The Fiery Cross: Outlander, Book 5

There are many series which lose both the writers and reader's interest with time. But since the series is a money maker, the saga is forced to continue. Book 5 in the Outlander series contains enough unfinished plots to strive to maintain the reader's interest, but starts to show signs of the writer's struggles with the attempt to capture the dull every day life of the and make it interesting.Gabaldon strives to extend the book with beautiful descriptive writing and maintaining her writing style, though it appears she is beginning to struggle to complete the complex plot puzzle, despite the attempts to fill in the missing gaps. There are clear signs that the book is being written more for television contracts and the writer is experiencing writer fatigue.

This fifth installment of this fabulous epic "OUTLANDER" adventure has always been less adventurous than the previous 4 books. All the books hold so much adventure and detailed historical information...but this installment is more of a stepping stone of information to the next book. It lays a foundation of forming of the Militia and the coming Revolution.It's now 1770 and this installment begins with Jamie, Claire, Brianna and Roger Mac attending the annual Gathering of the Clans. A time of reunion of Clans who make hundreds of separate camps...cooking over open fires - - women laboring to maintain a family's clothes, health and appetites from the limited provisions of saddle bags and pack mules. It's a time of matchmaking, marrying, baptizing, meeting new people, hearing new talk/gossip, and of challenging Scottish games. I found the historical information of the Clan Gathering fascinating. Still, it basically details "a day in the life of" the Frasers while at this Gathering. Jamie is well known and highly regarded for his wisdom as well as his history. His presence is absolute among Clan members. Clair is renowned for her healing abilities.Jamie has always been a Warrior and a soldier most of his life with a mind of an educated gentleman and a soul of a barbarian. Now he's approaching his mid-40's...good sense has tempered his fighting passion. He's set on carving out a new life for Claire on Fraser's Ridge, North Carolina. Claire is content to go where Jamie leads. Her happiness IS Jamie and nothing more. Yet she knows the Revolution will occur less than 8 years in their future. Facing another war is a frightening thought.This fifth book of the OUTLANDER saga could actually stand on its own....but WHY would you not want to read this fabulous epic from it's beginning?!? IMHO, it's best to start at the beginning with Outlander - - if for nothing else than to fully appreciate and understand the devoted, passionate relationship between Jamie and Claire....and to thoroughly KNOW them.Ms. Gabaldon ALWAYS discloses and informs the reader of facts, events and experiences of Jamie and Claire, then walks away from those events and experiences. And then, somewhere in later episodes, she brings that moment back ....somewhere in the series. And "Fiery Cross" follows this line of dropping information upon the reader, only to make it reappear later in the book. It's like little informative or mysterious puzzle pieces that she plops down in our laps and walks away, closing the chapter. And leaves the reader thinking, "WOW!" ....and then somewhere later in the same book, (or subsequent books), that information or event is brought back to our mind/attention. And the reader is soundly blown away!This is the third time I've read this Epic 7 book Outlander Saga through the many years but it's the first time I've taken time to give a review. Like all the other 5★ rave reviews, I can never put this story down once I begin...errands are curtailed, housework goes to pot and laundry piles up. It holds me completely captive with crippling intensity with all of its emotional structure and profound dimension. The story is so captivating and consuming that I find that I begin to slow my reading down as I see the end looming in sight, hating to let Jamie and Claire go. It never fails...BECAUSE THESE CHARACTERS ARE REAL.. DANG IT!When I read this fantastic Saga, I'm transported to Scotland, or France, or the Colonies of America! I mean......I'M THERE! I'm experiencing the deplorable living conditions...smelling the stink of the slops thrown out the windows. I'm walking the cobblestones and seeing the people...seeing all the immigrants in their different cultural garb. The descriptive detail and narration are so strong, exact and perfect that one cannot help be emotionally invested in little time. I am transported into another world and time...and I am reluctant to return. I am thoroughly ensconced into the story...it's close to impossible to put these books down to even run to the bathroom...for to put them down for any trivial purpose is to return to the 21st century and that I just hate to do. I begin to go through withdrawals as soon as I begin to close the book and set it down.Diana Gabaldon is...simply put... brilliant! The absolute best! Yes, the stories are long but each character is carefully considered and the scenic details imperative to the emotion of the era...and the events that are chosen to be included are necessary to have the story told well. IMHO, the story isn't long enough.If you will allow the time, and give the effort to patiently absorb the detailed narration, you will be blessed and rewarded with the most emotional, captivating Saga ever to hold in your hands.

I am a very well-read person. (I was going to say man, but in today's woke culture, genders have become obsolete.) We're talking thousands upon thousands of books. Yet I have never--ever--read a 1400+ page novel. Until now, when I just put down THE FIERY CROSS, the 5th installment of Diana Gabaldon's amazing Outlander series.And I enjoyed every second of the experience.Gabaldon continues the story of the budding settlement at Fraser's Ridge--of Claire and Jamie Fraser, of newly-arrived time travelers Brianna and Roger MacKenzie, of adopted family members Fergus and Marsali. Day to day life was often difficult and harsh in the North Carolina mountains, yet the Fraser clan found a way to persevere. In order to maintain his grant of 10,000 acres from the governor, Jamie must form a militia of settlers to fight the Regulators--a band of fellow settlers opposed to the government's taxes. Fortunately, the "fighting" is minimal, yet the Revolutionary War is looming, just three years distant. Which prompts the question: With war on the horizon, should Roger and Bree go back through the stones--provided toddler son Jemmy can also travel? And while the question is pondered, is there another threat looming? (Stephen Bonnet, anyone?) This question is answered at the very end of this enormous story.I got ahead of myself by watching the Starz TV series Outlander  Season Five . Having now finished the actual book the show was based on, I was amazed at how completely different both vehicles are--in so many important aspects. This was by far the biggest departure from Gabaldon's story than any of the preceding novels; I wonder why. In particular, I would love to know the motives of the showrunners to end the TV season with the brutal assault of Claire--when there is no such attack in the book, and the leader of the assault is a character who is barely in the story. It makes me more disappointed in the series than the novel, but I digress.**SPOILERS!**I know I am enjoying the skill and talents of a literary master (mistress?) when I come upon events in the story where I could literally not stop reading. These page-turning experiences were, to me, more prevalent in THE FIERY CROSS than in the previous installments, beginning with the horrific suffering and carnage in the Beardsley cabin. The murder--and subsequent autopsy of the body by Claire--of a slave woman at River Run, and how the event climaxed, was another. Finally, the hanging of Roger by British soldiers, and his miraculous survival, followed by his snail-crawling recovery, kept me busily turning pages. (I had to continue to apologize to my employer for being so late returning from my lunch hour.)Gabaldon has pulled off a literary faint accompli with her Outlander series. Millions upon millions of fans can't be wrong. And the 5th installment, the 1400-page (turning) THE FIERY CROSS, is more than worthy to take its place in this series. I very much look forward to the next installment.~D. Mikels, Esq.

The only thing I have to say in the negative about the fiery cross and the others in the Outlander series is that sometimes The Narrative goes awry. I don't know if it's purposeful, but it seems she forgets how she wrote the events in the book. It's kind of jolting, and pulls you out of the story. I still reread the series.

My wife is currently on her second round of reading the series.

Have been reading the books in this series

I chose not to buy this book and the others as a Boxset due to many reviews on the binding of the books. Pages falling out and pages being cut wrong or missing.Although it would have been a bit cheaper to go the box set route, Im glad i choose to spend a little more buying each book separately, as the condition is great and the binding is holding just fine.

One star for effort. Five stars for being a real "page turner!" Oh, yes! When I say page turner, I mean skipping many pages to read something worthwhile and relevant to the story. Bladdy Brianna' s Boring Bits (tsts). Roger (Not sure if he's Wakefield or Mackenzie, poor boring bloke.)The only reason I persevered, was that I might miss something important to the story, and oh boy, what a crawl through treacle that was.Even Claire and Jamie were getting on my nerves. Grammar is getting slapdash too!Good Lord! In book 6.....horror.......Diana writes it and Claire says it....Hippo Potami! What on earth?Ms Gabaldon writes Gaelic, French, Latin, etc, but does not appear to know that one does not start a word with a Greek root and finish it off Latin!Claire is well educated and well read, she would never come up with Such a mistake!Btw. What does all the breast feeding have to do with time travel? This book is an unforgivable waste of time!

I've read the first five books back to back in two months and it feels like this one took me the same time to get through as the first four together, it didn't half go on and on and on (half a 1400 page book about milk filled breasts and wet patches on bodices, Jamie's hair glinting in the sun) and had none of the page turning excitement of the previous installments. Did Gabaldon get bored of her own characters? What has she done to Claire and her spirit? I got bored but as my sister has assured me this book is a blip in the series then I stuck with it. Don't get me wrong it has its moments but it could do with one of those readers digest condensed book makeovers and be half the size but keep the story. I'm hanging in there with the rest of the books in the hope we get some essence back of what the Outlander series was about, a burning love story and the history of the highlanders and Scotland. I miss Scotland and the books are losing something without it.

I did read reviews about this book before buying it, but if I want to get to book 6 then I have to go through this. Lets just say I was warned that it was slow and dull.Approximately 1400 pages long, this was always going to take some commitment, but really I'm tempted to say 'to hell with the whole thing - next book as well'.This book starts with a gathering (no spoilers so don't worry) for some weddings. I'm now 162 pages into it and still those weddings have not happened. There have been a few discussions, a few scene setting bits etc. but really the bits that feel consequential could probably have been covered in 20 - 30 pages.Overly descriptive for no reason. Long because it can be, but not with any real added value, and the pace of the first few books has been completely lost. An audio book abridged version might be better if it exists.

I am such a loyal fan and was so looking forward to my holiday with book 5 for company but... it’s a huge disappointment. I am halfway through and nothing of any note has happened. It’s mainly just bumbling through their domestic life. I’m glad they’re happy but I need some action! Brianna’s breastfeeding and clean nappy chat starts to grate when it’s mentioned for the 453rd time. It’s so unlike the earlier four page turners. I am plodding on because I don’t want to think that my time with Outlander is over but if book six is like this too then...On a practical note as others have said - the book falls apart!! Open it too widely and pages pop out!!

Utterly boring. Took me about a year to read this book, pretty much by skim-reading my way to the end as I was determined to finish it. No idea what it was supposed to be about. Far too much use of the phrases 'with alacrity' and 'he/she said wryly'. Also very irritating that an illeged English character would use the word 'diaper'. I think this is a classic case of an author who has enjoyed the success of the earlier books and can't seem to wrap it up, getting sloppy in the process. It's a shame as I loved the first 3 books. I think I will stick with the TV version from now on.