I love Diana Gabaldon's books. But I've learned that I love her books only when they include Jamie Fraser and Claire Beauchamp Fraser. So I tried the "Lord John" series, and stopped after the first title. But this one includes Jamie too, and as a main character, so we got along just fine. It's missing the hot passionate love between Jamie and Claire, but gives you a good deal of background information on Lord John and his family, and fleshes out more of Jamie's life after Culloden and Ardsmuir. This is my new favorite Gabaldon book. Really well done though not especially taut historical mystery/spy thriller with a healthy dash of pagan fantasy set in 1760, it is a "bulge" book which is what Gabaldon calls some of her spin offs. I had to reread the first three of her Outlander series to get the characters of Lord John Grey and Jamie Frasier into context, although the book does stand alone pretty well. Gabaldon does such a wonderful job of describing men and their inner lives, at least I think she does. I have never been a man inside or out, but her men remind me very much of the veterans I care for as a VA nurse. Each is quite unique and complex and the humorous banter between them, which so often covers suppressed but passionate emotion, is delightful. I listened on audio and the narrators (one for each of the main characters' POV) do a wonderful job with accents and voices, even managing a woman's voice without overdoing the higher tones. I very much enjoyed the fairly inconsequential but sweet romance between Lord John and Stefan. The singular gay sex scene is poetically erotic; as are her descriptions of the natural world and pagan mysticism.My only issue was that after the climax, a well-described duel, the story continues a bit longer than feels necessary, although it it remains rich in detail and character building. It just feels like there are three or four potential stopping points but the author couldn't let go (and as a reader, I kind of enjoyed the encore sense of it.) Both Jamie and Lord John are such decent, thoughtful, honorable and yes, flawed, men that I didn't totally mind even as I felt a tad exasperated.
What do You think about The Scottish Prisoner (2011)?
My favourite of The Lord John series... probably because we learn a lot about Jamie in it!
—sumitjosh
Loved the fact that Jamie was in this book. What am I supposed to read now?!?!
—ohailafarah
Brilliant !!! Can't get enough of Jamie Fraser and Claire !!!
—conmeo
I love how all her books relate to each other.
—Jasmine
