I finished off the Lord John books by Diana Gabaldon with...
Lord John and the Hand of Devils, The Custom of the Army and The Scottish Prisoner.
The Hand of Devils is a trilogy of short stories. The Custom of the Army is a novella and the Scottish Prisoner is a novel.
These books are pure entertainment and if you haven't read any of the Outlander or Lord John books, I would read them in their proper order. The proper order is as follows:
Outlander (big novel), Dragonfly in Amber (big novel), Voyager (big novel), Lord John and the Hellfire Club (Lord John and the Hand of Devils), Lord John and the Private Matter (novel), Lord John and the Succubus (Lord John and the Hand of Devils), Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade (novel), Lord John and the Haunted Soldier (Lord John and the Hand of Devils), The Custom of the Army (novella), The Scottish Prisoner (novel), Plague of Zombies (Down in These Strange Streets ed George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois), Drums of Autumn (big novel), The Fiery Cross (big novel), The Breath of Snow and Ashes (big novel), An Echo in the Bone (big novel), Written in my Own Heart's Blood (not yet published bug novel), A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows (novella), The Space Between (The Mad Scientist's Guide to World Domination ed John Joseph Adams), Virgins (Warriors ed by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois)
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Saturday, March 2, 2013
The Big Rock Candy Mountain
The Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stegner
Stegner excels at his description of people, their emotions and what makes them tick. This book is no exception.
This book follows a family over the course of about 50 years as they struggle to survive in an uncertain world. The voice of the book is an omnificent third party. The voice first follows Elsa who marries Bo Mason against the better judgement of her family. Bo is an erratic and volatile man who is in search of the next great break. He is constantly trying to find his "big rock candy mountain." Later, the voice changes and follows the youngest son Bruce. Bruce had a difficult early childhood but learns to adapt to his ever-changing environment. He ends up succeeding in ways the rest of his family never did. He is also able to see his family with a detached view which seems almost cold and calculating.
This book takes place largely in the west and up into Canada. It is set during the early years of the 20th century so we see the local effects of World War I, prohibition and the flu pandemic. It is viewed as a largely autobiographical novel. Whether it is or not, Stegner's tale is heart wrenching and poignant. This book was very difficult to read at times but in the end, I really enjoyed it and thought it was well worth reading.
Stegner excels at his description of people, their emotions and what makes them tick. This book is no exception.
This book follows a family over the course of about 50 years as they struggle to survive in an uncertain world. The voice of the book is an omnificent third party. The voice first follows Elsa who marries Bo Mason against the better judgement of her family. Bo is an erratic and volatile man who is in search of the next great break. He is constantly trying to find his "big rock candy mountain." Later, the voice changes and follows the youngest son Bruce. Bruce had a difficult early childhood but learns to adapt to his ever-changing environment. He ends up succeeding in ways the rest of his family never did. He is also able to see his family with a detached view which seems almost cold and calculating.
This book takes place largely in the west and up into Canada. It is set during the early years of the 20th century so we see the local effects of World War I, prohibition and the flu pandemic. It is viewed as a largely autobiographical novel. Whether it is or not, Stegner's tale is heart wrenching and poignant. This book was very difficult to read at times but in the end, I really enjoyed it and thought it was well worth reading.
Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade
Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade by Diana Gabaldon
This is book 2 in the Lord John series. It follows the timeline of the previous book and gives us more insight to Lord John Grey. We get to see his inner torment to be true to himself and his family without revealing his homosexuality to the world.
Again, I continue to enjoy these books. It looks like there are a couple of Lord John books that are not part of this series but were published before the next book in the series. I think I will go with publication dates and read them in that order and see where it gets me.
This is book 2 in the Lord John series. It follows the timeline of the previous book and gives us more insight to Lord John Grey. We get to see his inner torment to be true to himself and his family without revealing his homosexuality to the world.
Again, I continue to enjoy these books. It looks like there are a couple of Lord John books that are not part of this series but were published before the next book in the series. I think I will go with publication dates and read them in that order and see where it gets me.
A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows
A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows: An Outlander Novella by Diana Gabaldon
This is a novella that is a companion to the Outlander series. It follows An Echo of the Bone. I am going to have a hard time waiting for the next book in this series to be published.
This book answers the question of what happened to Roger MacKenzie's parents during World War II causing him to become orphaned. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a great teaser of what is to come in the series as well as answering a question that has been hanging out there a bit.
This is a novella that is a companion to the Outlander series. It follows An Echo of the Bone. I am going to have a hard time waiting for the next book in this series to be published.
This book answers the question of what happened to Roger MacKenzie's parents during World War II causing him to become orphaned. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a great teaser of what is to come in the series as well as answering a question that has been hanging out there a bit.
Lord John and the Private Matter
Lord John and the Private Matter by Diana Gabaldon
This is Book 1 in Gabaldon's Lord John series. This started out as a off-shoot novella alongside the Outlander series. The novella became a novel and then it became a series in it's own right.
It isn't quite as engaging as the Outlander series but I wish that I had read this book in it's proper place with the Outlander series. It's weird to go back in time, so to speak, and try to remember what was going on in the Outlander books at the time of this book.
I enjoyed the historical information about the LGTB community at the time and I will keep reading these books and see where they take me.
This is Book 1 in Gabaldon's Lord John series. This started out as a off-shoot novella alongside the Outlander series. The novella became a novel and then it became a series in it's own right.
It isn't quite as engaging as the Outlander series but I wish that I had read this book in it's proper place with the Outlander series. It's weird to go back in time, so to speak, and try to remember what was going on in the Outlander books at the time of this book.
I enjoyed the historical information about the LGTB community at the time and I will keep reading these books and see where they take me.
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