Books 2014 - Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade by Diana Gabaldon

[byslantedlight]

I spotted this on the shelf in the library the other day, and as a few people have recommended the Lord John Grey books, and they should be the kind of books I like, I decided to give them another go. I'd tried a Lord John book a while ago, but not been able to get into it, so I wasn't sure whether to be hopeful or not...

...but I loved it. *g* Which of course means that I now have to go out and find the other Lord John books. Well, I reckon it's good to have a stock of books you know you're going to enjoy reading when you move to a new place - it's a little bit of your own world in the new one, that joy of reading, right?

I remember Lord John a little bit from my reading a thousand years ago of the Outlander books, and what I do remember makes me even more intrigued about where this series will go. He was the baddie in those books, of course, but I do tend to like books and tv shows etc that remind us that baddies aren't actually baddies in many cases - they're not people who woke up in the morning and thought right, what evil thing can I do today? (quote Martin Shaw, btw! *g*), they're people who were doing the best they could with what they thought was right... which makes them far more interesting, I think.

Anyway - I like the way Gabaldon's drawn John Grey, and his relationships and heroism and foibles and all. He's like real person... *g* I'm frowning a bit about his relationship with Jamie (from Outlander) but that's cos I can't quite remember enough about it. What a shame - I'll have to search those books out of my storage and re-read them too... *vbg* He's also an interesting character because he's a gay man trying to survive in 1758 England, where "sodomites" were executed if they were caught too obviously, which means that there's a different dynamic than the whole yes-men-rule-the-world-and-women-aren't-as-important, which is somehow restful to read about (even though there's just as much injustice, obviously). And on that philosophical musing, I shall go and start my day - cos if I get packing this morning, I'm allowed one last trip to the fab bookshop in Ely to look for Lord John books... *vbg*

In the meantime - yeay, new book series to love! And thank you everyone who recommended them, and prompted me to give them another go!

Comments

[caffyolay.livejournal.com]

I seriously need to read something by Diana Gabaldon. I have Outlander so there's no excuse really. These Lord John Grey books have been on my radar for years and I really fancy them, but I probably need to read some of the Outlander books first to get some idea of who he is. The trouble is, there are just *so* many books! Would Outlander do for RIP? It's a ghost story isn't it? Or not?

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

You know, you probably don't need to read the Outlander books to appreciate the John Grey books. It's a bit helpful to know who Jamie Fraser and Claire are, but considering how much I've forgotten about the connection between them all, I virtually don't know right now either, so... *g* Gabaldon herself says that the John Grey books each stand alone, but I never quite buy that - I at least like to read events chronologically when I can. Oh - here's her page about reading order. That's helpful. So you could read the first three Outlander books, up to Voyager, and then divert to John Grey and either go back or not as it grabs you. Actually I want to dig out my Outlander books anyway, so if you like I could loan you the second and third. Presuming I can find them. They are, as she says though, Big Enormous Books. *g*

I wouldn't say they were ghost stories I'm afraid - they're time travel stories, no ghosts...

I'm quite excited to have actually (accidentally) bought a book that I think would fit with the RIP challenge - I bought it cos it's set around where I'm going to live, by an author I've read before and mostly trust, and then realised that it's got a supernatural bent... So I do have somewhere to start! Keeping my eye out for the sign-up post - I presume it goes up around the beginning of September, perhaps, ready to start 1st October? I should go back and look at last year's, shouldn't I, so I'm ready!

I seem to have got my historical eyes in again just now - John Grey, I loved the Victorian DW last night, and I also popped the first Hornblower book into my bag the other day... I really should stop putting books in my bag just now though - I don't even know where shelves will fit at the new place!

[caffyolay.livejournal.com]

I thought I'd try and lay my hands on Outlander late last night and couldn't find it anywhere. But something else came to light and that was Lord John and the Private Matter. I'd completely forgotten that I bought it ages ago. Anyway, another search for Outlander and I found it eventually, so now I have both books on my shelf in my study to read soon. I don't know what made me think they were ghostly... perhaps I was thinking of Brigadoon LOL! So really they're sci-fi... kind of.

The RIP sign-up post usually goes up a day or two before the 1st. Sept. but last year Carl put it up a week before and said folk could start if they wanted. I was hoping for that again so have been keeping an eye out. I'll shout if he does. The challenge starts on the 1st. Sept and ends on the 31st. Oct. Two months of spooky reading. The first week of Sept. we have our grand-daughter here so I'll not be able to read heaps but it'll be nice to get started. The weather certainly matches autumn reading!

I've watched and loved Hornblower but not read any. Any good?

[caffyolay.livejournal.com]

Apologies for all the italics, got the html wrong for Brigdoon and now LJ won't let me edit the comment. *SIgh*

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

How funny lj didn't let you edit the comment, it's been good for me recently (*touches much wood*)

So glad you finally found Outlander, and Lord John and the Private Matter. I've not read the latter one yet - but it's winging its way to me right now... *g* Outlander itself feels more historical than anything else to me (perhaps partly because even the "modern" part is set just post-WWII), but I suppose it technically is... well, no! Though it depends on your definition of sci-fi I guess. But actually I don't remember much science in the fiction at all, the time-travel comes from a stone circle, so it's more legend and mythology and fairy stories than science fiction... In which case maybe you could shoehorn it into RIP! *g*

Oh and yeay - for some reason I was thinking RIP was just for a month, but it's two! I've been looking forward to it, so I'm really pleased we can actually start in... a week's time! A week today! Hurrah! I also realised that of course I have more than one supernatural book on my shelves waiting to be read, so I'll definitely be able to leap in, without even the excuse of needing to buy another book. *g*

I have a half-memory of having read one of the Hornblower books already, and liking it very much. I know I bought one of the books in the series when I saw it secondhand a year or so ago, and I could have sworn I'd left it on my shelf until I had the first two, but... I'm not sure. So I may find that I've already read this one - or even that it turns out to be in my storage - but I'm fairly confident that I will like it - and hopefully the whole series...

[gvenanne.livejournal.com]

it's good to have a stock of books you know you're going to enjoy reading when you move to a new place - it's a little bit of your own world in the new one
It's so true... Even if there is something really hard to cope with a book can help. Gives you a place where you can feel comfortable until you really feel comfortable in your new place or in your new circumstances. There must be some book-therapy! *g*

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

There must always be book therapy! And the Astreiant books should always be there for everyone... *g*

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

I must read her books. I've been meaning to absolutely forever, but I keep getting distracted... I'll add John Grey to the list. *weeps softly*

And it's lovely to have books to look forward to, and especially new series of books. I will never ever be a lover of the short story - you just get to know them, maybe start falling in love, and the blooming story is over. I hate that!

Ooh, move is sooooon! Yay!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

The trouble with adding John Grey to the list is that you probably should add at least the first three Outlander books too... and I've just spoilered myself by reading the blurb of one of the later ones too, and Grey is back in the Outlander books later too! Now I have to go back and re-read and...

...and I know just what you mean about short stories. I've tried, I really have, and now and then I can manage it, but... I will never be a lover of the short story either. Even long stories aren't long enough sometimes...

[franciskerst.livejournal.com]

Are they available as kindle e-books? (I love time travel stories).

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I expect they are, though if you have a Kindle I will leave it up to you to go and check! *g* I gather Gabaldon had an online presence very early though, so I'd be very surprised if she's not also embraced the e-reader market...

I remember liking the time travel aspect of the Outlander stories very much - I hope you find them and like them (John Grey isn't time-travel though, he's firmly part of this 1700s world - or at least he has been in all the books and stories that I have read from the series)! *g*