Customer Reviews

Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Curiously, this novel brings to mind Laclos' superb Dangerous Liaisons--the surface veneer and manners of the 18th century gentility, and the much seamier interior beneath the surface. Gabaldon is definitely NOT your traditional historical romance writer: you are not going to get a nice drawing-room novel of heterosexual romantic love. There is a romance, but I doubt it will appeal to the Rosemary Rogers crowd. There's a lot of historical flavor and detail, some mystery, some battlefield action in the Seven Years' War.

The novel is also not gay fiction. There are a few sex scenes, but the main element is the life of the gentry in London and in the regiments, the manners and the underside of life. You don't see the heroines in Jane Austen's books doing the laundry: here, the faithful manservant Tom always seems to be concerned about the stains on Lord Grey's clothes--London was not a place where you could stay clean for long.

Gabaldon's novels are an acquired taste. Here, you'll find elements reminiscent of Austen, Dickens, and Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series. If you want a hard-core mystery, this isn't it. If you want pure battles, try Sharpe or Hornblower. Gabaldon can draw from different genres successfully. I remember buying a used paperback in the Outlander series: the previous owner had carefully inked out all of the sex scenes (heterosexual in that series). The owner had liked the historical romance aspects, but not the rather explicit sex. Gabaldon is not going to sugar-coat her work to please a particular group--that's a rare ethic nowadays, and a highly commendable one. An enjoyable read!

Diana Gabaldon's latest book, Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, gives us another look at one of the peripheral characters in her wonderful Outlander series. Lord John Grey, formerly in charge of Ardsmuire Prison where Jamie Fraser was held, is now back in London and on a mission to restore his dead father's good name. We learn that Grey knew his father hadn't committed suicide all those years ago, but that the story was missing several pieces to determine exactly what did happen. Lord John follows the cold trail and discovers what did occur when he was a child of twelve, though much more is woven into the storyline than this short review can reveal. Suffice it to say that Lord John's life in the military and his family play major roles in helping him get to the bottom of a secret that's been taunting him for years.

Yes, Lord John is a homosexual. Gabaldon made that adamantly clear in her Outlander series, and it is an essential part of his character, but it does not define him as a man. The homosexual love scenes are indeed graphic and I'm unsure as to why Gabaldon decided they were so necessary to advance her plot. Some insight is given into Grey's character through them, however, and one of the main themes of betrayal certainly is shown through the relationship between Grey and Percy. Even less clear to me, however, is why Grey felt the need to confront Jamie about his own homosexuality toward the end of the book; it's not a spoiler to say that the scene in question left me scratching my head as to what exactly was accomplished, other than to make sure we had another glimpse of our favorite Scot.

In general, this is a well-written book that is not overly verbose as Gabaldon is sometimes accused of being, and the plot itself is tightly woven. I loved the characters, even the minor ones, and I was reminded of why Lord John was so compelling when I first met him in Voyager. Gut-wrenching at times, violent at times, and definitely emotional, this is a good entry in the series and an engaging historical mystery. Recommended with the caution that you won't find all the answers you're looking for, but definitely will enjoy the journey.

Diana Gabaldon has created another masterpiece with Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade. The character of Lord John Grey has a new book with a new mystery to solve and a new love that comes into his life. Originally one of the minor characters in Gabaldon's successful Outlander series, Grey was one of her favorite characters. She decided to give him his own set of adventures and those have taken off too.

Brotherhood of the Blade is the sequel to Lord John and the Private Matter. Both books dovetail nicely into the Outlander books, but you really don't need to read them to know what's going on. Gabaldon manages to fit any exposition neatly between the comings and goings of the two novels without making it so blatant as to bore the reader.

John and older brother Hal are being taunted with pages from their late father's journal--pages that seem to insinuate that their father was a traitor and that his death avoided what was to be a family scandal. John is forced to go see the one man who might have a clue to the issue--Jamie Fraser, a convicted Jacobite officer that John is only too familiar with. Near misses by would be assassins only strengthen John's resolve to solve this mystery--even though Hal and their mother want it to remain dead and buried with the late Duke of Pardloe. Add an unexpected romance, another death in the family, and the regiment's coming departure for the Prussian war and this book is rife with intrigue and action.

Gabaldon has created a wonderful sequel, one that far surpasses the writing of the first. The characters are intricate and multi-layered; John Grey more so in this book than in the previous. The action is full of surprises, tense and never slowing. The battle scenes carry the smell of smoke from the realism. And Outlander fans get a few scenes with their beloved Jamie Fraser.

On a scale of 5 stars, I give this one the full five--for action, adventure, believable and interesting characters. A great story well crafted. Bring on more Lord John Grey--with a new book in November; Lord John and the Hand of Devils. I can't wait!

"Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade" is Diana Gabaldon at her finest. For my money, no other historical fiction author manages to create such a perfect balance of historical accuracy and enjoyable story. From the opening sentence to the final scene, Gabaldon makes you care about her characters, and she does it by immersing us fully into their world and time - prejudices, elegance, constrictions, beauty, and all.

First, for all the people horrified that their precious little heterosexual eyes have been tainted by having to read a gay sex scene: Quit whining and grow up. If you're really a Diana Gabaldon fan, you should already know she writes fairly graphic (and hot) sex scenes, and you know that John Grey is gay. Put two and two together, people! What, did you think he was going to spend the entire series drinking tea and engaging in witty repartee? No one complained back in "Outlander" when Jamie BEAT Claire, or when Gabaldon wrote graphic depictions of Brianna and Claire being raped, because that was nice, heteronormed male domination, right? But now we're all going to be offended because Ms. Gabaldon depicts a pair of happy, affectionate gay men having sex? Grow. Up.

Oh, and those of you whining that somehow THESE sex scenes were "gratuitous" or not necessary to the plot: Did you actually read the book, or were you too busy being shocked, shocked! to notice how important the physical relationship is to the plot? The things we learn about John and Percy during their one (that's right, just one!) sex scene are central to their characters. Not to mention the poignancy their intimacy lends the eventual tragedy that befalls them... So is the sex "gratuitous"? No more so than any of the dozens of other scenes Gabaldon has written over the years. Indeed, I would rather read a scene between Grey and another man than have to suffer through another awkward, unsexy, passive-aggressive encounter between Brianna and Roger, any day.

Now, for those of you who are actually adult enough to read and appreciate this novel: "Brotherhood of the Blade" is a vast improvement over "Private Matter," back to the quality of some of the earlier books in the Outlander series. (We'll say "Voyager," perhaps - nothing else to date has been able to compare with the first two books, alas.) In the chronology, this book takes place around the death of Geneva Dunsany and the birth of Jamie's son Willie. Jamie himself does make several appearances, but his role here is much smaller than the jacket copy would have you believe. (Moreover, in one scene in particular, we see a rather ugly side of him. It's justified and completely in character, but for those of us who've been a little bit in love with him for years, it's a bit upsetting.)

As the book opens, Lord John's mother, Benedicta, is remarrying - a common occurrence that nevertheless sets several things in motion. For one, Grey is introduced to his new stepbrother, Percy, and an attraction springs up between them. But then Benedicta and Grey's brother Hal are the recipients of mysterious pages from Grey's father's diary - the same father who supposedly killed himself years ago after being accused of being a Jacobite. Someone is trying to tell the Greys something, but who that person is and what they have to say is left a mystery nearly to the end.

Calling this book a mystery novel is somewhat of a misnomer. It's not a mystery in the traditional sense, where clues are dropped and the reader is invited to solve the puzzle before the protagonist. Instead, we learn things as Grey learns them, and as he struggles with his own memories of his father. Meanwhile, of course, there's his entanglement with Percy, and the threat their relationship poses to them both. Indeed, indiscretions and betrayal nearly destroy one man's life and another's career.

Gabaldon has done another magnificent job creating truly believable, sympathetic characters here, and giving them a living, breathing world to inhabit. She never stoops to caricatures or stereotypes, and isn't afraid of creating flawed heroes. If you're mature enough not to be squeamish about those infamous sex scenes, you will find yourself caring deeply about Grey and wanting to see him happy; knowing some of his future from previous books, you'll now see some of the loves and tragedies that shape him into the man alternately loved and resented by the Frasers. Gabaldon has done it again, and now I only hope that the next Lord John book (also coming out this year) maintains the high standards she's set here.

First Sentence: To the best of Lord John Grey's knowledge, stepmothers as depicted in fiction tended to be venal, evil, cunning, homicidal, and occasionally cannibalistic.

Lord John Grey's older brother Hal, now the duke of Pardloe since their father's death, has received a page from the diary of their father. Their father's death brought scandal to the family as he allegedly committed suicide. John, however, knows their father was murdered and it is now time to find the killer. Lord John's mother is about to marry for the third time which also means a step brother, Percy Wainwright. John and Percy are attracted to each other in an age when their sexual preference was a hanging offense, particularly for those in the military. When Percy is caught in the act, John is faced with trying to find a way to save Percy's life without exposing and risking himself.

This is the second book focused on Lord John, introduced to us through the Outlander series, and a much better book than the first. Although there are scenes between John and Jamie, the focus of this story is John, Percy and the murder. It is a wonderful depiction of the period, exciting, suspenseful and more emotional than I'd have thought. It's also nice as I believe it could be read as a complete standalone. But it is particularly wonderful for those of us who are huge Gabaldon fans.

The Lord John Grey novels are a spin off series from Diana Gabaldon's popular Outlander series. In addition to his appearances as Jamie Fraser's jailer, and later his friend, Lord John's story has been told in a book, Lord John and the Private Matter (Lord John Grey Novels), and in a couple of short stories.

Lord John's milieu is very different from Jamie and Claire's. Jamie Fraser is always an outsider, whether he's fighting for the lost Stuart cause or homesteading in the mountains of North Carolina. Lord John is a member of the British aristocracy and a career military officer. His homosexuality is as much a part of who he is as "aristocrat" and "soldier" and he seems to accommodate all these ways of being.

This installment finds Lord John having the hots for his soon-to-be stepbrother Percy. The upcoming remarriage of his mother raises questions about his late father's death that have been dormant for many years. Meanwhile, the death in childbirth of a daughter of the family where he has placed his prisoner Jamie Fraser brings him back to Helwater and the storm of emotions Jamie rouses in him. The third significant male relationship in the book is with his fellow soldier Graf Stephan von Namtzen. Although not expressed in sexual terms, John's love for Stephan helps him heal from a war injury.

Gabaldon's tone in the Lord John stories is more reserved and British. She has, characteristically, immersed herself in the period and gives us the sights, sounds, and smells of Georgian England. However, the book flares to life during Lord John's moments of emotional intensity - none more than during the scenes with Jamie Fraser at Helwater. For an Outlander fan, these scenes alone are worth the price of admission. Non-Outlander fans may appreciate the dilemmas confronting a gay man during a time when "perversion" could be a capital crime. Homophobic readers will not enjoy the bedroom scenes, which detail gay sex in the same manner as heterosexual love scenes might be.

As a fan who has read the entire Outlander series, I was somewhat intrigued to read a book from this latest series. Jamie Fraser from the aforementioned books was a side character here, and he does still shine in this book as one of the most interesting. However, the mystery at the heart of this story was kind of lame, the plot was pedestrian and very similar to other historical fiction of this time period. Diana Gabaldon is a great writer, but I would pass on reading the other Lord John books. The fact that I snagged this as a hardcover in the bargain bin at B&N for $5.98 made it a little more appealing. Hopefully Diana will produce more in the Outlander series for which she is most beloved.

Lord John is my favorite secondary character in the Outlander series, and here we finally get to meet him with his family, his military career, and his very personal love life. I already knew him as an honorable gentleman, courageous yet surprisingly kind and he does not disappoint in this book. It was interesting to learn of the mystery surrounding his father's death. DG provides her usual fascinating historical details that bring the action to life, from battle scenes to dachshunds. True, the gay love scenes were more than I wanted to know, but, realistically, they do form a part of Lord John's life and, as such, are very much true to his personna. The glimpses of Jamie Frasier and the tension between the two men provide an insight into their very complicated relationship. I enjoyed the book very much and highly recommend it.

Diana Gabaldon has that happiest and rarest of gifts for the modern writer--the turn of phrase that lets you fall head first into her world without any sense of transition from your own reality. Tolkien had it, Patrick O'Brian had it--and Diana has it. It doesn't matter which book it is, whether you open it to the first page or let it fall open to a random page, it's there. There's no question when you read the first phrase whose world you're in, or where, or when. It's why I always pay hardback prices for her books, in the first hour of the day they come out, wherever I can get them the earliest.

And Lord John is perhaps her most irresistible creation. Right from the moment he defended Claire's `honor' as a 16 year old and got his arm broken for the privilege, he's been unforgettable. I've always found myself wondering in the `main' books, "What's Lord John up to? When's he coming back?"

I'm SO glad his back with another book of his own! And I can't wait for the hard back anthology that's coming out with the short stories later this year.

I've read Brotherhood of the Blade twice--almost three times now--since I picked it up last Tuesday, just for the sheer pleasure of Lord John's company; the mystery of the not-suicide of Lord John's father seems just an excuse to peek in on his life. Second only to her turn of phrase, Gabaldon has a gift for making her plots organic to her characters. Rather than choosing a story to tell, and creating characters to tell it, she chooses to create her characters, and then tell their stories.

And of course, it's always big plus to any novel to include a scene or two with Jamie Fraser, growling around in that Scottish burr of his! :)

I have been eagerly awaiting Diana Gabaldon's next Lord John novel for quite some time. Not being a particular fan of her Outlander novels (too romancy for me)it's been a long wait; however, I was not disappointed. Not only is Lord John and his family as interesting as ever, Gabaldon's research is wonderfully detailed and accurate, but not so detailed and accurate that it makes the novel boring to read. On the contrary, I found myself caught up in the life of Lord John Grey almost from page one. Part of what makes this novel so interesting is that Lord John is a gay man living in 18th century England at a time when "sodomites" could be hanged for that alone. This novel, more so than the other, really touched on what it's like to be gay at this time in England's history and it makes John Grey all the more interesting and vulnerable. It's also very relevant because you can see some of these attitudes prevalant in modern America. If I have to quibble, it would be with the insertion of Jamie Fraser from Gabaldon's Outlander novels. I know the two characters have a "history," but I thought the plot point used to bring him into the novel was unnecessary and the scenes between the two characters were not enjoyable to read. Other than that, this is another exceptional Lord John novel. I just wish Gabaldon would write more of them.