Rating: 
Summary: The adventure continues!!!
Review: I couldn't wait to to read "The Fiery Cross". I found this chapter of the Claire and Jamie saga well worth the wait. Of course for me, it just wasn't long enough. ( I love really long books!) The fact that the book begins exactly where "Drums of Autumn" ends is wonderful. The historical accuracy of her books is amazing. Diana's background in research is evident as is her wonderful imagination. The combination is unbeatable. Her memory (or notes) means that incidents from previous books remain true. I don't find that very often, and I read A LOT!! I have all the books in the series in both paperback and hardback and I'll buy this one in paperback when it comes out. Every book is worth reading again. If you read the whole set in order, it can help make sense of some the later incidents. I can't wait for the next book. But until then, I can always stay in touch with Claire, Jamie and all the wonderful, colorful characters by reading the series again. All the books, and this one especially are well worth the time.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: This is an excellent book but not for the squimish. If you don't like the nitty gritty facts of life (which are all natural and we have all experienced) like vomit, blood, and feces, then don't read this book. Overall it portrayed a very realistic and entertaining account of colonial life. You definately have to read the previous books in the series to be able to appreciate this book. It was great to see how sexy and romantic Jamie and Claire are in their middle age. The book leaves you waiting breathlessly for the next installment.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed too and yet..............
Review: While I have to agree with the other reviewer that Diana Gabaldon at her worst is still better than most writers at their best, this installment of the Outlander series does not live up to the first three for me. Nor did Drums of Autumn. Maybe it's just that I don't find colonial American history as interesting as European or the fact this I detest the Brianna character. There's just too much of her for me in these last two books and I just couldn't buy all her "inventions". It doesn't ring true to me. Also, as an animal lover I was tired of the detailed descriptions of killing and butchering of animals with Brianna as the goddess huntswoman. I suppose she'll single-handedly save the whole North Carolina colony in the revoulution in the next book. Like Claire, I couldn't wait to get on that horse and leave Fraser's Ridge and Brianna and Jemmy behind. The best part of this book for me was the Claire narrative. I didn't really even want to read this book as the first three were magic to me and I didn't want to break the spell. And that's what's happened in these last two installments. I might try to give the next one a miss but I doubt I'll be able to.
Rating: 
Summary: Loved the series
Review: Yes I loved the series totally and feel in love with the people and Scotland, but I had to force myself to read this last book and found myself skipping many paragraphs as I got bored.
I did feel let down with this book but I still had to know what happened to Claire and Jamie.
:-) Still if you are a fan of this series, you have to read it.
PS: Gosh I felt poor Roger gets a raw deal in the last two books! I would have thought Roger, Brianna and their child would have gone back to their time (I would have!)
Rating:
Summary: Drowning in the details
Review: There were times when I forced myself to continue reading, for surely there must be a payoff ahead! There were many times when I got through by skimming, and I really don't like to do that but I couldn't endure the relentless details. More than 160 pages of one relentlessly long, drearily rainy day makes up the first PART of this book! How rainy was it? Please don't ask, I'm still trying to forget. Especially when it got a little colder and the rain turned to hail. Hail? In October? Surely the author, like the illustrators of "Where's Waldo" has placed a small trick in there by placing one of the 10,000 details wrong, because hail accompanies the thunderstorms of spring and summer, and sleet and freezing rain are what the cold drizzles of late fall can become. I hate to harp on the details, but they seem to be most of what this story is about. What happenned to the author of that great fight scene between Jamie and Jenny in the first book? I fear that she has exchanged the skill of that writing for the meticulous detailing in this book. She's also resorting to cheap tricks. What happens to Roger seems like a crutch to enliven the plot and the resolution of that storyline is completely predictable. And I wonder if the author has ever experienced a baby or young child that is actually pleasant, smiling or laughing? It does happen. But the children in this book are only described positively if they happen to be (finally!) asleep. Impossible children and unneeded descriptions of sore nipples qualifies this book at least as a great contraceptive.
Rating: 
Summary: terrible
Review: I tried and tried to read this book (cause I pd soooo much for it) and did NOT like this book AT ALL> Could not get into it...
YUCK
Rating:
Summary: disappointed and yet...
Review: While I was disappointed in 'The Fiery Cross' I still have to say Diana Gabaldon at her worst is still better than most writers at their best. The writing gets five stars but the plot momentum was sadly lacking. There were moments that I saw glimpses of Gabaldon magic- when Jamie calls to Dougal for instance. The last couple hundred pages were great and really kept me turning. However I did feel a tad cheated not to learn anything about why Ian had returned. Sigh...guess I'll be getting the next book. For those of you waiting for the next installment however I highly recommend 'Exit Unicorns' by Cindy Brandner. I bought it due to a previous mention on here and absolutely loved it.
Rating: 
Summary: Sorely disappointed
Review: Frankly, I thought the first 2 chapters could've been left out completely....or the first 200 pages really. I was more pleased w/ the excerpt from the "Companion" than was I was w/ the book. It was like Diana forgot where she left off. I felt the last 3 chapters of the book seemed to finally hold my interest, instead of droning on & on about a dysfunctional family that really didn't need to be introduced in such great depth to provide adequate info for later on in the story. Very poor editing as far as I'm concerned. I'm hoping the next book will be edited better (and won't take an extra year from the orginally scheduled release date) before hitting the stores. Oh yes. Please, give Roger a break; the poor guy has suffered enough.
Rating:
Summary: Diana has done it again...
Review: I was a bit worried that Diana had lost her touch after reading the negative reviews but was very relieved to find that she certainly has not. Yes, the book is long, but I'm certainly not going to complain. When I have finished Diana's other books, I have always wished there was more, and this time I got my wish. As far as the detail others have complained about, that is one of the things that I love about Diana's work. In my opinion, it is the detail that brings the story to life. If you haven't read the book yet but have loved her other work, I would recommend it without a moment's hesitation. If you haven't read her work yet, start with Outlander and enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Very Disappointing Book for Such an Excellent Writer
Review: I was extremely disappointed in this book. The first four books moved right along and something exciting was always happening. I could have done with less of the breast feeding, vomiting, baby poop, excrements and lack of hygiene (although I realize this could be hard, as it takes place in the 18th century). I really looked forward to this book, but I think for the next one I'll wait until the paperback comes out! I really think Diana let her fans down this time. Also, Diana could have skipped the first 200 pages and started the book with Jocasta's wedding -- at least from there on things seemed to move at a quicker, more interesting pace. I hope she reconsiders writing 2 more books and sticks to just one, where everything is wrapped up.
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