Rating: 
Summary: Outlander- the story moves on...
Review: I am very frustrated by reading reviews that are negative. "can't get into it" or "not up to par". Have we read the same book? Diana Gabaldon's mastery of language is evident in the Fiery Cross, and her ability to tell a compelling story has not changed. I am on my second read and I am enjoying it more than the first time. I felt that if she had to give up some "action" for a more compellimg story, than do so. You get inside characters heads much more so in this book than any other. However- there is alot of action in this book- just not in the first few chapters. So- Amazing story telling, great use of the language and dramatic technique, phenomenal character development, interesting educational/historical info- all this with war battles, Stephen Bonnet, and a hanging. What more do you want?
Rating: 
Summary: Is there a plot?
Review: I don't think I can finish this book and I'm on page 600 something. *yawn* Is there a plot here? Yes, certain passages have kept me going. Claire describing how she felt with menstrual cramps, wanting to 'run amok and slaughter everyone in sight' was charming and enough to make me want to read on, but I just can't do it. As others have stated, the breastfeeding thing is way overdone. I'm sick and tired of hearing about it, and when Claire jumped on the bandwagon and felt her own breasts 'tingling' with some child howling I slammed the book shut. Enough. The Outlander was my favorite book of all time. I fell in love with Jamie, the man of everyone's dreams, and Claire's courage had me enchanted. Diana, you just didn't have your heart into this one. This series should have stopped two books ago with Jamie and Claire in old age, maybe with a epilogue of Brianna putting flowers on their graves.. whatever. This just didn't cut it.
Rating: 
Summary: Like visiting an old friend
Review: The flow of this book reminded me of what it's like to be with an old friend after many years apart. First you take some time to share what's been going on in each other's lives. It's nice to get "caught up" and learn about what's happened to your friend since you've been apart. At a certain point when you've gotten reacquainted with each other, you begin to share the really good stuff that makes you think, laugh, and cry. That's how it feels when you're reading Fiery Cross. The first third or so of the book is not terribly exciting but is still fun to read, because you're back with Jamie and Claire hearing about their life in North Carolina. Before too long, things get exciting as events begin to unravel. It's also great to see how Jamie and Claire's relationship remains so passionate and loving despite the many trials and tribulations. After all the hundreds of books I've read, it's the one relationship in romantic fiction that is truly realistic. Can't wait for the finale.
Rating:
Summary: Satisfying on many levels
Review: Full of period detail; rich, complex characters; smart, brave women; complicated relationships between husbands and wives that ring true; by turns very funny and very moving...If you enjoyed the other books in this series, you won't be able to help loving this one. It's Jamie and Claire's "happily ever after" and a very satisfying one at that. I loved it!
Rating:
Summary: my review
Review: In this chapter of the Outlander series, Gabaldon keeps us, readers, enthralled once again in the lives of Jamie and Claire Fraser and their family and all those who live in Fraser's Ridge. It is the year 1700 and we all know what happened in the years after, and though Claire and her daughter Brianna and husband Roger know what happens next, they are unable to divulge this to the rest of their family and friends. Only Jamie knows. The author has once again captured and transmitted to us how everyday live must have been in those times and to be able to compare it (through Claire and Brianna) to present day life. I have really enjoyed every single page in her book, every single adventure they have, and am ready to enjoy it again. Great book.
Rating:
Summary: For Obsessive Fans ONLY
Review: My wife tricked me into reading this series. Though quite reluctant to read them, I admit, they were pretty good and were certainly nice if you were traveling due to the length...but ENOUGH! Ms. Gabaldon has morphed this latest book in her series into a mere bodice-ripper, which is ODD considering in an interview I read with her she makes it QUITE clear that she is not a "Romance Writer" (and no, her protestations of 'not that there is anything WRONG with romance novels' didn't do much to cover her opinion of the genre). I also feel that, while detail in a historical novel is good, she has gotten way, way, way too carried away. WAY! (...) Do we REALLY need to know how the dripping water looked as it shimmered and beaded on Jamie's genitalia? (not to mention, she used the "C" word which I find revolting. Just call it what it IS) WAKE UP JACKIE CANTOR AND DO YOUR JOB! The editing in this book was practically non-existant. First off, did someone totally skip copy proofing most of this book to rush it (not that I really blame them, she has been quite lazy in getting this out)? There are mistakes everywhere. And please have the brass to take a big axe to Diana's next novel as this was about 600 pages too long. I (...) Final Answer: Don't bother...read a Harlequin. You'll have a shorter wait for the next installment and you'll probably like it better! Not to mention that they call it like it is--something woefully lacking here.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: After waiting so long for the next installement, I'm not sure I'll even finish the Fiery Cross. Brianna is, as ever, irritating. Tedious detail and conversation, dotted with short bits of intrigue that are left suddenly to more swashbuckling sexual banter between the Frasers. Chapter upon chapter are filled with minute details of one event, and the characters don't seem to be going anywhere, literally or mentally.
Disappointing. Maybe it's time to start the new series with the time-travelling French Apothecary from Dragonfly in Amber.
Perhaps the author was put under too much pressure to produce the next installement.
I'll still buy the next novel, I love time travel stories and there isn't that much selection for adults!
Rating:
Summary: Outlandish OUTRAGE!
Review: I don't really know what happened. The first three were SO good--so magical. I read and re-read all of them until the covers fell off. To put it bluntly, I wouldn't give this book to anyone I liked, unless they were suffering from insomnia, that is. Maybe the problem is that Diana never really "Earned her stripes". She been so huge from the beginning and has yet to experience publication failure and it will be good for her to land hard on her backside. Oh, there are lots of people who have disliked the Outlander series from the get-go, but her FANS have always been loyal...UNTIL NOW! I feel like I have been failed. And that is what this is...a critical failure. It may have sold big (at least at first...hopefully people will wise up and not throw away good money) but compared to her other works it is awful. Hopefully this failure will bring in some humility (how many times have we read that Outlander was agented before it was finished and sold in 4 days? If this had been her first book it wouldn't have sold in 4 LIFETIMES)and she will concentrate harder (and hopefully QUICKER) on crafting a good story with an actual plot. And she should stop bragging about not ever using an outline when she writes. I feel this was part of the problem...it was just little hunks of her stuff that was poorly linked together.
Until then (of course, given her track record that could be around a decade from now) I am not holding my breath. I know this review sounds harsh, but it is 4 years of anticipation being wasted talking.
Rating:
Summary: In A Word: Realistic
Review: First let me say that this book still reaks of Gabaldon's high quality storytelling. She doesn't strike me as the type of author to not give 100% of her best and after reading every book in the series I've come to trust her vision for her books. Each book in this series has it's own indivduality. Yes this book was a lazy read about real life parenthood, husband and wife relationships, and the every day existence of life. Every once in a while something exciting happened. Many books end, "and they lived happily ever after". We're most likely reading Jamie's and Claire's happily ever after. Action packed, no--boring as hell, no. Unless you have Jamie and Claire burnout; I don't understand how you could feel cheated by another high quality read by Gabaldon.
Rating:
Summary: THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE
Review: A wonderful series. Diana Gabaldon provides us with a world
and characters that are incredibly real and well-worth becoming attached to. A historical romance extraordinaire. All of that said, "The Fiery Cross" is too long and leaves out too much. Too many pages spent on minutae that could have been spent moving the characters along to 1776. What the editors doing? I can understand the author being so caught up with her characters that she fails to recognize that sometimes there is too much of a good thing and the plot needs to proceed. But I cannot understand why the editors haven't convinced Ms. Gabaldon that
some of the 976 pages is simply superfluous. Am I looking forward
to the next book in this series -- absolutely. But I am hoping it will be more like "Outlander" and "Voyageur" and less like this book.
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