Rating: 
Summary: Finally, some peace!
Review: Outlander will always remain my favorite of all the books in this series. The time travel was believable because Claire and Jamie were believable. I walked and talked with them, they became my friends.Dragonfly was bittersweet, I was devastated to learn that Claire had left Jamie and only read it to see why. Voyager was painful. I kept imagining their lives without each other, thinking to myself "ok, Bree was this old now, Jamie is missing the first steps, the first day of school, the first date" etc. Drums was a bit different, but it included my friends and I was interested. I loved that they finally had some semblence of peace in their lives, I cried when Ian stayed with the Indians, and grew to like Roger, if not Bree. FC was exactly what I wanted....a period of peace for them, a period of rebuilding all that Jamie had lost after Culloden, a time for him to get to know Bree, accept Roger, watch his grandchild grow even though he didn't see either of children do so. If I have any complaint re: the book, it would be that it was a bit more disjointed than previous books, time flew and scenes changed too quickly. I had to calculate to determine what year we were in now. If you read the earlier books for more than the sex scenes, if you read it for the love J and C shared, and the pain they also shared, then this book will do it for you! Thank you DG, for giving my friends some peace before the war.
Rating: 
Summary: I loved it!
Review: I don't know what other readers are expecting, but this book was fantastic. The writing, as usual, was beautiful. Sure, it does not have the energy of Dragonfly, but why should we expect that? I tried to take my time and savor the book, since I know it will be a while before the next one. But I soon found that I couldn't put it down. What is so great about Diana's books, is that they are so much better than "romance" novels. I read her for the great descriptions and the insight into the 18th century. One reviewer said "nothing happens." I don't know what she expected, but so much happens, I was constantly surprised. Keep it up Diana!
Rating: 
Summary: Time to move on, sadly...
Review: Has it been 10 years since I first read of Jaimie Fraser and Claire? Yes, and in that time, I have finished graduate school, moved and started a career. Perhaps that is why I don't have to time to read such a LONG book with such leisurely pacing anymore. I have had the book a month and finally read it while down with the flu for three days. Jaime can still make my heart(and other bits) ache, and Gabaldon certainly has a way with words and description, but I have to agree with several of the readers. I think the story has stalled by not allowing Jaime to travel FORWARD into Claire's time, the 1960's. I think the intrique is just getting out of hand, I need a scorecard to figure out who is doing what to whom and hiding what from whom. I'm not overly interested in Brianna as a person, though I found Roger's throat injury and his (solitary, thanks for nothing, Brianna)recovery compelling. Bree doesn't seem to have much use for Roger, she lacks the fierceness and utter LOVE that Claire has for Jaime. I must have lost the thread of the earlier stories, because the whole Stephen Bonnet thing leaves me cold, and is it just me or does Bree have kind of a weird "thing" for the creepy criminal rapist? I enjoy seeing Jaime as an elder statesman, and would prefer to think of he and Claire aging gracefully and living a full span of years, which may not happen if Gabaldon follows down the path of "foretelling the future" with the burning cabin and charred remains. Gulp. My heart still sighs for that young Highland laddie Jaime was...and I think a part of me doesn't want to know of his ultimate future.
I may not finish the series for that reason alone.
Rating:
Summary: What has happened Diana
Review: I honestly can't believe that the reviewer's that gave
this book 5 stars are legit!! (Friends of the editor maybe???)
If there was one?? Yes I'm afraid I agree with the 95% of
reviewer's who were disappointed in this book, perhaps someone
else has written this sequel? there seems no other logical explanation. Maybe Diana will redeem herself with the next
book??
Rating:
Summary: Disappointment
Review: Once again, Diana Gabaldon has proven that she has an extraordinary command of the English language. She builds a tapestry with every story. I've loved her characters in the past. That is why she actually got two stars from me. If I went back to review Outlander, I would give it a 10 out of a possible 5 - and I don't even like romance novels!! As much as I anticipated this book, I was so very disappointed with it. It isn't that Jamie and Clare are getting old - I kind of expected that, after all. It's that this story, which left an indentation on my chest after reading all 900 someodd pages in bed, could have been told in about four chapters. What made these characters so lovable in the first two books, is so sadly missing now. I had to wait until almost the middle of the book for the first sex scene!! ;o) With great dedication, I plodded along, page after page, hoping that any moment, this book was going to get better. To no avail, really. As her third book was kind of lacking, she picked up the pace in the fourth book. I'm anxiously awaiting the return of adventure, romance and brilliant writing in her sixth book. I'll be stopping here to read the reviews of that book before I rush out to buy it, however. Let's all keep our fingers crossed.
Rating:
Summary: Expectations Dashed
Review: I'm afraid to say it... I was very disappointed in this one. Like everyone else who is a huge fan of Ms. Gabaldon, I was anxiously awaiting the release of The Fiery Cross; unfortunately it just doesn't do her writing (or her reputation) justice. Maybe I am more of a fan of the younger Jamie and Claire (Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber), I'm finding Bree and Roger whiny and uninteresting and I am sick of Aunt Jostica and the everyday life in the wilderness. This latest book is very similar to Voyager, in that the details are overwhelming.
I recently went to a book signing where Ms. Gabaldon said that there will be at least two more books in this series. I hope that she can bring back more of the excitement and adventure that her fans enjoyed in her previous books. Until then, it will be back to the first two books for me.
Rating:
Summary: This installment is a bit different but...
Review: it's still at the same caliber of the previous installments in the series. There are quite a few things happening in this book that took me by suprise and I'm still quite impressed that Ms. G is able to paint such a visual picture of her characters. I am constantly amazed that I actually think and speak of these characters as companions rather than fiction.
Rating:
Summary: 5th book attains wonderful grace and maturity
Review: As have most of the reviewers, I've read all of the Outlander series but, unlike most, I am usually not a "romance novel" reader. I loved the first four books but, at times, found them to be overly dramatic. This book, however, shows how Gabaldon's writing has advanced and improved and has a grace about it that I had not picked up in the others. Her intuitiveness and story-telling ability are amazing and I anxiously and impatiently await the 6th book. In the meantime, I will painfully miss the both the main and the background characters and all the wonderful eccentricities, individualness, and trueness they have. I feel as if they are a part of me now. Thank you, Diana, for a wonderful and heartfelt book.
Rating: 
Summary: The Magic Is Gone
Review: I really wanted to love this book!! Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber are my all-time favorite books. I counted the days until The Fiery Cross hit the book shelves. I ran home to devour this 3 pound hard bound (yes I weighed it!!.) What a disappointment as I plodded through the first 200 pages. Usually I stop reading a book if it fails to capture my interest after the 1st 100 pages. I gave Diana the benefit of the doubt and sincerely hoped the book would improve It didn't!!
I found this book to be tedious and rather annoying when the storyline involved Briana. I don't care for her personality at all. The scenes with Roger and Briana have little chemistry, and none of the magic of Jamie and Claire. There is very little adventure or suspense. Just the day to day trivialities of life in the 1700's. To put it in a nut shell, this book is a great remedy for insomnia. I am really sorry I purchased the hardback edition. Please Diana, don't disappoint us with your next book! This book broke my heart, and I feel the magic of this series is gone.
Rating:
Summary: Very disappointing
Review: I know the author probably feels chained to this saga, compelled by fans and publishing contracts to see it to the bitter end. The first three books were terrific (no, I take that back -- the first two were terrific, the third pretty darn good). Drums was OK, but Fiery Cross is almost unbearable. The author seems proud of her ability to write Vast Tomes, and I don't have an objection to VTs per se -- rather enjoy them, actually. But, that only works when the VTs have actual content. This book could have been half the size and still contain the story and plenty of lyrical description to boot. Yeah, I'll read the next one, but with trepediation -- and only because I'm a completist. P.S. For heavens' sake, send Bree, Roger, and Jem back through the stones and back to the 20th century where they belong.
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