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shannismcewen's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first Lord John Grey thing that I've been super into. Maybe I was just in the right mood or something. Anyway, a fantastic little mystery story.
margardenlady's review against another edition
4.0
Lord John Grey has arrived in Jamaica to settle colonial affairs and finds quite a mess. Suggestible drunken officials, evil Scotswoman, and balmy jungle. But Lord John keeps a cool head and manages to sort out the difficulties and net a new hat.
canada_matt's review against another edition
4.0
In Gabaldon's final piece (to date) of Lord John-centred writing, she succeeds in weaving another great tale with her ever-resourceful Lord John Grey at the helm. In Jamaica on official business, Lord John is soon drawn into a phenomena new to him; the emergence of zombies. Waking one night by a visitor whose human form is questionable, Grey wonders if there is more to this myth than strict lore. When the Governor is found murdered, the scene leads many to believe a pack of zombies may be behind the crime. However, Grey is not so sure and mounts clues to turn the investigation in another direction. With many wishing him gone (from office as well as from the earth), the Governor's demise leaves many suspects for Grey to ponder. That said, the power of zombies appears stronger than even and Grey seeks to learn more about them if for no other reason than to quench his curiosity. Another great novella by Gabaldon to keep the reader on the edge of their seat and with an eye on packs of unknowns lurking the streets at night.
Gabaldon's OUTLANDER series is one of my great guilty pleasures. Her plethora of characters leaves a great opening for many interesting branch-off stories or novellas. That said, her character Lord John Grey, whose role in the Outlander series is minor in the first three novels, is one perfectly suited for a series of novels. An 18th century Sherlock Holmes on one hand and a tyrannical man whose lust for Jamie Fraser fuels a powerful hatred in the main novel series cannot be discounted. Gabaldon has done a masterful job of painting a calmer and more likeable side to Grey in this series, as well as jumping on the 'zombie' bandwagon made overly popular by THE WALKING DEAD. A great novella for fans of the series or newbies alike, it makes for a highly entertaining read for the curious reader.
And so another segment of the OUTLANDER series is complete. Lord John has played the role of a bridging character, his adventures and interactions with Jamie Fraser held between the two periods of Claire's appearance through the Standing Stones. While given a brief glimpse of LJG in VOYAGER, as both Governor of Ardsmuir and Governor of Jamaica, these novels and novellas serve to offer more insight and surely pave the way for new and exciting adventures to come. I had read the entire LJG series before, piecemeal, but it is only now that I read them all sequentially that the thread makes a lot more sense. Well-written and highly entertaining, Gabaldon has a great handle on her characters and the stories they weave.
Kudos, Madam Gabaldon for this off-shoot series and all that you write. I am obsessed and will forge ahead, back with the Outlander gang to see what's to pass in the American Colonies.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Gabaldon's OUTLANDER series is one of my great guilty pleasures. Her plethora of characters leaves a great opening for many interesting branch-off stories or novellas. That said, her character Lord John Grey, whose role in the Outlander series is minor in the first three novels, is one perfectly suited for a series of novels. An 18th century Sherlock Holmes on one hand and a tyrannical man whose lust for Jamie Fraser fuels a powerful hatred in the main novel series cannot be discounted. Gabaldon has done a masterful job of painting a calmer and more likeable side to Grey in this series, as well as jumping on the 'zombie' bandwagon made overly popular by THE WALKING DEAD. A great novella for fans of the series or newbies alike, it makes for a highly entertaining read for the curious reader.
And so another segment of the OUTLANDER series is complete. Lord John has played the role of a bridging character, his adventures and interactions with Jamie Fraser held between the two periods of Claire's appearance through the Standing Stones. While given a brief glimpse of LJG in VOYAGER, as both Governor of Ardsmuir and Governor of Jamaica, these novels and novellas serve to offer more insight and surely pave the way for new and exciting adventures to come. I had read the entire LJG series before, piecemeal, but it is only now that I read them all sequentially that the thread makes a lot more sense. Well-written and highly entertaining, Gabaldon has a great handle on her characters and the stories they weave.
Kudos, Madam Gabaldon for this off-shoot series and all that you write. I am obsessed and will forge ahead, back with the Outlander gang to see what's to pass in the American Colonies.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
bethbarron's review against another edition
5.0
I really do love the Outlander collection. After a wild, crazy week (or month) at work I needed an escape. This was perfect. Zombies, oh my! But not the way you think. Gabaldon, ever the researcher and historian, delves into the class and racial structure of "new world" Jamaica, complete with snakes, charms, natural "remedies," and crazy twists. I'm always left feeling a little more knowledgeable about history when I finish something in this saga, full of historical accuracy and literary genius. I was pleasantly surprised at her nod to Zora Neale Hurston here as well.
Bravo, once more.
Bravo, once more.
angielisle's review against another edition
3.0
Loved the historical info about zombies - a nice change from virus-plagues - but I would've liked more story. This felt rushed.
mimsy42's review against another edition
2.0
I really like the character of Lord John, but I think I'm not really a short-story person.
rabarberhater's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
megf's review against another edition
3.0
Another excellent story by Diana Gabaldon. Lord John is always a treat, but this one was a little shorter than what we're used to, I think.
thereadinghammock's review against another edition
I think I was hoping for a little more from this one. It all just seemed so anti-climactic. I liked the story, and I think it was interesting to see some of LJG's escapades in Jamaica. I think I was just hoping for more to happen--like why introduce the Twelvetrees family and then kind of disregard them--I totally thought Nancy was in on something in the plot! But alas, it was fun to be back in the saddle with LJG, at least for a quick adventure.