Confessions of a Gabaldon addict

[samantha]

Just finished the 6th- on to the 7th tonight! Anyone read the 7th? Was it as good as the rest?

[niaru]

That's the last one right? An Echo in the Bones ?
I loved that it was so darn THICK!
But DG gets long-winded and lost in her descriptions, and I really don't care for too much Lord John. If I did I would read her Lord John series. I want more Claire and Jamie, Rachel (Quakers ! Ann! Quakers!) and Young Ian, Will and Jamie, Roger and Jem and Bree....
The cliffhangers at the end of the book are just WAY too much ! How can she DO that to her readers! ROFL!
I still enjoyed it. And I'll still buy book 8th as soon as it's out (in, oh, 3 years? *sigh*)

[samantha]

Yep- thanks for the review! I started it last night and really like it so far... I'm about 150 pages into it. I don't like William right now- I think he is a bit of an idiot, or at least he is coming across that way. He is annoying me, lol. I like Lord John, but then again there hasn't been a whole lot going on with him so he hasn't had a chance to be overwhelming, if that makes any sense.

I really like the way she has done the different POV with the last few books. Love Jamie's perspective!

[adcooper]

I'm halfway through the 5th book. Lately I have a different book next to every chair in the house, so I just read what's right in front of me, wherever I am. I don't see this one until I'm falling asleep, so it's taking forever. I understand why it's not the favorite of many of her readers, but I don't mind the slower pace. I was feeling rather timid compared to the relentless passion of some of the earlier books! These relationships which are constantly interrupted by the obligations of family, work and community....yeah, I can relate to THAT! LOLI'm just waiting for the chapter in which Jamie has to tie up his laces and race off to the barn because of colic or a hoof abcess or rampant rain rot.

Wait a minute....that's NOT why we read these books! Heck with the horses.

[samantha]

Niaru- OMG the cliffhangers. I am having a fit right now... How could she do that to us?!

I didn't like all of the switching of POV in this one... it was too overwhelming. I liked the switching in the 5th and 6th books, but this one just didn't have enough Jamie and Claire in it for me. They are the whole reason people read the series... we need more of them!

[adcooper]

Just finished the 5th book over lunch. Tell me I CANNOT read another Outlander book until....oh, I don't know...until....?

[samantha]

Don't tell me to stop you- I'm re-reading the series already LOL.
I'm not going to read the seventh again, though. I'll probably read that one again in 3 years ( ) when the 8th comes out.

[Skye Pilot]

I have had Fiery Cross on my shelf for over 5 years... life got busy. I just pulled it off the shelves last week and will be starting it over as soon as I am in done with 2 books I started to read this last weekend.

This is my all time favorite series of books. When I finally finish the Outlander series (ok have read Outlander over and over years ago until I had to replace the book), I can't wait to hit the Lord John Grey series.

[samantha]

Just finished the 2nd book- for the 2nd time- and cried all over again. At least I wasn't hysterical in the beginning when you find out she went back to the 20th century. I just cried a little bit then...

I'm at work reading so it is a bit awkward trying to choke back tears at that scene where Jamie makes her go back. OH!

[adcooper]

I've started the 7th book. Meanwhile, a stack of other books to read towers on my bedside table, blocking my view of the alarm clock and most of the light from my lamp.

[adcooper]

DG's off her rocker. I can't follow this at all. It's not even chronological, and why all this jumping back and forth? Plus who CARES about the spies and why should I know that there's a distinctions between regimental colonel and Colonel of the Regiment. I blame John Gray. We seem bound for Ticonderoga, and I was not paying attention in American History, so I'm unprepared for that.

Can't put it down, but can't tell you what's happening, either.
Harrumph.

[samantha]

Yeah the 7th book is tough. I'm not a fan. I got REALLY tired of William and his petulantance. It is not easy to follow... I ended up skimming a lot of the crap I don't really care about and really only reading the parts with Jamie and Claire in them. There are WAY too many stories going on in one here...

I'm hoping the 8th will be better. I want to write to DG and tell her we don't want the switching around POVs so much and to make it only Jamie and Claire from now on Nobody cares about the rest!


BTW- has anyone read the Lord John series? I read one of them- I thought it was the first but it was actually the second- it was REALLY bad. I was very disappointed... I definitely won't be reading the rest of those and wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

[HokieThea]

I'm only on book 5, but I am noticing that DG seems to be drawing things out more than the first few books. It took several hundred pages to get through 2 days, and it could have been cut significantly. I guess that's why each successive book gets more massive.

I actually am enjoying book 5. I like the day to day stuff, like Ad says.

[samantha]

I liked all of them except An Echo in the Bone.
But there is NOTHING like the first 3 I have read those about 4 times each now.

[adcooper]

I'm not giving up! I was thinking it was John Gray's fault for luring DG off into the military hinterland, but now I blame her editor. It would take huge courage to suggest plot restructuring or trimming to such a successful author, but it would have been wise. (I say the same thing about some of Jane Smiley's books--someone should have splashed whiteout liberally on a few of her novels.)

I think the very thing that makes these books so successful--the sense that you KNOW the characters--creates a challenge for the writer who continues to write about them. They are OUR friends now...how dare she manage them other than we would!?