finally become friends. I am beyond ready for Jamie to stop acting like such an ass about LJG’s sexuality. He behaved atrociously in this book to LJG, cultural norms or not. I’m ready for them to be BFF now.
Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade is the second novel in the Lord John spin-off series which takes place during the twenty year timespan of Voyager. You don’t need to have read the Outlander novels to enjoy these books, though. They stand very well on their own.
The Lord John books are essentially historical mysteries set during the time of the Seven Years War. Lord John is a an officer in the British army. He is also gay, something which was absolutely taboo at that time, and punishable at times by execution. The central mystery of the book features Lord John and his family once again becoming embroiled in the scandal that killed his father years before. Because of the scandal, which ended with the Earl supposedly killing himself, and LJG’s older brother refusing to take his title, the remaining Grey family has had to step carefully lest they too be accused of treason.
The thing is, LJG’s father didn’t kill himself; he was murdered, and his mother made it look like suicide in order to keep her children safe. So when pages from his father’s journal start showing up as threats in his family’s mail, LJG is drawn back into the scandal, trying to dig up the truth. All the while this is going on, his mother is about to remarry, bringing with him a new stepbrother called Percy, with whom John becomes romantically entangled. LJG’s investigation also brings him into contact with Jamie Fraser, the Scottish Jacobite prisoner he fell in love with during his time as warden of Arsdmuir prison. Jamie does NOT reciprocate his feelings, but he may have information that could clear his father’s name.
Despite being a well-educated man of means, Lord John Grey is a constant underdog, forced to live in a world where he can never be himself. His constant transgressions provide a backbone of conflict that runs throughout even the most mundane of his interactions. Nobody in his life suspects his double life, and at points he’s forced to act as if he was “normal” and punish those who commit the same acts he does privately in order to remain safe. It’s an institutionalized hypocrisy that all these secretly gay men lived with daily, and Gabaldon manages to portray her world as one where Lord John is far from the only person in this precarious social situation. It’s a fascinating and heartbreaking dynamic.
I’m SUPER excited for the next book in this series, which is supposedly the story of how Jamie and Lord John finally become friends. I am beyond ready for Jamie to stop acting like such an ass about LJG’s sexuality. He behaved atrociously in this book to LJG, cultural norms or not. I’m ready for them to be BFF now.
November 20, 2019
I had a very strange problem with this book, which I can't fully explain or say where it comes from, or even what exactly it is. I generally read this book for a lot longer than I should have. Let's start with the fact that I generally enjoyed this book. I like John, mystery is good, writing style is excellent. When I started reading it, I couldn't tear myself away from it. The problem appeared when I made a break. I didn't feel the immediate need to come back to it. Sometimes, when I read many pages at once, I felt tired of this story. And I don't quite understand it, because this story ticked off all the boxes for what I feel like now. MM romance, good crime plotline and historical setting. And yet I read several such books before I finished this one. All this means I don't know how to rate this book and what to think about it.
I wonder what actually didn't work. The only thing that comes to my mind is that this story is a bit too serious for me in my current mood. Huh, that sounds bad somehow. And this is not exactly the point. I do not know how to describe it, really. Part of the point is that this is not a typical MM romance in which we know that at the end there will be a happy ending. To a degree, also that we are not sure even if the mystery solution will be part of some happy ending. Or even if it will be solved at all. And partly because in this book a lot of things are happening that happen in real life and are not pleasant. And to be totally honest instead of all this, I would rather prefer something much simpler, lighter and more joyful. Even if much more distant from real life and its realities. So it’s not the book, it’s me, after all.
I guess that's the point, I needed something happier. And here, although we have very joyful scenes of John who finds a lot of happiness in his relationship with Percy that brought me a lot of satisfaction, we have definitely more of sad and cruel fate of homosexuals in the mid-eighteenth century. Of course, I am fully aware that this is what their life was at that time. But I can't help but feel sorry for John, who must always fear betrayal and blackmail. Who can not reveal anything to even the closest family. Unhappily in love with a man who probably will never reciprocate his feelings. Always hidden, always afraid that someone will find out. It's very sad.
Objectively, I must say that the mystery in this book is not in my opinion as good as in the previous one. Although I admit that I don't remember that much from the previous one that I read many years ago. But it seems to me that John previously conducted a much more extensive investigation than here. Many things happen here by accident. Of course, the love thread, war issues and the social life thread also take up a lot of space. But because of this the mystery sometimes goes to the background, it is not the center of history. I wish it was.
This review has only slightly helped me sort out my thoughts and feelings for this book. I think I'm starting to understand what I had a problem with. But it doesn't help me at all in rating this book. If I only took into account how easy it was for me to read it, I would give it 3 stars. But the truth is that if I was in a different mood I would probably give it 4 and I would like it a lot more. I fight with my conflicted thoughts. For now I will give 4 stars. Think about it more.
I wonder what actually didn't work. The only thing that comes to my mind is that this story is a bit too serious for me in my current mood. Huh, that sounds bad somehow. And this is not exactly the point. I do not know how to describe it, really. Part of the point is that this is not a typical MM romance in which we know that at the end there will be a happy ending. To a degree, also that we are not sure even if the mystery solution will be part of some happy ending. Or even if it will be solved at all. And partly because in this book a lot of things are happening that happen in real life and are not pleasant. And to be totally honest instead of all this, I would rather prefer something much simpler, lighter and more joyful. Even if much more distant from real life and its realities. So it’s not the book, it’s me, after all.
I guess that's the point, I needed something happier. And here, although we have very joyful scenes of John who finds a lot of happiness in his relationship with Percy that brought me a lot of satisfaction, we have definitely more of sad and cruel fate of homosexuals in the mid-eighteenth century. Of course, I am fully aware that this is what their life was at that time. But I can't help but feel sorry for John, who must always fear betrayal and blackmail. Who can not reveal anything to even the closest family. Unhappily in love with a man who probably will never reciprocate his feelings. Always hidden, always afraid that someone will find out. It's very sad.
Objectively, I must say that the mystery in this book is not in my opinion as good as in the previous one. Although I admit that I don't remember that much from the previous one that I read many years ago. But it seems to me that John previously conducted a much more extensive investigation than here. Many things happen here by accident. Of course, the love thread, war issues and the social life thread also take up a lot of space. But because of this the mystery sometimes goes to the background, it is not the center of history. I wish it was.
This review has only slightly helped me sort out my thoughts and feelings for this book. I think I'm starting to understand what I had a problem with. But it doesn't help me at all in rating this book. If I only took into account how easy it was for me to read it, I would give it 3 stars. But the truth is that if I was in a different mood I would probably give it 4 and I would like it a lot more. I fight with my conflicted thoughts. For now I will give 4 stars. Think about it more.
January 13, 2008
I read this book after finishing Gabaldon's A Breath of Snow and Ashes. Thank goodness I found out it was out as it restored my faith in Gabaldon's skill as a writer and storyteller.
The plot mixes an important "whodunit" as well as insight into John's personal life as a man and a soldier. The pacing and story were spot on and refreshing after the near 1000 pages of meandering in ABOSAS.
I've always been fond of the character of Lord John -- even when he's painted as the bad guy. But this book truly cemented him as one of my favorite characters ever! He's real and he makes choices, which sometimes ends up being mistakes. This is especially apparent in his short dealings with James Fraser and his first shot at love since Hector. Lord John isn't meant to be perfect -- and for this I am grateful!
A lot of people who don't like the book will say "I don't need to know about Lord John's sex life..." that shouldn't be the reason why you turn on this book. Asides from getting a love interest, you really get into his relationship with his family. I especially loved his scenes with Hal!
Is it worth the read? YES! Is the depiction of John's sex life too graphic? Your mileage may vary and depends on how comfortable you are with sexuality in general. How excited am I for the Lord John novella set coming out in November? Yes, that's a rhetorical question.
The plot mixes an important "whodunit" as well as insight into John's personal life as a man and a soldier. The pacing and story were spot on and refreshing after the near 1000 pages of meandering in ABOSAS.
I've always been fond of the character of Lord John -- even when he's painted as the bad guy. But this book truly cemented him as one of my favorite characters ever! He's real and he makes choices, which sometimes ends up being mistakes. This is especially apparent in his short dealings with James Fraser and his first shot at love since Hector. Lord John isn't meant to be perfect -- and for this I am grateful!
A lot of people who don't like the book will say "I don't need to know about Lord John's sex life..." that shouldn't be the reason why you turn on this book. Asides from getting a love interest, you really get into his relationship with his family. I especially loved his scenes with Hal!
Is it worth the read? YES! Is the depiction of John's sex life too graphic? Your mileage may vary and depends on how comfortable you are with sexuality in general. How excited am I for the Lord John novella set coming out in November? Yes, that's a rhetorical question.
June 14, 2024
3.5 stars. I thought this second entry into the Lord John series was much better than the first. The mystery was much more straight forward, and I thought there was more detail in bringing the culture of the day to life including army life. Besides a mystery surrounding the scandal in Lord John's family that has a hold over members of the family despite the years that have passed; there is a storyline that has Lord John grappling with one's sense of honor that I found really compelling.
Why not the full 4 stars? Well, I don't enjoy graphic sexual scenes no matter who they are between, so the ones between Lord John and Percy I could have done without.
Why not the full 4 stars? Well, I don't enjoy graphic sexual scenes no matter who they are between, so the ones between Lord John and Percy I could have done without.
May 16, 2019
I’m continuing to enjoy the Lord John spin-offs more than the actual Outlander books. This one contains some of the most powerful scenes I’ve read by Gabaldon. Onward to the next one with the flash of a blade!
September 21, 2007
The one where Lord John's mother remarries, which sets in motion new dangers, new revelations about his father's disgrace and death, and a relationship with an attractive new stepbrother.
I like Lord John a great deal, but I don't like Lord John books very much. Partly this is just a book/reader mismatch. I don't enjoy mysteries, so I'm reading these particular mysteries for the character stuff and the historical-milieu stuff, which is like someone who doesn't like romance reading romantic-suspense books for the plot -- sure to be a disappointment.
But part of it is the books.
Lord John's infatuation with Jamie Fraser is beginning to call for intensive therapy. I didn't actually believe their confrontation in the stable late in the book -- sexual boasting is way out of character for Grey with anyone, let alone with Fraser -- but its inclusion suggests that Fraser unbalances someone's brain, either the character's or the author's.
Aside from the Fraser bits, the character stuff in this book is reasonably satisfying -- I liked seeing the development of Grey's relationships with his brother and his mother -- but the romantic plot and the historical milieu were both unrelentingly bleak and hopeless and depressing.
Significant parts of the mystery seem like a big mess; the involvement of the O'Higgins brothers, the really unnecessarily large number of people named Longstreet and people with the initial A, Grey asking Fraser to send some letters to help solve the mystery and then quite literally forgetting about them until reminded.
Gabaldon's sex scenes have improved since Outlander, which had one sex scene where I actually could not figure out what was going on. She had good sexual tension going here, and some nice moments. If I'd been her beta I would have advised her that when you use the "genteel generalities with a few details picked out" method, one guy musing on the precise shape of the other guy's cock is maybe not the best detail to pick out.
I like Lord John a great deal, but I don't like Lord John books very much. Partly this is just a book/reader mismatch. I don't enjoy mysteries, so I'm reading these particular mysteries for the character stuff and the historical-milieu stuff, which is like someone who doesn't like romance reading romantic-suspense books for the plot -- sure to be a disappointment.
But part of it is the books.
Lord John's infatuation with Jamie Fraser is beginning to call for intensive therapy. I didn't actually believe their confrontation in the stable late in the book -- sexual boasting is way out of character for Grey with anyone, let alone with Fraser -- but its inclusion suggests that Fraser unbalances someone's brain, either the character's or the author's.
Aside from the Fraser bits, the character stuff in this book is reasonably satisfying -- I liked seeing the development of Grey's relationships with his brother and his mother -- but the romantic plot and the historical milieu were both unrelentingly bleak and hopeless and depressing.
Significant parts of the mystery seem like a big mess; the involvement of the O'Higgins brothers, the really unnecessarily large number of people named Longstreet and people with the initial A, Grey asking Fraser to send some letters to help solve the mystery and then quite literally forgetting about them until reminded.
Gabaldon's sex scenes have improved since Outlander, which had one sex scene where I actually could not figure out what was going on. She had good sexual tension going here, and some nice moments. If I'd been her beta I would have advised her that when you use the "genteel generalities with a few details picked out" method, one guy musing on the precise shape of the other guy's cock is maybe not the best detail to pick out.
October 14, 2008
I've put off thinking about this one because I was so disappointed in it. At times, I downright hated it. Who the hell was this main character? I thought I knew, thought he was smarter, braver, funnier, more urbane than depicted here.
1st Problem: We get to know his older brother much better here -- at the expense of camera time usually spent on his funny and insightful sidekicks Col. Harry Quarry and valet Tom. I didn't care for the focus on petulant sibling issues. I prefer Lord John in a light-hearted romp.
2nd Problem: Too many problems -- did their father commit suicide or was he murdered, and who murdered him, was he really a Jacobite traitor, why did the new lover/ stepbrother/ officer trainee betray him, and should John now let him hang as a despised sodomite? By the time we discover who murdered his dad, I couldn't remember who this person was. The fact that John was sleeping with his new stepbrother and a subordinate officer he was supposed to be training totally icked me out. And I really hated that it took him so long to figure out that he should not let this young man die for doing the same thing he is guilty of doing and let go of the grudge. Like it would be hard to out-smart the guards and free him? His idea of honor and mine are very different.
3rd Problem: Did I really need the graphic, blow-by-blow sex scenes, complete with even a little S&M whip action. Nope. Nor the gross, desperate, frantic, cataclysmic masturbation scene outside the barn after a confrontation with Jamie Fraser.
The glue between all these story lines was the exploration of what is "honor." People in the past (mother, brother) took certain actions to protect the family honor. Lord John struggled with behaving honorably. All the craziness on the battlefield...is war/ killing really honorable or a desperate act of self-preservation? In the end, I felt sordid for reading it...as if my own honor had been diminished, floating without an anchor.
1st Problem: We get to know his older brother much better here -- at the expense of camera time usually spent on his funny and insightful sidekicks Col. Harry Quarry and valet Tom. I didn't care for the focus on petulant sibling issues. I prefer Lord John in a light-hearted romp.
2nd Problem: Too many problems -- did their father commit suicide or was he murdered, and who murdered him, was he really a Jacobite traitor, why did the new lover/ stepbrother/ officer trainee betray him, and should John now let him hang as a despised sodomite? By the time we discover who murdered his dad, I couldn't remember who this person was. The fact that John was sleeping with his new stepbrother and a subordinate officer he was supposed to be training totally icked me out. And I really hated that it took him so long to figure out that he should not let this young man die for doing the same thing he is guilty of doing and let go of the grudge. Like it would be hard to out-smart the guards and free him? His idea of honor and mine are very different.
3rd Problem: Did I really need the graphic, blow-by-blow sex scenes, complete with even a little S&M whip action. Nope. Nor the gross, desperate, frantic, cataclysmic masturbation scene outside the barn after a confrontation with Jamie Fraser.
The glue between all these story lines was the exploration of what is "honor." People in the past (mother, brother) took certain actions to protect the family honor. Lord John struggled with behaving honorably. All the craziness on the battlefield...is war/ killing really honorable or a desperate act of self-preservation? In the end, I felt sordid for reading it...as if my own honor had been diminished, floating without an anchor.
May 29, 2012
Lord John, who emerged from the Outlander series as a separate series of novels, has a few problems on his plate. For one thing, he's in love with his new stepbrother. For another, the bitter feelings surrounding his father's death are still very much alive after a period of several years, and his brother Hal won't bear his father's title. Then there's the matter of the pages from his father's missing journal that keep turning up. . . On top of which, as a professional soldier Lord John generally has a battle to fight somewhere, and the next one may cost him his life.
As always, I'm impressed with Gabaldon's command of dialog and attention to historical detail. As always, her plot is intricate and involves a large number of characters. I have decided I need to get a better handle on the Outlander world if I'm going to keep reading these books (and I will, I'm a sucker for a lively historical novel) so I've downloaded the audiobook of Outlander and intend to work my way through the series in the order they were written. Perhaps my poor lame brain can get its head round all these people if someone is doing the voices.
What I like most about the Lord John books is, I think, the fact that each one is based on a puzzle/mystery that gets worked out by the last chapter (whereas the Outlander series is very episodic). I also enjoy seeing how Lord John negotiates a world in which homosexuality is a crime and a guaranteed route to social ruin if found out. And I like this character; I always enjoy characters who have a smooth, polished facade that hides deep emotions. Dorothy L. Sayers fans like myself may recognize Lord John as a gay Lord Peter Wimsey (who, according to Sayers, is an 18th-century gentleman at heart).
Verdict? Good. If you like intricate plots in a historical setting, you'll enjoy.
As always, I'm impressed with Gabaldon's command of dialog and attention to historical detail. As always, her plot is intricate and involves a large number of characters. I have decided I need to get a better handle on the Outlander world if I'm going to keep reading these books (and I will, I'm a sucker for a lively historical novel) so I've downloaded the audiobook of Outlander and intend to work my way through the series in the order they were written. Perhaps my poor lame brain can get its head round all these people if someone is doing the voices.
What I like most about the Lord John books is, I think, the fact that each one is based on a puzzle/mystery that gets worked out by the last chapter (whereas the Outlander series is very episodic). I also enjoy seeing how Lord John negotiates a world in which homosexuality is a crime and a guaranteed route to social ruin if found out. And I like this character; I always enjoy characters who have a smooth, polished facade that hides deep emotions. Dorothy L. Sayers fans like myself may recognize Lord John as a gay Lord Peter Wimsey (who, according to Sayers, is an 18th-century gentleman at heart).
Verdict? Good. If you like intricate plots in a historical setting, you'll enjoy.
October 27, 2007
warning: spoilers follow!
I think this is definitely the best of the Lord John books so far. I'm really delighted to see a mainstream bestseller write a vividly sexual queer romance. Heaven knows we've seen Lord John show enough repressed desire, but it's lovely to see him with a lover and in more explicit detail than I expected.
The mystery plot was a bit more convoluted than I considered necessary, especially since I'd completely forgotten who the villain was by the time he arrived at the end -- hundreds of pages after his last mention. I'm still not even sure what his motive was -- was he going to expose someone, or was he merely framed as a conspirator? I'm afraid it's a muddle.
But! I can say that the scenes set in Prussia were fabulous. Gabaldon has a real knack for writing 18th century warfare. And unlike most hero-books, the men on the field simply felt like ordinary men. No one came off as larger than life or patterned off a superhero. They just seemed like regular guys who happened to be scared shitless AND fighting a gruesome war. And that was refreshing to me because the lack of fear dehumanizes a character and I wanted all these people to feel human.
I love Stephan like a much-loved thing. I want Percy to grow the hell up, but I don't trust him to. And I really loved the darker turn of John's character at the end, where he does have secrets and a much looser morality than we've seen before. I hope Gabaldon will stick around in this universe for a while -- and I hope that book sales figures will encourage her publisher to let her.
I think this is definitely the best of the Lord John books so far. I'm really delighted to see a mainstream bestseller write a vividly sexual queer romance. Heaven knows we've seen Lord John show enough repressed desire, but it's lovely to see him with a lover and in more explicit detail than I expected.
The mystery plot was a bit more convoluted than I considered necessary, especially since I'd completely forgotten who the villain was by the time he arrived at the end -- hundreds of pages after his last mention. I'm still not even sure what his motive was -- was he going to expose someone, or was he merely framed as a conspirator? I'm afraid it's a muddle.
But! I can say that the scenes set in Prussia were fabulous. Gabaldon has a real knack for writing 18th century warfare. And unlike most hero-books, the men on the field simply felt like ordinary men. No one came off as larger than life or patterned off a superhero. They just seemed like regular guys who happened to be scared shitless AND fighting a gruesome war. And that was refreshing to me because the lack of fear dehumanizes a character and I wanted all these people to feel human.
I love Stephan like a much-loved thing. I want Percy to grow the hell up, but I don't trust him to. And I really loved the darker turn of John's character at the end, where he does have secrets and a much looser morality than we've seen before. I hope Gabaldon will stick around in this universe for a while -- and I hope that book sales figures will encourage her publisher to let her.
March 2, 2024
Wer hätte gedacht, dass Lord John Jamie in Sachen Ehrgefühl, Mut und Sturheit in nichts nachsteht? Auch die familiären Bande und politischen Verstrickungen sind gleich ausgeprägt. In diesem Band geht es um den vermeintlichen Selbstmord seines Vaters und diesbezügliche politische Gerüchte, die John, Hal und ihre Mutter (die schottische Wurzeln hat!) nicht ruhen lassen und sogar im heute in Gefahr bringen.
Im Rahmen unserer Outlander- reread Leserunde habe ich zum ersten Mal die Lord John Reihe begonnen und bin glücklich, dass John hier sein stures und raubtierhaftes Wesen voll zeigen kann!!!
Im Rahmen unserer Outlander- reread Leserunde habe ich zum ersten Mal die Lord John Reihe begonnen und bin glücklich, dass John hier sein stures und raubtierhaftes Wesen voll zeigen kann!!!
July 29, 2024
Considering how fast I raced through the Outlander books I am really struggling with the Lord John Grey ones. And it's not because of any dislike of the character either - as Lord John is one of my favourites in the Outlander series. It's also not because I dislike that he's a gay character. That's one of the things I love most about him, and certainly one of the things I liked most in this particular book was that we actually got to see him in a relationship for once. And I was glad Diana didn't shy away from writing gay sex scenes either. I didn't think she would - she's not the meek and obedient type after all - but it was nice to see none-the-less.
I just can't put my finger on what it is about these books that I am not getting on with. I think in large part it has to do with the background being all of the wars. I'm not a particular fan of wars or soldiering in media - war films are probably one of my least favourite movie genres - and as the Lord John books are largely set against a backdrop of war, I just find this rather dull. I felt the same in the later Outlander books too when they too became all about war.
When it's about character development I love it, but otherwise I find my concentration waning.
I also dislike the frequent mentions of Jamie Fraser in these books - which might sound odd given that I love Outlander, but stay with me. I get that Lord John and Jamie will always have a story that is intertwined, and I also understand that Lord John has deep feelings for Jamie which will never go away. But I feel like the constant mentions of Jamie are just used as a plot device in this instance, to keep Outlander fans reading these books. And it's not necessary. I'd read these books with or without mentions of Jamie - and actually think I'd prefer them if he weren't mentioned. These are Lord John stories, and I'd much prefer to find out more about him than be constantly reminded of his love for Jamie. We get it, you don't need to keep hammering it home Diana.
I really struggled with a rating for this one, hovering between a three and four. I did really enjoy this story, particularly the relationships built between John and Percy, and John and his family - the discoveries about his father especially. As such, and given my feelings weren't as strong for other books in this series, I ended up changing my initial rating from three to four. I think this is one of the better Lord John books, but if you're not fully invested in him then you might struggle with this series as a whole.
I just can't put my finger on what it is about these books that I am not getting on with. I think in large part it has to do with the background being all of the wars. I'm not a particular fan of wars or soldiering in media - war films are probably one of my least favourite movie genres - and as the Lord John books are largely set against a backdrop of war, I just find this rather dull. I felt the same in the later Outlander books too when they too became all about war.
When it's about character development I love it, but otherwise I find my concentration waning.
I also dislike the frequent mentions of Jamie Fraser in these books - which might sound odd given that I love Outlander, but stay with me. I get that Lord John and Jamie will always have a story that is intertwined, and I also understand that Lord John has deep feelings for Jamie which will never go away. But I feel like the constant mentions of Jamie are just used as a plot device in this instance, to keep Outlander fans reading these books. And it's not necessary. I'd read these books with or without mentions of Jamie - and actually think I'd prefer them if he weren't mentioned. These are Lord John stories, and I'd much prefer to find out more about him than be constantly reminded of his love for Jamie. We get it, you don't need to keep hammering it home Diana.
I really struggled with a rating for this one, hovering between a three and four. I did really enjoy this story, particularly the relationships built between John and Percy, and John and his family - the discoveries about his father especially. As such, and given my feelings weren't as strong for other books in this series, I ended up changing my initial rating from three to four. I think this is one of the better Lord John books, but if you're not fully invested in him then you might struggle with this series as a whole.
May 14, 2018
I have read and enjoyed the Outlander series (to date), but Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade is the first of the Lord John books that I've read (it's actually the second in the series). Lord John is one of the more interesting but more peripheral characters in the Outlander series. This book explores the difficulties he faced in 18th century as a gay man, albeit a privileged gay man and a gay man who could "pass."
Relationships are complicated enough without a central issue being unable to be discussed. "Are you also gay?" "Are you living as gay?" Secrets, sometimes open ones, existed. So did blackmail. Not surprisingly, some men who weren't gay were hanged as gay – as were some gay men.
Some books are comfort food. Diana Gabaldon's books fall in a special place in this category, as they are filling and satisfying. There are periods of intense war or other excitement (often the parts that I skim), which punctuate longer, thankfully, much longer, quiet periods. And, while bad things happen – this is the 18th century, for goodness sake, when childbirth, pneumonia, or medical treatment could kill you – it always ended well(ish).
One of the things that I like about Gabaldon's books is that these "quiet periods" are quiet, but not simple. Comfort food, not simple food. Lord John, for example, worried: If I lie before the court-martial, that is the end of my own honor. If I do not— it will be the end of his life or freedom, and then later, I cannot in honor see him hanged for a crime whose guilt I share— and from whose consequences I am escaped by chance alone.
Gabaldon does not offer us simple and easy choices, but they are pleasurable ones.
Relationships are complicated enough without a central issue being unable to be discussed. "Are you also gay?" "Are you living as gay?" Secrets, sometimes open ones, existed. So did blackmail. Not surprisingly, some men who weren't gay were hanged as gay – as were some gay men.
Some books are comfort food. Diana Gabaldon's books fall in a special place in this category, as they are filling and satisfying. There are periods of intense war or other excitement (often the parts that I skim), which punctuate longer, thankfully, much longer, quiet periods. And, while bad things happen – this is the 18th century, for goodness sake, when childbirth, pneumonia, or medical treatment could kill you – it always ended well(ish).
One of the things that I like about Gabaldon's books is that these "quiet periods" are quiet, but not simple. Comfort food, not simple food. Lord John, for example, worried: If I lie before the court-martial, that is the end of my own honor. If I do not— it will be the end of his life or freedom, and then later, I cannot in honor see him hanged for a crime whose guilt I share— and from whose consequences I am escaped by chance alone.
Gabaldon does not offer us simple and easy choices, but they are pleasurable ones.
May 21, 2009
I dropped away from Diana Gabaldon's main (hetero) romance series after the second or third book, mostly because het romance isn't my thing, and possibly because she shifted the locale to the Americas, while my own initial interest was because of the Scottish setting. ("Outlander", the first book, owes a certain amount to an old favourite of mine, "The Flight of the Heron", though they are certainly very different in tone, detail and degree of graphic sex!)
Anyway, Lord John, a minor character in the het series, appears to be getting his own set of adventures; I enjoyed the first one, though it was short and fairly light. This one is much more substantial and really well done. The fine points of drawing room and battlefield ring true. I won't give away details of the plot so as not to spoil anyone, but if you read it, prepare to come up solidly against the harsh reality of 18th-century treatment of man-loving men. And also prepare to see our beloved Jamie Fraser utter some fairly virulent homophobic sentiments, in the true spirit of his time. (It's just as well I had the memory of a Fraser/Lord John sequence in one of the other books - Voyager? - where Jamie "gets over it" to the point of giving Lord John a wee kiss, to sustain me.)
I have the next in the series on my shelf. Looking forward to it!
Anyway, Lord John, a minor character in the het series, appears to be getting his own set of adventures; I enjoyed the first one, though it was short and fairly light. This one is much more substantial and really well done. The fine points of drawing room and battlefield ring true. I won't give away details of the plot so as not to spoil anyone, but if you read it, prepare to come up solidly against the harsh reality of 18th-century treatment of man-loving men. And also prepare to see our beloved Jamie Fraser utter some fairly virulent homophobic sentiments, in the true spirit of his time. (It's just as well I had the memory of a Fraser/Lord John sequence in one of the other books - Voyager? - where Jamie "gets over it" to the point of giving Lord John a wee kiss, to sustain me.)
I have the next in the series on my shelf. Looking forward to it!
June 8, 2018
2014 update: After listening to the audiobook version, I'll just reiterate my earlier comments: This is a must-read for Outlander fans, and the more Lord John audiobooks I listen to, the more I love Lord John as a character! He comes to life via audio in a way that's just so magical (kudos to the narrator!). I completely enjoyed this re-read!
I would definitely say that "Lord John & the Brotherhood of the Blade" is the best of Diana Gabaldon's Lord John books and novellas. "Brotherhood" is a tautly written mystery, action-adventure story, love story, and examination of a man's soul, all in one. Readers of the Outlander series have come to know Lord John as an interesting, somewhat enigmatic secondary character. In Brotherhood, John's family history is explored and the understanding of John's personal code of honor is greatly enhanced. Lord John is a heroic, honorable man, forced to hide his true nature by the strict code of his time. I would recommend reading Brotherhood prior to reading Echo in the Bone in the Outlander series. I hadn't, and realize now that I would have understood some of the plotlines in Echo much better had I read this one first. As an added bonus for devoted fans of Jamie Fraser, Himself makes several noteworthy, powerful appearances in Brotherhood. For fans of Diana Gabaldon's fictional world, Brotherhood of the Blade should not be missed.
I would definitely say that "Lord John & the Brotherhood of the Blade" is the best of Diana Gabaldon's Lord John books and novellas. "Brotherhood" is a tautly written mystery, action-adventure story, love story, and examination of a man's soul, all in one. Readers of the Outlander series have come to know Lord John as an interesting, somewhat enigmatic secondary character. In Brotherhood, John's family history is explored and the understanding of John's personal code of honor is greatly enhanced. Lord John is a heroic, honorable man, forced to hide his true nature by the strict code of his time. I would recommend reading Brotherhood prior to reading Echo in the Bone in the Outlander series. I hadn't, and realize now that I would have understood some of the plotlines in Echo much better had I read this one first. As an added bonus for devoted fans of Jamie Fraser, Himself makes several noteworthy, powerful appearances in Brotherhood. For fans of Diana Gabaldon's fictional world, Brotherhood of the Blade should not be missed.
October 7, 2018
4.5/5 💖
Es un libro, fresco, muy dinamico, con momentos muy tiernos y otros divertidos (hay situaciones entre John y su familia que no tienen desperdicio).
La trama principal gira entorno a un misterio relacionado con la muerte del padre de John Grey. Todo transcurre paralelo al libro de "Viajera", tras el nacimiento de William Ransom (hay una pequeña aparicion durante el libro de Jamie).
En este libro descubrimos un piquito mas como es John entre "los suyos", su familia y amigos. También, nos cuenta como se conocieron John y Percy Wainwright (aparece por primera vez en el libro7 de la saga principal, "Ecos del pasado") y la importancia del uno en la vida del otro.
Es un libro, fresco, muy dinamico, con momentos muy tiernos y otros divertidos (hay situaciones entre John y su familia que no tienen desperdicio).
La trama principal gira entorno a un misterio relacionado con la muerte del padre de John Grey. Todo transcurre paralelo al libro de "Viajera", tras el nacimiento de William Ransom (hay una pequeña aparicion durante el libro de Jamie).
En este libro descubrimos un piquito mas como es John entre "los suyos", su familia y amigos. También, nos cuenta como se conocieron John y Percy Wainwright (aparece por primera vez en el libro7 de la saga principal, "Ecos del pasado") y la importancia del uno en la vida del otro.
July 18, 2015
This vacation and the warm ocean water really get in the way of my reading!!! I guess this is what people mean when they talk about real life :-) The book is cool and I am almost done. John is a wonderful character and I love him as the story teller. I am also pleased with the heft of the book and it not being as ambitious as the "Outlander. " books ... We will see...
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April 2, 2024
As with the first book in the series, the characters, ambience and atmosphere of the time period is what I most enjoyed with this book. There was a budding romance, and I so wanted Grey to find happiness, for the couple.
September 2, 2018
This is hands down the best of the Lord John novels. There's really no comparison. All the books, novellas and short stories center around John's life in one way or another, but this one is very bitter and sweet and nail-biting as John finds himself embroiled in two scandals involving his family: his father's long ago death, and his newly acquired step-brother's sexual misadventures. Both hit close to home and heart, though for different reasons.
Much of John's life has been shaped by secrets. There's his main one, of course - that he's gay - a secret he cannot trust even with his mother or brother, Hal, who may or may not know more than he lets on about John's sexuality. It's a recurring theme in this series. Other than men he's been intimate with, or who have seen him in Lavender House the few times he's been there, he can never be sure who has managed to guess what about him. He can't exactly go up and ask them, or even give the merest hint, and it's painful to read these stories and know that any one of his amazing and great and true friends could potentially turn on a dime if they ever found out the truth. So when he meets Percy Wainwright, his soon-to-be step-brother, who he had previously met briefly at Lavender House, he feels he finally has someone he can confide everything to. And he does. Those would be the sweet parts of the book, as John lets his guard down and lets someone in, someone who shares his secret and others besides, and who he feels he could actually have something of a relationship with, even if his heart belongs to another. When Percy proves less than faithless, John finds himself facing a near impossible dilemma, which only gets more precarious as the story unravels.
The other great secret of John's life is his father's murder, which was ruled suicide by mental instability. John doesn't know who murdered their father or why, but assumes that his mother and brother do. Again, it's something that's never spoken of openly or even alluded to, until a page from his father's journal mysteriously appears in Hal's office one day, and another sent to his mother. As John begins to dig into old family secrets, the truths start coming out and a conspiracy is revealed that can restore his father's and family's honor if he can only discover who is behind it.
In amongst all this is a wedding, a birth, a battle in Germany, and other adventures, all of which tie together in an intricate tale of intrigue, heartbreak and the meaning of courage and family. We get to see much more of the secondary characters that fill out this world and find out a few of their secrets as well.
This is a finely crafted tale, and it has all cylinders firing right from the start, and manages to keep that pace going through the whole book. This book is the main reason I hope that Starz will pick up this series for its own show too.
Jeff Woodman does another excellent job narrating this story. His Tom Byrd continues to shine, and he gets the emotions and suspense right throughout. He narrates the action and war scenes brilliantly, and his version of Jamie Frasier is just as perfect as Davina Porter's is in the Outlander books.
Much of John's life has been shaped by secrets. There's his main one, of course - that he's gay - a secret he cannot trust even with his mother or brother, Hal, who may or may not know more than he lets on about John's sexuality. It's a recurring theme in this series. Other than men he's been intimate with, or who have seen him in Lavender House the few times he's been there, he can never be sure who has managed to guess what about him. He can't exactly go up and ask them, or even give the merest hint, and it's painful to read these stories and know that any one of his amazing and great and true friends could potentially turn on a dime if they ever found out the truth. So when he meets Percy Wainwright, his soon-to-be step-brother, who he had previously met briefly at Lavender House, he feels he finally has someone he can confide everything to. And he does. Those would be the sweet parts of the book, as John lets his guard down and lets someone in, someone who shares his secret and others besides, and who he feels he could actually have something of a relationship with, even if his heart belongs to another. When Percy proves less than faithless, John finds himself facing a near impossible dilemma, which only gets more precarious as the story unravels.
The other great secret of John's life is his father's murder, which was ruled suicide by mental instability. John doesn't know who murdered their father or why, but assumes that his mother and brother do. Again, it's something that's never spoken of openly or even alluded to, until a page from his father's journal mysteriously appears in Hal's office one day, and another sent to his mother. As John begins to dig into old family secrets, the truths start coming out and a conspiracy is revealed that can restore his father's and family's honor if he can only discover who is behind it.
In amongst all this is a wedding, a birth, a battle in Germany, and other adventures, all of which tie together in an intricate tale of intrigue, heartbreak and the meaning of courage and family. We get to see much more of the secondary characters that fill out this world and find out a few of their secrets as well.
This is a finely crafted tale, and it has all cylinders firing right from the start, and manages to keep that pace going through the whole book. This book is the main reason I hope that Starz will pick up this series for its own show too.
Jeff Woodman does another excellent job narrating this story. His Tom Byrd continues to shine, and he gets the emotions and suspense right throughout. He narrates the action and war scenes brilliantly, and his version of Jamie Frasier is just as perfect as Davina Porter's is in the Outlander books.
November 15, 2012
The back of Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade goes into detail about the plot: the death of Lord John's father was surrounded in scandal and secrecy, and one of those secrets has resurfaced, forcing the family to confront the past. This plot drives most of the story's action, but the back of the book relegates the /emotional/ drive of the story to a mere few words, "a love affair with potentially disastrous consequences."
This "love affair" is Lord John's relationship with his soon-to-be step-brother Percy Wainwright. In the mid 1700s (a hundred years after another gay-in-the-English-military novel, As Meat Loves Salt), being a sodomite and a pederast in the military is an offense punishable by death. Their affair is steamy and dangerous, and has consequences that are somewhat predictable but no less gut-wrenching.
Perhaps the back of the book glosses over the homosexual aspect of the story (and by "aspect" I mean it colors almost every single one of Lord John's actions throughout the book) to not turn away readers who might be put off by the gay angle or those strange women who are so appalled by Lord John's "obsession" with Jamie Fraser that their vehement opposition to their friendship exposes their own unhealthy obsession with a fictional character. Don't worry, ladies, the big bad gay isn't going to steal your fake boyfriend.
Back to the point, Brotherhood intersects with events in Voyager, but the Jamie Fraser connection feels like out-of-place fanservice. The Helwater sections, in which Lord John visits and pines over Fraser, break up the otherwise smooth flow of the novel. The "mystery" surrounding Lord John's father is complicated, but minimally intriguing, and is resolved by a series of fortunate coincidences without any direct involvement by Lord John itself. The story is at its strongest when focused on the relationship the publishers tries to ignore. This is an important book, showing just how dangerous it once was to be gay. It shows how far society has come, and its parallels to today show how far we still have to go.
This "love affair" is Lord John's relationship with his soon-to-be step-brother Percy Wainwright. In the mid 1700s (a hundred years after another gay-in-the-English-military novel, As Meat Loves Salt), being a sodomite and a pederast in the military is an offense punishable by death. Their affair is steamy and dangerous, and has consequences that are somewhat predictable but no less gut-wrenching.
Perhaps the back of the book glosses over the homosexual aspect of the story (and by "aspect" I mean it colors almost every single one of Lord John's actions throughout the book) to not turn away readers who might be put off by the gay angle or those strange women who are so appalled by Lord John's "obsession" with Jamie Fraser that their vehement opposition to their friendship exposes their own unhealthy obsession with a fictional character. Don't worry, ladies, the big bad gay isn't going to steal your fake boyfriend.
Back to the point, Brotherhood intersects with events in Voyager, but the Jamie Fraser connection feels like out-of-place fanservice. The Helwater sections, in which Lord John visits and pines over Fraser, break up the otherwise smooth flow of the novel. The "mystery" surrounding Lord John's father is complicated, but minimally intriguing, and is resolved by a series of fortunate coincidences without any direct involvement by Lord John itself. The story is at its strongest when focused on the relationship the publishers tries to ignore. This is an important book, showing just how dangerous it once was to be gay. It shows how far society has come, and its parallels to today show how far we still have to go.
July 9, 2014
** 4 stars**
"Dead is dead, Major," he said quietly. "It is not a romantic notion. And whatever my own feelings in the matter, my family would not prefer my death to my dishonor. While there is anyone alive with a claim upon my protection, my life is not my own."
It'a hard to pinpoint why I enjoy this series so much although I miss Jamie and Claire terrible. The thing is, John truly is such a fascinating character, that give us an unique view of the military life and of a life of a gay man in that time and in that position of society, and of course the consequences of the eventuality of being found out.
In this story, we discover more about John's and Hal's father, the Duke of Pardloe,how he shot himself and how he was accused of being a Jabobite.
Now, the reasons involving his death come to surface again, someone is in the possession of his father's latest diary and it may risk all of their lives.
Between family secrets, plots, murderers, a secret affair, John have gone to Prussia to fight and barely survives the battle of Krefeld.
Now after bearing many injuries and a betrayal that cut his heart, he have to choose between honour and a man's life.
***
Yep, this story gave me lot's of feels.
Between John's view on his father death and discovering the truth, his secret affair (that provide us some sweet and hot moments) and that ultimate betrayal (that made me angry, I confess)...it was emotional to see John goes trough all that, and still have so much goodness in him.
And well, let's just say that one scene between him and Jamie just cut me into pieces...it was so visceral and raw, god damn it.
Anyway, if you love John this book is definitely a must read.
June 5, 2008
Unfortunately, the Lord John series is not nearly as satisfying as Gabaldon's Outlander series. I do love Lord John Grey as a main character but the plot-lines are rather difficult to follow and there are entirely too many characters to keep track of. As the second book in this series, I was disappointed in the lack of continuity between this book and the first in the series, Lord John and the Private Matter. The only similarity between them was Lord John as the main character. Not that I have to have a series in which the next book is entirely based on the one before, nonetheless, I like to have at least some characters and maybe a small storyline in common.
The parts of the book I really enjoyed were the parts where Grey interacts with Jamie, the male lead character in the Outlander series. The Lord John books are more like mysteries and I feel like those parts are a little convoluted. The parts about Grey's relationships and daily goings-about are more interesting to me.
That said, I still worship all books Ms. Gabaldon writes and I will continue to not only read but purchase the Lord John books and any other books she may write in the future.
The parts of the book I really enjoyed were the parts where Grey interacts with Jamie, the male lead character in the Outlander series. The Lord John books are more like mysteries and I feel like those parts are a little convoluted. The parts about Grey's relationships and daily goings-about are more interesting to me.
That said, I still worship all books Ms. Gabaldon writes and I will continue to not only read but purchase the Lord John books and any other books she may write in the future.
February 8, 2016
Sie wachsen einem ans Herz, diese Greys. Benedicta, Hal und natürlich John. Ein bisschen möchte man Teil dieser Familie sein, mag ihre Geschichte auch noch so tragisch sein und ihre Mitglieder, jeder für sich, einen ganzen Sack Geheimnisse mit sich herumschleppen.
Und sie zerreißen einem das Herz, diese Greys. Mit ihrem ganzen Soldatentum, ihrem Ehrbegriff und der Geradlinigkeit und Ehrlichkeit, mit der sie versuchen durchs Leben zu gehen. Diese Familie ist unglaublich.
Und dann ist da natürlich John.
John, der tut, was er für richtig hält, mag es auch noch so schwer sein. Der sich trotzdem nie selbst belügt, mit einer gnadenlosen Ehrlichkeit, die schon beim Lesen weh tut. Der sich nicht für das schämt, was er ist und will. Und der doch zuerst und vor allem Soldat ist und seine Pflicht tut.
Und ja, bei diesem letzten Brief hatte ich Tränen in den Augen. Das ist keine Liebesgeschichte.
Fahr zur Hölle, Percy.
Und sie zerreißen einem das Herz, diese Greys. Mit ihrem ganzen Soldatentum, ihrem Ehrbegriff und der Geradlinigkeit und Ehrlichkeit, mit der sie versuchen durchs Leben zu gehen. Diese Familie ist unglaublich.
Und dann ist da natürlich John.
John, der tut, was er für richtig hält, mag es auch noch so schwer sein. Der sich trotzdem nie selbst belügt, mit einer gnadenlosen Ehrlichkeit, die schon beim Lesen weh tut. Der sich nicht für das schämt, was er ist und will. Und der doch zuerst und vor allem Soldat ist und seine Pflicht tut.
Und ja, bei diesem letzten Brief hatte ich Tränen in den Augen. Das ist keine Liebesgeschichte.
Fahr zur Hölle, Percy.
March 1, 2024
In dem zweiten Teil kommt das Ganze endlich ins Rollen und die Spannung ist kaum auszuhalten.
Diana Gabaldon fesselt mit ihren faszinierenden Details von Beziehungen wie zum Beispiel zwischen Hal und John oder auch zwischen Jamie und John.
Nach diesem Buch frage ich mich wie Jamie und John überhaupt befreundet sein können nach dem so viel geschehen ist was zwar in Outlander angerissen, aber nicht näher erklärt wird. Nichts desto trotz ist die Geschichte in Outlander davon nicht beeinträchtigt. Ich persönlich finde aber die vielen Details faszinierend zu entdecken und festzustellen wie die Beziehungen sich so zueinander entwickeln. Zum Beispiel zwischen John und Percy oder wie genau es dazu kam, dass Hal sich weigert seinen richtigen Titel zu tragen, John sich aber Lord nennt. Absolut faszinierend!
Diana Gabaldon fesselt mit ihren faszinierenden Details von Beziehungen wie zum Beispiel zwischen Hal und John oder auch zwischen Jamie und John.
Nach diesem Buch frage ich mich wie Jamie und John überhaupt befreundet sein können nach dem so viel geschehen ist was zwar in Outlander angerissen, aber nicht näher erklärt wird. Nichts desto trotz ist die Geschichte in Outlander davon nicht beeinträchtigt. Ich persönlich finde aber die vielen Details faszinierend zu entdecken und festzustellen wie die Beziehungen sich so zueinander entwickeln. Zum Beispiel zwischen John und Percy oder wie genau es dazu kam, dass Hal sich weigert seinen richtigen Titel zu tragen, John sich aber Lord nennt. Absolut faszinierend!
October 13, 2017
There are spoilers for Voyager in this review.
"Life is nothing if you are not obsessed" [John Waters]
Ok. I may not go as far as fully seconding that or putting it out so cheerfully, but I have to admit I am dealing with an obsession here.
So, let's see if I fully qualify as an Outlander obsessive, shall we?
Am I thinking about these people when I'm doing other things?
Yes.
At work, on the train, when shopping or cooking dinner?
Yes, (and don't forget when doing the ironing, only that I've taken up rewatching the TV series when doing that now. It's more entertaining than just thinking about them).
Am I initiating random conversations about Outlander all the time with my other half (who, other than agreeing to watch the TV series with me, could not care less about Jamie Fraser)?
Yes, I am afraid so. And I have to thank him for being so gracious about it and not rolling his eyes every time I start.
Have I been converting all my friends to Outlander, and have I bought about 4 copies of the (very heavy) paperback so far to give away?
Yes. Well, err. . . hear me out: I have excuses. So many friends' birthdays have come up in the last few months. . . I had to buy them something anyway, hadn't I? Outlander it is! They'll thank me later.
Did I have to research the whole historical details of the Jacobite uprisings which, since I am not English, I knew next to nothing about?
Well, of course! And that even means now, that just because of Outlander, I am better educated.
Do I have an ear worm with the music theme of the TV series?
Bloody hell, it is so annoying, I can't get rid of it!
So, with the Highlands tour planned and all, what about Lord John? Did I HAVE TO read all the Lord John's novels and novellas in the combined narrative, in exactly the chronological order dictated by the author in her webpage?
Well, of course I did, which brings me to Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade. So, yeah, OBSESSED indeed.
But since I'd been stuck with it for so long, I have not managed to move on to book four of Outlander yet, which is a bummer because I am so intrigued about it.
But the first book in the series did it for me. And it was so brilliant that I've been hooked ever since.
So, let's talk about this book a bit, shall we?
My experience of it was very mixed. It is quite perplexing, but I was enjoying it quite a lot although I still put it on hold a few times as other things were going on in my life that meant my concentration was shot and I could not follow anything. But every time I returned to it, I still enjoyed it and was glad to be back.
Lots and lots and lots of things happen in this book and I started to take notes (that pesky lack of concentration), which is handy, but also means that my review is what we call in psychology "over-inclusive", a sure synonym to "boring", but mostly written for myself to remember in the future. There are lots of protected spoiler alerts, so I don't think there are many glaring revelations.
I really wanted to persevere with this book (because it's taking me closer to The Scottish Prisoner (Yay! :-), and. . . because of JAMIE!!!!! who featured prominently on this book), and I'm so glad that I went back to it, as it is one of the Lord John's books with the greatest overlap with the Outlander world, and there is even a wistful, absolutely delicious recounting, on Lord John's own words, of his first fateful meeting with Jamie and Claire Fraser when he was 16, just before the battle of Prestonpas, and the big misunderstanding about Claire that left him with a broken arm.
The timeline here coincides with part of Voyager, when Jamie Fraser has been paroled from prison and exiled to Helwater as a stable hand for the Dunsanys.
This is the time when Geneva Dunsany dies in childbirth and there is a great scandal about it that was described at length in Voyager, and that will have important repercussions for the Outlander chronology from here onwards.
The spoiler below is for what happened in Voyager, just before the narrative in this book.
In this book, Lord John Grey, friend of the Dunsanys, goes to Geneva's funeral and it is in the middle of the night, in the chapel where her body rests awaiting the ceremony in the morning, that he meets Jamie Fraser again for the first time in a very long time.
Jamie is paying his respects, prepared to spend the whole night in the chapel in the freezing cold, and Lord John very intuitively starts to suspect what has happened.
All of this intermingles with Lord John investigating the obscure circumstances of his father's suicide, as old diaries are unearthed that indicate he might have been murdered instead, together with suspicions arising that he might have been a closet Jacobite. Who better to aid him in this enquiry than the notorious Jacobite, Jamie Fraser himself?
On top of all this, Lord John is having constant squabbles with his overbearing brother Hal, who is keeping lots of secrets about their father. He reluctantly attends a gruesome execution, and is at the same time trying very hard to move on from his unrequited love for Jamie Fraser. He is finally ready to pursue an intimate relationship, this time with his new brother (by his mother's marriage), Percy, and there is some (not too explicit) gay sex in this book, but sadly, this new liaison will not yet take him anywhere near a happy ending, and the perils and misadventures of being a homosexual man in the 18th century continue. I actually wonder if this affable character will ever find happiness.
Once I overcame my reading restlessness and I came back to it, I quite enjoyed this book and my attention did not falter again. I found it an entertaining, multilayered mystery that Lord John Grey pursues with his habitual flair and panache. Having Jamie Fraser featuring in it to such a large extent, was the icing on the cake, and it probably even deserves 5 stars for entertaining value alone, but since it did not gripped me strongly enough from the beginning, and I ended up abandoning it for a while, I cannot really give it a 5. If I ever re-read it in the future, in one sitting, I probably will, but not now. In any case, obstinate could be my middle name, and here I was 5 months after I started, and still refusing to give up. Because there's lots of drivel out there that I wouldn't bother to finish, but this was a high quality book that I simply could not advance on because of my lack of concentration.
What was clear reading this, is that for me, Lord John Grey has become a highly compelling character on his own right, and I'm probably no longer reading about him only because he is part of the Outlander universe, (and not only because of my obsession with the chronology of that), but because I came to care deeply about him on his own, as he is a charming, complex character, deeply conflicted and misunderstood, facing some really difficult challenges for being a gay military officer, when homosexuality in that time period and context could mean not only social suicide and oprobium, but actual physical death too.
So, on to the next Lord John novella now, Lord John and The Haunted Soldier, which appears in the anthology Lord John and the Hand of Devils. I'm closer to The Scottish Prisoner now. Finally! I'm dying to get to that one! But these books are probably too intense (and long!) to simply jump onto the next one just like that. Even though the next one is a novella, I think need some uncomplicated fluff for a while now.
I probably have not had this much fun reading a book series in order, and becoming obsessed about all connected spin-offs and getting the chronology right since I found Rook and Ronin by JA Huss last year and ended up reading 14 books by the same author pretty much in a row. Ah, happy times indeed!!!! I cannot recommend Outlander strongly enough. It is really a gem with something for anyone. In any case, don't be tempted to watch the TV series before you give the books a chance. It is an amazing experience.
So maybe John Waters is really on to something with his quote about obsessions, and these benign, happy fixations may end up contributing to season life with some novel flavourings, and can bring lots of enjoyment to us while in their pursuit. This author and what she has created has definitely brought a lot of that into my life, for which I will be eternally grateful. And I think that our interests, after all, as much as our thinking, personality and values, are part of what makes us who we are. So that's who I am and will be, an Outlander fan for life. And finding something like this from time to time, worthwhile to become obsessed about, is a truly magical, wonderful thing.
"Life is nothing if you are not obsessed" [John Waters]
Ok. I may not go as far as fully seconding that or putting it out so cheerfully, but I have to admit I am dealing with an obsession here.
So, let's see if I fully qualify as an Outlander obsessive, shall we?
Am I thinking about these people when I'm doing other things?
Yes.
At work, on the train, when shopping or cooking dinner?
Yes, (and don't forget when doing the ironing, only that I've taken up rewatching the TV series when doing that now. It's more entertaining than just thinking about them).
Am I initiating random conversations about Outlander all the time with my other half (who, other than agreeing to watch the TV series with me, could not care less about Jamie Fraser)?
Yes, I am afraid so. And I have to thank him for being so gracious about it and not rolling his eyes every time I start.
Have I been converting all my friends to Outlander, and have I bought about 4 copies of the (very heavy) paperback so far to give away?
Yes. Well, err. . . hear me out: I have excuses. So many friends' birthdays have come up in the last few months. . . I had to buy them something anyway, hadn't I? Outlander it is! They'll thank me later.
Did I have to research the whole historical details of the Jacobite uprisings which, since I am not English, I knew next to nothing about?
Well, of course! And that even means now, that just because of Outlander, I am better educated.
Do I have an ear worm with the music theme of the TV series?
Bloody hell, it is so annoying, I can't get rid of it!
So, with the Highlands tour planned and all, what about Lord John? Did I HAVE TO read all the Lord John's novels and novellas in the combined narrative, in exactly the chronological order dictated by the author in her webpage?
Well, of course I did, which brings me to Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade. So, yeah, OBSESSED indeed.
But since I'd been stuck with it for so long, I have not managed to move on to book four of Outlander yet, which is a bummer because I am so intrigued about it.
But the first book in the series did it for me. And it was so brilliant that I've been hooked ever since.
So, let's talk about this book a bit, shall we?
My experience of it was very mixed. It is quite perplexing, but I was enjoying it quite a lot although I still put it on hold a few times as other things were going on in my life that meant my concentration was shot and I could not follow anything. But every time I returned to it, I still enjoyed it and was glad to be back.
Lots and lots and lots of things happen in this book and I started to take notes (that pesky lack of concentration), which is handy, but also means that my review is what we call in psychology "over-inclusive", a sure synonym to "boring", but mostly written for myself to remember in the future. There are lots of protected spoiler alerts, so I don't think there are many glaring revelations.
I really wanted to persevere with this book (because it's taking me closer to The Scottish Prisoner (Yay! :-), and. . . because of JAMIE!!!!! who featured prominently on this book), and I'm so glad that I went back to it, as it is one of the Lord John's books with the greatest overlap with the Outlander world, and there is even a wistful, absolutely delicious recounting, on Lord John's own words, of his first fateful meeting with Jamie and Claire Fraser when he was 16, just before the battle of Prestonpas, and the big misunderstanding about Claire that left him with a broken arm.
The timeline here coincides with part of Voyager, when Jamie Fraser has been paroled from prison and exiled to Helwater as a stable hand for the Dunsanys.
This is the time when Geneva Dunsany dies in childbirth and there is a great scandal about it that was described at length in Voyager, and that will have important repercussions for the Outlander chronology from here onwards.
The spoiler below is for what happened in Voyager, just before the narrative in this book.
In this book, Lord John Grey, friend of the Dunsanys, goes to Geneva's funeral and it is in the middle of the night, in the chapel where her body rests awaiting the ceremony in the morning, that he meets Jamie Fraser again for the first time in a very long time.
Jamie is paying his respects, prepared to spend the whole night in the chapel in the freezing cold, and Lord John very intuitively starts to suspect what has happened.
All of this intermingles with Lord John investigating the obscure circumstances of his father's suicide, as old diaries are unearthed that indicate he might have been murdered instead, together with suspicions arising that he might have been a closet Jacobite. Who better to aid him in this enquiry than the notorious Jacobite, Jamie Fraser himself?
On top of all this, Lord John is having constant squabbles with his overbearing brother Hal, who is keeping lots of secrets about their father. He reluctantly attends a gruesome execution, and is at the same time trying very hard to move on from his unrequited love for Jamie Fraser. He is finally ready to pursue an intimate relationship, this time with his new brother (by his mother's marriage), Percy, and there is some (not too explicit) gay sex in this book, but sadly, this new liaison will not yet take him anywhere near a happy ending, and the perils and misadventures of being a homosexual man in the 18th century continue. I actually wonder if this affable character will ever find happiness.
Once I overcame my reading restlessness and I came back to it, I quite enjoyed this book and my attention did not falter again. I found it an entertaining, multilayered mystery that Lord John Grey pursues with his habitual flair and panache. Having Jamie Fraser featuring in it to such a large extent, was the icing on the cake, and it probably even deserves 5 stars for entertaining value alone, but since it did not gripped me strongly enough from the beginning, and I ended up abandoning it for a while, I cannot really give it a 5. If I ever re-read it in the future, in one sitting, I probably will, but not now. In any case, obstinate could be my middle name, and here I was 5 months after I started, and still refusing to give up. Because there's lots of drivel out there that I wouldn't bother to finish, but this was a high quality book that I simply could not advance on because of my lack of concentration.
What was clear reading this, is that for me, Lord John Grey has become a highly compelling character on his own right, and I'm probably no longer reading about him only because he is part of the Outlander universe, (and not only because of my obsession with the chronology of that), but because I came to care deeply about him on his own, as he is a charming, complex character, deeply conflicted and misunderstood, facing some really difficult challenges for being a gay military officer, when homosexuality in that time period and context could mean not only social suicide and oprobium, but actual physical death too.
So, on to the next Lord John novella now, Lord John and The Haunted Soldier, which appears in the anthology Lord John and the Hand of Devils. I'm closer to The Scottish Prisoner now. Finally! I'm dying to get to that one! But these books are probably too intense (and long!) to simply jump onto the next one just like that. Even though the next one is a novella, I think need some uncomplicated fluff for a while now.
I probably have not had this much fun reading a book series in order, and becoming obsessed about all connected spin-offs and getting the chronology right since I found Rook and Ronin by JA Huss last year and ended up reading 14 books by the same author pretty much in a row. Ah, happy times indeed!!!! I cannot recommend Outlander strongly enough. It is really a gem with something for anyone. In any case, don't be tempted to watch the TV series before you give the books a chance. It is an amazing experience.
So maybe John Waters is really on to something with his quote about obsessions, and these benign, happy fixations may end up contributing to season life with some novel flavourings, and can bring lots of enjoyment to us while in their pursuit. This author and what she has created has definitely brought a lot of that into my life, for which I will be eternally grateful. And I think that our interests, after all, as much as our thinking, personality and values, are part of what makes us who we are. So that's who I am and will be, an Outlander fan for life. And finding something like this from time to time, worthwhile to become obsessed about, is a truly magical, wonderful thing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2017
Enjoyed this book. Good story about Lord John Grey as an addition to The Outlander.
May 30, 2015
Gabaldon moves the Lord John series forward in this wonderful novel, which opens in 1758, as the Seven Years War continues pulling Britain into the fray, now fighting for Prussia. Lord John and his brother, Hal, enjoy life as soldiers. When the discussion turns to the death of their father, both begin to remember the events that led to that fateful day. Seventeen years earlier, Lord John's father, the Duke of Pardloe, died from a pistol shot and accusations of being a Jacobite sympathiser swirling around him. When Hal receives excerpts from the Duke's missing diary, the mystery resurrects itself and leaves both Greys to wonder if the secret will become public knowledge, tainting their respective images. These secrets taunt Lord John and his family, leaving him to consult a known past Jacobite and his former prisoner, Jamie Fraser. Frissons on both sides reveal a little more about this Ardsmuir-based relationship and help the reader understand both men that much more, based on their encounters in Gabaldon's VOYAGER. Amidst these concerns, Grey's mother is set to wed again, bringing a new and exciting step-brother into his life. Percy Wainwright piques Grey's interest on many levels, forcing the two young men to explore their magnetism and deep-seeded passions. While the reader is left with little doubt about Grey's proclivities, it is Wainwright who is trapped in a bit of military hot water when he is caught and charged with sodomy after an encounter with a Prussian. Will Grey stand by Wainwright and ensure he is kept from punishment or will he continue to hide his own passionate interests, which have included Wainwright himself? What assistance might Jamie Fraser bring to permit Grey to solve his family mystery and remove the stain from the Duke's reputation? Gabaldon has done well to paint many important pictures in the Lord John series, which answers some queries, but open new and exciting doors for future instalments.
Gabaldon, who has already spun many wonderful tales with her Outlander series, creates a much thicker and convoluted backstory for Lord John Grey, especially in this novel. While past mentions of Grey's personal life leads the reader in a certain direction, little doubt is left from hereon in, especially with Percy Wainwright crossing paths with our protagonist. While some readers may find this trivial or useless in the larger storyline, I would argue to its essential nature. While Claire and Jamie's passionate encounters are not the motivating factor in OUTLANDER, it does play a key role in better understanding the characters. Lord John remains a mystery to many, but with more novels of this nature, light is shed and the reader finds themselves more drawn to learning even more. With Jamie Fraser as a strong bridge between the two series, there is sure to be a great deal the reader can learn and will leave many flocking to digest these massive missives.
Kudos, Madam Gabaldon for this revealing LJG novel and helping the reader procure a greater understanding of the issues that pull at his heartstrings on a regular basis.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Gabaldon, who has already spun many wonderful tales with her Outlander series, creates a much thicker and convoluted backstory for Lord John Grey, especially in this novel. While past mentions of Grey's personal life leads the reader in a certain direction, little doubt is left from hereon in, especially with Percy Wainwright crossing paths with our protagonist. While some readers may find this trivial or useless in the larger storyline, I would argue to its essential nature. While Claire and Jamie's passionate encounters are not the motivating factor in OUTLANDER, it does play a key role in better understanding the characters. Lord John remains a mystery to many, but with more novels of this nature, light is shed and the reader finds themselves more drawn to learning even more. With Jamie Fraser as a strong bridge between the two series, there is sure to be a great deal the reader can learn and will leave many flocking to digest these massive missives.
Kudos, Madam Gabaldon for this revealing LJG novel and helping the reader procure a greater understanding of the issues that pull at his heartstrings on a regular basis.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
March 12, 2020
Lord John Grey rides again
Not sure why I put this off for so long. Diana Gabaldon's John Grey books are great reads in their own right.
This second full-length novel delves into Grey's family history and a matter of lost honour that needs to be righted. I've no idea how historically authentic it is but it feels right. And a couple of guest spots from James Fraser don't hurt matters.
Not sure why I put this off for so long. Diana Gabaldon's John Grey books are great reads in their own right.
This second full-length novel delves into Grey's family history and a matter of lost honour that needs to be righted. I've no idea how historically authentic it is but it feels right. And a couple of guest spots from James Fraser don't hurt matters.
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