Book number five in The Outlander series did not disappoint in my opinion! It was full of family, love, affection, bravery, horrible scrapes and snarls, but all the same it was interesting. There's something about the life of Claire and Jamie Fraser, it can never be dull. As the main man, the leader, the laird in a way, Jamie is always busy with the goings on of Fraser Ridge. It does help that he now has Roger MacKenzie, formerly Roger Wakefield, to help him. He also has my love Fergus! You know how Lord John has his own series, I think that there should be books dedicated to Fergus and what he does when he's on his own, I bet he can't resist the urge to pick a pocket every now and again. Plus being the dear that he is, I'm sure he gets into his own troubles. Anyway, with the introduction of Brianna and Roger, the loss of Ian, and Duncan marrying Jamie's aunt Jocasta; there's a lot going on. Not to mention Stephan Bonnet has yet to be dealt with! There's death and mayhem; near wars and near deaths, this book has a little bit of everything! We get to see the lovely Jemmy go from a tiny baby to a toddler whom Brianna and Roger are trying to potty train which leads to many interesting conversations. One of which is with Jamie where they talk about ball, Jemmy can't figure out why someone said that Jamie has balls, Jamie is wearing a kilt at the time and shows young Jemmy his balls, Jemmy says "Is Willy!" Which caused me to laugh so hard that I dropped the book and there were tears running down my face. What a childlike thing to say and Jamie and Roger of course went back to trying to show him about balls but outside.
Jemmy's paternity is always wondered about, he doesn't look like Roger but no one can really see Stephen Bonnet in him either, to say the least he looks like Brianna. Roger spends a lot of his time not knowing whether Jemmy is his or not and though it doesn't seem to bother him, he has to wonder. There's also the chance that if they should have to go back to their own time, that if Jemmy is Stephen Bonnet's that he couldn't time travel. Which is worrying to them all. They know that the revolution is coming and they know that times with become hard; they want to go back to the 60s if they can but it won't be easy if Jemmy can't travel with them. How could Brianna and Roger leave their child? The deaths of Claire and Jamie also play a big part, they know when they are supposed to die and they know that it says that they are not survived by any children. Therefore, Claire worries about Brianna, Roger, and Jemmy; while Jamie just worries in general about everything. Or does he? Who can tell? He does nearly die but I think at this point that's quite normal for Mr. Fraser. It is known that he struggles with Ian staying with the Mohawk. But other than that, there's not a whole lot known. Jamie keeps it to himself. Stephen Bonnet and the smuggling ring that he runs becomes a big part of this book because we do know that Jamie is quite content to get his revenge on Bonnet. He feels tremendous guilt in sparing his life and having it come back on him. Does Jamie find Mr. Bonnet, who is a disgrace to all of those who have a good Irish name? Well you'll have to read the book to find out now won't you?
What I think?
I think that if you're looking for a good historical fiction series that will keep you in a time that is so unlike your own. Then you'll really like the Outlander series and though it does have death, destruction, and all of this; it's also funny because you never know what some of the characters are going to say. My main man Fergus for one! This book shows a lot of settling in, not only the Frasers but the MacKenzie's as well. Brianna and Roger find a way to exist in this time and they do a good job of it. Of course it's difficult and they do fall on hard times and things are not easy but they manage to get through it. Their love story might be different from Jamie's and Claire's, some people might find it not so interesting but I think it's great! There's no doubt about that! Jemmy and Fergus' children add a different element than it has in the past. We didn't see Brianna growing up and we didn't really know what she was like but we're getting a good taste of children and the mischief that they can get up to in this installment. They provide a bit of comedic relief at times because the story can get quite heavy and there's some struggles that just make you think, people are cruel but that's true in any time. Also can we talk about how many people have had name changes? Claire Randall --> Claire Beauchamp ---> Claire Fraser ---> Dr. Claire Randall ----> Mistress Fraser! Brianna Randall ---> Brianna Fraser ---> Brianna MacKenzie/ Himself's Daughter! Jamie Fraser ---> Jamie MacTavish ---> Captain Jamie Fraser ---> Dunbonnet ---> Mac Dubh ---> Alex Malcolm ---> Jamie Fraser/Himself! Roger MacKenzie --> Roger Wakefield ---> Roger MacKenzie! Look at that! That's just crazy is it not? How many times are people going to change their names back and forth? I think it's because there are so many people who have been adopted. Jamie just changed his name because he's an outlaw and therefore a bad lad. Oh my bad! Claudel---> Fergus ---> Fergus Fraser. Jeez that's as bad as the amount of times that Jamie's aunt Jocasta married a Cameron! Although she's Mrs. MacInnes by the end of the book! It's a good book and it's 1400 pages so if you're on the fence about it at all, don't read it. Probably won't be worth it but if you've made it that far and are as sucked in as I am, you'll need to read it! I think this book is worth 8.5 White Bears out of 10! Now there's a rating for ya! ;)
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
The Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4) by DG
You know how the first time I said that Outlander reminded me of Doctor Who, well this title did the same thing because all I could hear was that music that The Master plays, here comes the drums, yeah that! Before I forget what this book is completely about!
Claire, Jamie, and company are trying to make their way in America. They're trying to get Ian back to Scotland before Jenny murders Jamie, they're attempting to forget the things the Gellis Duncan said about Lord Lovat's line, which gets more complicated, and most of all they are trying to make their way to Jamie's Aunt Jocasta's without any trouble whatsoever. Welcome to the Outlander series, that shall never happen! In the more modern times, Brianna Randall is getting to know Roger Wakefield and they are quickly falling in love! Which of course is not a bad thing. However, things become complicated quickly and the story of Jamie and Claire become more intertwined with Brianna's and Roger's.
Why? Because, they meet a man by the name of Stephen Bonnet. Now they don't meet him in a usual way, they find him hiding with the corpse of one of Jamie's men from Ardsmuir who was hanged for being a thief. Jamie takes pity on Bonnet and helps him get away because he knows what it's like to feel that rope going around your neck. Bonnet is most grateful and I honestly thought that maybe you know he would join the merry crew, though he was an Irishman. You'd think he would because he's be grateful to Jamie but that's not what he did. Jamie thinks that they have seen the last of Bonnet but his decision of that night comes back to haunt him many times. Let me just say that Stephen Bonnet is a bad example of Irish people because he's a dick or a douchecanoe. Whatever you wants to call him. He eventually helps rob Jamie and Claire leaving Jamie to turn up at his aunt's pennyless which is not what he wants at all.
They eventually become settled at a place that Jamie calls Fraser's Ridge; mostly because as much as they like Jocasta they need to make it on their own and Jamie feels used by her. She may be blind but that doesn't stop her from being sly as a frigging fox. You wouldn't know what was going on with that one. As proved in the next book! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! That woman! We won't talk of Jocasta, that's all. They settle in and build their little house, Fergus eventually goes back to get his wife and the baby who is called Germain. All is well. Or well not all is well, you know there are always things going on. There's quite a few tangles but let's say that things are relatively on the straight and narrow.
Roger hasn't really heard from Brianna and he is starting to worry, normally he wouldn't but he knows that he is supposed to meet her soon and things just aren't feeling right. He discovers that she has gone back through the stones and he starts to plan to go back himself. Here is where the story starts to become even more tangled and that is a fact. Roger does go through the stones, though he had a bit of difficulty at first, he knows that he is a descendant of Gellis Duncan, so he knows that the chances are that he could. He just messed it up the first time but managed to go with the help of Fiona. Brianna has travelled to Lally Broch and has met her Murray relatives and is learning where her parents are. She makes plans to go to America and in the middle of this ends up with a maid named Lizzie, who is a shy but sweet little thing. Roger has taken on the name MacKenzie and is sailing on a ship with Stephen Bonnet as Captian, oh yes him again. Roger and Brianna's paths do cross and she is both sadden and happy to see him. They um consummate their hand fasting and all would seem to be well except Roger leaves and then they become separated.
Let's just say that things do not become any easier from there. Brianna does eventually find her parents and she is very glad to see them, although it can be said that it is somewhat strange because she is so used to thinking of Frank Randall as Dad. They soon realize that Brianna is pregnant and Lizzie tells Jamie of Roger. Which doesn't end well because Roger shows up and Jamie has his hauled off to live with the Indians for raping his daughter while Brianna frets about him. It's partly Ian's fault as well and he even manages to propose to Brianna. It later comes out that it's not Roger that has her so upset but Stephen Bonnet, yes he raped Jamie Fraser's daughter and now he's going to die. The merry band leave Brianna at Riverrun with her Auntie Jocasta and search for the Mohawk who have Roger MacKenzie. Do they find him? Of course they do but to get him back they must sacrifice Ian and this is the thing that leaves Jamie Fraser with the most guilt in this world.
My Thoughts
To be completely honest it's been a few weeks since I finished this book and I don't really remember the nitty gritty details of it all. I do remember that Claire does surgery on some guy's penis and that makes me giggle to no end. I know that I cried with they left Ian, I was glad that they got Roger back but to leave Ian with the Mohawk and how Jamie told him to not forget in Gaelic made me really sad. The birth of Jemmy complicated things in my mind, Roger accepted him of course and didn't think twice about it but does that now make Jemmy the last of Lord Lovat's line? It has to be because he has Fraser blood as well as Brianna does. Maybe it's not as strong but he would still be of Lord Lovat's line. So what does that mean for Gellis Duncan's predictions? Also how creepy is it that Gellis Duncan was trying to kill Jamie and Claire while her descendant is married to their daughter. That's another thing, if Roger and Brianna's genes have mixed with Jemmy or a future child, what does that mean for them? This book left me with more questions than answers and that's why I dived headfirst into the Fiery Cross and didn't really think about doing a blog post about it. That's not true, I thought about it. I just preferred to stay in the books than to actually put my thoughts to it all down. I give this book 8 Near Hangings out of 10. Also stay away from Stephen Bonnet, he's trouble!
Claire, Jamie, and company are trying to make their way in America. They're trying to get Ian back to Scotland before Jenny murders Jamie, they're attempting to forget the things the Gellis Duncan said about Lord Lovat's line, which gets more complicated, and most of all they are trying to make their way to Jamie's Aunt Jocasta's without any trouble whatsoever. Welcome to the Outlander series, that shall never happen! In the more modern times, Brianna Randall is getting to know Roger Wakefield and they are quickly falling in love! Which of course is not a bad thing. However, things become complicated quickly and the story of Jamie and Claire become more intertwined with Brianna's and Roger's.
Why? Because, they meet a man by the name of Stephen Bonnet. Now they don't meet him in a usual way, they find him hiding with the corpse of one of Jamie's men from Ardsmuir who was hanged for being a thief. Jamie takes pity on Bonnet and helps him get away because he knows what it's like to feel that rope going around your neck. Bonnet is most grateful and I honestly thought that maybe you know he would join the merry crew, though he was an Irishman. You'd think he would because he's be grateful to Jamie but that's not what he did. Jamie thinks that they have seen the last of Bonnet but his decision of that night comes back to haunt him many times. Let me just say that Stephen Bonnet is a bad example of Irish people because he's a dick or a douchecanoe. Whatever you wants to call him. He eventually helps rob Jamie and Claire leaving Jamie to turn up at his aunt's pennyless which is not what he wants at all.
They eventually become settled at a place that Jamie calls Fraser's Ridge; mostly because as much as they like Jocasta they need to make it on their own and Jamie feels used by her. She may be blind but that doesn't stop her from being sly as a frigging fox. You wouldn't know what was going on with that one. As proved in the next book! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! That woman! We won't talk of Jocasta, that's all. They settle in and build their little house, Fergus eventually goes back to get his wife and the baby who is called Germain. All is well. Or well not all is well, you know there are always things going on. There's quite a few tangles but let's say that things are relatively on the straight and narrow.
Roger hasn't really heard from Brianna and he is starting to worry, normally he wouldn't but he knows that he is supposed to meet her soon and things just aren't feeling right. He discovers that she has gone back through the stones and he starts to plan to go back himself. Here is where the story starts to become even more tangled and that is a fact. Roger does go through the stones, though he had a bit of difficulty at first, he knows that he is a descendant of Gellis Duncan, so he knows that the chances are that he could. He just messed it up the first time but managed to go with the help of Fiona. Brianna has travelled to Lally Broch and has met her Murray relatives and is learning where her parents are. She makes plans to go to America and in the middle of this ends up with a maid named Lizzie, who is a shy but sweet little thing. Roger has taken on the name MacKenzie and is sailing on a ship with Stephen Bonnet as Captian, oh yes him again. Roger and Brianna's paths do cross and she is both sadden and happy to see him. They um consummate their hand fasting and all would seem to be well except Roger leaves and then they become separated.
Let's just say that things do not become any easier from there. Brianna does eventually find her parents and she is very glad to see them, although it can be said that it is somewhat strange because she is so used to thinking of Frank Randall as Dad. They soon realize that Brianna is pregnant and Lizzie tells Jamie of Roger. Which doesn't end well because Roger shows up and Jamie has his hauled off to live with the Indians for raping his daughter while Brianna frets about him. It's partly Ian's fault as well and he even manages to propose to Brianna. It later comes out that it's not Roger that has her so upset but Stephen Bonnet, yes he raped Jamie Fraser's daughter and now he's going to die. The merry band leave Brianna at Riverrun with her Auntie Jocasta and search for the Mohawk who have Roger MacKenzie. Do they find him? Of course they do but to get him back they must sacrifice Ian and this is the thing that leaves Jamie Fraser with the most guilt in this world.
My Thoughts
To be completely honest it's been a few weeks since I finished this book and I don't really remember the nitty gritty details of it all. I do remember that Claire does surgery on some guy's penis and that makes me giggle to no end. I know that I cried with they left Ian, I was glad that they got Roger back but to leave Ian with the Mohawk and how Jamie told him to not forget in Gaelic made me really sad. The birth of Jemmy complicated things in my mind, Roger accepted him of course and didn't think twice about it but does that now make Jemmy the last of Lord Lovat's line? It has to be because he has Fraser blood as well as Brianna does. Maybe it's not as strong but he would still be of Lord Lovat's line. So what does that mean for Gellis Duncan's predictions? Also how creepy is it that Gellis Duncan was trying to kill Jamie and Claire while her descendant is married to their daughter. That's another thing, if Roger and Brianna's genes have mixed with Jemmy or a future child, what does that mean for them? This book left me with more questions than answers and that's why I dived headfirst into the Fiery Cross and didn't really think about doing a blog post about it. That's not true, I thought about it. I just preferred to stay in the books than to actually put my thoughts to it all down. I give this book 8 Near Hangings out of 10. Also stay away from Stephen Bonnet, he's trouble!
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