Rating: 
Summary: To be savored
Review: I read Diana's books when they first came out so was looking forward to this one. Due to the mixed reviews I did not buy the hardcover, but waited for the paperback. Next time I will buy the hardcover. This is not one of those quick, 350 page romance novels you can skim through for the juicy parts. Each little section is an enjoyable short story or narrative even in it's own right. This is a book you need to take time out for and leisurely enjoy. I'm almost to the end and find myself reading slower and slower as I don't want it to end. There were parts that may have been crude and parts where I wish the characters would grow up. But that's part of the story. And whoever can't find it in themselves to love a man like Jamie Frasier just ain't woman enough to deserve him!
Rating:
Summary: SO WONDERFUL THAT I CRIED WHEN I FINISHED IT!
Review: I actually cried for two reasons. The first reason is that I will have to now wait a few years for the continuation of Jamie and Claire's story. Having luckily discovered the OUTLANDER series only a few months ago (and having the foresight to buy ALL the books at one time), I had the good fortune of being able to read the books back to back--six thousand pages! Subsequently, I have been obsessed with the adventures of the Frasers! I feel like I have now gone through the stones myself to the twentieth century and away from my handsome and brilliant red-headed Scottish Highlander. I have loved every single book.
The genius Diana Gabaldon has weaved another classic tale about colonial life in North Carolina. Her adventure, historical, romance, science fiction novel has now added another genre; mystery (there is a murder)! Poor Roger and Jamie--as usual, bad things are always happening to them. Thank Heaven for Claire who is always there to heal her husband and son-in -law (not to mention most of the people in the area).
The Second reason I cried was as usual, the beautiful, romantic things that Jamie says to his beloved Claire: "And that," he said, squeezing my fingers tighter, "is what I dinna ken now. I love you, a nighean donn. I have loved ye from the moment I saw ye, I will love ye 'til time itself is done, and so long as you are by my side, I am well pleased wi' the world." An then, the final words in the book, "When the day shall come, that we do part," he said softly, and turned to look at me, "if my last words are not 'I love you'--ye'll ken it was because I didna have time.''
Rating: 
Summary: Ready for the next.
Review: I think that the reviews are a little harsh. Yes, Gabaldon has slowed down a bit in the Fiery Cross, but then our main characters are now in their 50's and thus have slowed down as well. I think that as Jamie and Clair have slowed down, Brianna and Roger have stepped up to the plate. Once again there are loads of unanswered questions as to what will happen and room for another book. I, for one, can't wait to read it!
Rating: 
Summary: Too many words for just one battle
Review: I waited anxiously for this book to come out. I loved the last book in the series, but I also knew that Gabaldon can alienate her readers by disecting her stories into many words to cover parts of a story that don't need that much depth. To my dismay, The Fiery Cross is a journey into Gabaldon's need for self indulgence. Chapter after chapter is dedicated to the same topic with not much new happening. You could save your money on this book, and safely journey into her next installment and not have missed much. The Fiery Cross comes across as an outline the author wrote to satisfy some background information she needed to proceed with the story. It was not written to satisfy the reader who wonders if the future reporting of Claire and Jaimie's death from a fire will come true, it will not satisfy the reader who wonders how Roger and Bree will grow as a family, it will not satisfy the reader who anxiously awaits Jaimie's part in the Revolutionary War. It will satisfy only the reader who can stand chapter after chapter of the same battle and the same characters concerns for over thousands of words. Save your money and wait for the next book.
Rating:
Summary: Don't bother
Review: I enjoyed most of the first 4 books, but this one was dreadful. I think we hear at least once a chapter that Brianna is 6 feet tall, gorgeous, and has red hair and looks like her father. She isn't a character as much a temper, self-absorption, and leaky breasts. Gabaldon was hopeless in this one - no plot, no character growth, no interesting new characters. Just endless.
Rating:
Summary: Such a disappointment!
Review: I devoured the first 3 books in the series, was a little less thrilled with Drums of Autumn (the 4th book), and found this latest effort absolutely awful. I never did finish it - life is just too short to be bored to tears. Brianna and her husband (who is so dull that his name escapes me at the moment) are weak characters who can never fill Claire & Jamie's shoes. In fact, Claire and Jamie no longer fill their own shoes - this is a pale ghost of the brilliant, fiery love story that made this series an obsession with so many of us. The series really should have ended after Voyager, which is the last really good book of the bunch.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful narration
Review: I love every book in this series. The narration is wonderful on this set of tapes, but I was disappointed in what they cut out of the story.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing...
Review: As a whole, the Outlander series is a beautiful and wonderful epic love story that happens to have adventure, sex, time travel, etc. However, I found this one to be a little disappointing (I read them in order.) At times it was too lenghty and too much time took place between events in the story. At times I found myself struggling to get through it, when the others were much more captivating. It is obvious that Diane Gabaldon is truly talented with her story telling abilities, but she should realize that not EVERY story needs to be stretched out to 900 pages. Regardless, I eagerly await the next installment in the series and can't wait to find out the next challenges that Jamie and Claire will face...
Rating:
Summary: It's Okay.
Review: This book is the 5th in a series of Diana Gabaldons Outlander series. Although it was fun to catch up with the characters Claire and Jamie and get to know the other characters as well, it lost some of the quality the other 4 had. I buzzed through the other 4 but this one took me over a year to read. I continually found myself putting it down to read other books, it didn't help that I got hooked on Jean Aules Earth children's series. It has the Diana Gabaldons quantity without the pizzazz of a story that keeps you up night after exhausted night just to find out what happens next. Despite it all I felt compelled to finish because the characters are extremly addictive. I am still going to read the 6th too.
Rating:
Summary: Big book with...a bit of lacking
Review: Dear Diana and fans... what happened? Other than Roger seems to have some bad karma. Why exactly did Rodger and Brianna go to Claire & Jamie? Who is the father of Brianna's baby? Com'on.... This book was entertaining, large and I finished it as a dedicated Claire & Jamie fan. I did feel a bit left out as the reader. I feel the book was not written in the same Diana style as in the past. ( who Wrote this book anyway?)
It reminds me of a lot of hype before an event to make it bigger and yet nothing really happens. I learned a lot of detail about nothing I wanted to know.
It is as if she knew of nothing to write about so she looked around the house and then added it to the story line. Again, I love Jamie & Claire and miss them in my daily life, but words are just words when they do not enlight the reader.
Best wishes to you Diana on writing the next book all your fans want! Pjr
| 
