Voyager

February 26, 2013

I finished Voyager by Diana Gabaldon a couple of days ago, late one night. I'm happy that I'm staying on track reading these massive tomes. :-)

At the end of Dragonfly In Amber, we learned that Jamie didn't die in the battle of Culloden. The first part of Voyager, we learn what happened to Jamie in the last 20 years. Through the research, Clarie and her daughter Brianna, and friend Roger, they are able to track Jamie through records of the English and they find him. Now, Claire has to make a decision, to stay with her daughter, or go through the standing stones again to find Jamie.

She decides to go.

Many surprises are in store for Claire, since only certain places have been recorded of where he has been, just not what he was doing. When things slowly start to get back to normal, Claire and Jamie are thrown for a loop, when out on retrieval mission, Jamie youngest nephew Ian is taken. This book takes you from Scotland to France, and on to several islands in Hispaniola and to Jamaica. So much detail has been applied to this book and so much history.

I read a few years ago, that the Outlander series was supposed to end at this book and leave it a trilogy...I'm so glad that didn't happen! This is one of my favorite series. So much happens and leaves you wanting more.

We meet some new characters and are reintroduced to some old ones we never thought we would see again. Diana Gabaldon never looses her stride in her writing and keeps you wanting more. This is a to read!



Dragonfly In Amber

February 17, 2013

I have kept on reading into the second book of the Outlander series, Dragonfly In Amber by Diana Gabaldon. This is my second read through of this series. I'm shocked at how much I have forgotten from this one, however, I will admit that I didn't like this book as much as the others the first time around. The second time however, I enjoyed it a bit more.

Dragonfly, (to save on some typing I will refer to Dragonfly In Amber as Dragonfly), starts out in the 1960's...that is what through me off the first time I ever read this book. We are not greeted by Claire and Jamie, instead we are thrown into the present time and we see Claire 20 years later with her daughter Brianna heading to the manse in Scotland, to meet with Roger Wakefield, the small boy who liked to sleep in the reverend's study, now grown and working for a university.

So much has happened in the 20 years that need to be answered. Why is Claire back? Where is Jamie?! Who is Brianna? Where is Frank? Thankfully, all of that is answered in short order.

Claire has brought her daughter back to Scotland to explain who her father is, what happened to her, and what happened to her real father. This story takes place of two years in the past with Claire and Jamie, in the time that leads up to the final Rising and battle in Scotland. In this time, Claire and Jamie hope to stop Bonnie Prince Charlie from trying to start the assault, that would lead to so much despair for Scotland.

There is so much in this book, that it is hard to write about it all. We still have a lot of the same characters in Dragonfly, however, some will not be seen after this book. Also, we meet a few new ones. A vile reprobate comes back and a new villain comes forward. Intrigue, romance, and a whole lot of history is in the mix. I enjoyed this book so much for the second time around. To read! And before, I think I said that I would break up the books, yeah...that isn't going to happen. I've already started the 3rd. :-)


Outlander

February 9, 2013

I just finished Outlander yesterday by Diana Gabaldon. I decided to re-read this series since the newest book will be coming out later this year and I wanted to catch up on all of the information I have forgotten. Also, a friend and I have decided to start an Outlander Book Club. It is her first time reading this series and it's fun to talk about the goings on of the book.

I will start by saying that this book isn't for everyone. It is an adult book with adult themes in it.

The book starts off in the 1940's right after WW2 in the Scottish Highlands. We meet Claire Randall, a WW2 nurse, who is getting re-acquainted with her husband of 8 years. They married 3 days before the war broke out and were called into service. They decided to have a honeymoon to the place where they were married. Claire enjoys her time wearing non-uniformed clothes and her husband Frank is enjoying his time studying his family tree, especially one member, Jack Randall, a capt. during the time of the Scottish uprising.

On an excursion to see some standing stones, Claire finds out the purpose of the standing stones, they are a portal for time travelers and unbeknownst to her, she is one. She is flung back through time nearly 200 years. When she arrives, she meets her husbands ancestor, Jack Randall. He is not what she expects and flees. In the process, she is rescued/caught by a Scottish raiding party and taken away from the stones to the castle of Leoch, the center point for the clan of MacKenzie. Here she meets Jaime (McTavish) Fraser. Trying to fit into the time proves tricky, but Claire finds the ability. What she is unable to do is find away to get back to the standing stones where she traveled from.

She is doubted by the MacKenzies and hunted by the English. She is thought of as a spy, but no one knows who for? To avoid being handed over to the English, Claire and Jaime are married for her protection. Things aren't all that simple however. Jaime is hunted for a bounty on his head.

There is fighting, blood, romance, hurt, betrayal, there is a little bit of everything in this book and a lot of History. I enjoyed this book, and say it's a to read!


 
 

Janurary Review

February 1, 2013

This month was a great start to the year. Evey book I read, I really enjoyed and would recommended to anyone. I was able to stay on track and knocked out 5 books, so that leaves me 50 more for the rest of the year, which means 4.5 books a month.







Covenant of War

I finished Covenant of War by Cliff Graham late last night. This is the second book in the Lion of War Series and I just have to say, it was just as good as the first one! And like the first book, this book isn't for everybody, it has a stronger blood content then most Christian books, but it isn't gory. There are adult themes.

Covenant of War takes place 7 years after the last book. David is king, however all is not at peace. Strife and mistrust amongst the tribes of Judea is strong. However, they are all together in wanting to destroy the Philistines. This book follows Eleazar, who is not only one of David's elite Thirty, but also, one of the Three. The best of the best of the warriors.

David in the 7 years has become soft, letting this army scatter a bit and has become more enamored with the concubines in his harem. There is is a spy amongst his Thirty feeding information to the Philistines. A harsh drought has hit the lands making it tough for everyone in the valley. It seems like God isn't there for them, but He shows that he is.

This book/series is a to read! I really enjoyed seeing how battle was during this time. That probably sounds a bit morbid, but it's interesting. War today is all really fought at a distance it seems, planes, drones, guided missiles. Here, it's hand to hand combat with swords, javelins, knives, clubs. You fight hand to hand with your adversary, you see their strength or fear in their eyes. That seems to hard. It's a good insight to the times.


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