The Scottish Prisoner: A Novel (Lord John Grey)

I read the reviews before I bought the book, and regarding the negative ones, they either are not familiar with Diana Gabaldon's work, or they are not true fans. One person said the book lacked her usual quality of writing. (???) What??? It absolutely did NOT. Diana is a brilliant researcher and every detail is always as correct and beautifully described as she can make it. Some said it was too short. Well, in comparison to the main novels in the Outlander series, yes it is. But a book only needs to be long enough to tell it's particular story. No need to drag things out. This one covered what it needed to and length should not be an issue. Yet another negative reviewer said the story was disgusting and gross. I had to laugh at that review. Actually, it was the main reason I downloaded this book. I've never known Diana to write anything "disgusting and gross", so I was curious. Come to find out, the book starts out with a very tastefully written masturbation scene. (OMG, GROSS! *rolling my eyes*) Anyone who has read all these stories KNOWS that Jamie loves Claire (his wife, I might add) deeply, and he misses her. He's a male who is emotionally and PHYSICALLY missing his wife. So he masturbates one morning. It is not graphic. It's actually very sad. You feel for him. This is a normal part of human sexuality and to negatively rate a book because of that is just plain ridiculous. As far as the homosexual content goes, Diana wrote the ONE sex scene very, VERY tastefully. It's not graphic and there is nothing disgusting about two consenting adults expressing their love for one another. And everyone who follows this woman's writing KNOWS that Lord John is a homosexual. So, if you object to homosexuality, why do you download a book whose main character is gay??? Defies all logic. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I do ANY book with Lord John in it. His character intrigues me and I love the interaction between him and Jamie. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is a true fan of Diana's series.

Absolutely fantastic. I absolutely love Jamie Fraser and absolutely love John Grey, so to get an entire novel with the two of them was an absolute treat. If you're not an already established Gabaldon fan, don't bother reading my review - but do immediately seek out her novels! I won't go into the details of the plot, I'm sure others will, but I will say that this book does show how Jamie and John's relationship evolved into a real friendship, given the differences in their current stations, past differences, and vastly different political positions. The plot also gives us a greater understanding of Jamie's life at Hellwater and his relationship with those there. We also get to see how John's involvement with the guardianship of Willie began. The bulk of the plot revolves around Irish Jacobites, which was interesting, especially as we watch Jamie struggle with his conscience and loyalties regarding whether or not to support them knowing the historic outcome of their efforts. By far, this is the best Lord John Book to date! I have read other critiques of this book on Amazon, where readers complained that this wasn't a "Jamie and Claire" novel. Well, yes, in fact, this isn't a Jamie and Claire book, it takes place during Jamie's time at Hellwater (Voyager). However, anytime you spend with Jamie, and have the chance to hear his internal thoughts and ponderings, is time you spend with Jamie and Claire, since his thoughts are rarely far from her. I was touched how often he reached for her in his thoughts, and in his sleep - especially when he knew he would never see her or 'the child' again. Very touching. And John! He is such a marvelous character, one of the most valiant, honorable men in all of fictional history, but also complex and vulnerable. I'm a woman most drawn to men, who are...well, real men. Strong, sure, honorable, clever, handsome, and convicted. John has all of these characteristics, as well as a strong love for someone I love too - Jamie Fraser. How could I not feel a strong affinity for this incredible character? Fantastic, fantastic read. I will certainly reread this book again, and soon. Can't wait for the release of Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander book 8), especially now that my understanding of the genesis and depth of the friendship between John and Jamie now has greater depth.

I got shivers when I opened this book, simply thrilled to have it in my hands. I didn't know beforehand that the book is part of the Lord John Grey series and was expecting it to feel similar to Voyager, since it's set in relatively the same timeframe. I've never gotten as much enjoyment out of the Lord John Grey series as I have the original Outlander novels, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy The Scottish Prisoner. It's an excellent book, but because of my individual preference I got more of a kick out of the bonus material at the back of the book. Gabaldon includes a preview of sections from the next Outlander novel, Written in My Own Heart's Blood. The Scottish Prisoner makes frequent references to events and conversations that happened in Voyager or the Lord John Grey series. I haven't read all the books in the latter series and it's been almost a year since I reread Voyager, so I felt a bit lost at times. Occasionally Gabaldon will quickly summarize an event from another book, but most references are simply cryptic and vague. The narration heavily relies on the reader's ability to remember the details of other books. Definitely give those books a reread before attempting The Scottish Prisoner, or at least keep them close at hand to look things up. The book was edited by two people on two continents, and the difficulties inherent to that situation occasionally show. There are a few awkward sentences throughout The Scottish Prisoner, such as: "He wished passionately that he was one of those women, had a right still to engage in the ordinariness of life" (430). The Scottish Prisoner is, essentially, a military mystery in the style of the Lord John Grey series. And like all of Gabaldon's novels, it's quite an adventurous and entertaining plot. What starts out as a scheme to court-martial a corrupt Major later turns into a much larger beast-a Jacobite plot, for starters. Gabaldon writes extremely well and the plot was consistently interesting, but it was difficult to feel satisfied at the end. In order to dovetail with Voyager, Jamie ends up right back in the same place he was at the end of the book with just a few minor variations in his situation. He came full circle but was prevented from moving very far forward. While not the best in the series, The Scottish Prisoner is a wonderful addition to Gabaldon's body of work. It's entertaining and definitely worth the time to read.

"The feelings that hurt most, the emotions that sting most, are those that are absurd - The longing for impossible things, precisely because they are impossible; nostalgia for what never was; the desire for what could have been; regret over not being someone else; dissatisfaction with the world's existence. All these half-tones of the soul's consciousness create in us a painful landscape, an eternal sunset of what we are." ― Fernando Pessoa I chose this book because I was finished with the last book currently available in the wonderful Outlander series, Echo in the Bone and I wasn't quite ready to put the series aside as I wait for the release of the 8th book in early June, 2014. I expected to feel somewhat deprived because this book focuses on Lord John Gray. I knew from the book description and reader reviews that Jamie would have considerable presence in the book, but never could have guessed how much I would learn about him as well. What I got in reading the book was a beautifully written novel that teaches us much about both men individually and collectively. Lord John's longing for a deep, personal, and romantic relationship with Jamie is a central theme in this book. In my view, the Pessoa quotation above encapsulates his private torture. Given the times, his family and position in society, his responsibilities as a British military officer, and Jamie's own preferences, John will never see his deepest desire come to fruition. He is left alone in that "painful sunset" in his role as only Jamie's friend. His internal musings are every bit as intense as you would read in any Jane Austen novel and the fact that he is a man longing for the love of another man makes no difference in the long run. Of course the internal struggles of both men is played out against the external intrigue of another attempted Jacobite uprising, thus bringing Jamie into the story and giving rise to his own set of problems in this book. I didn't think it would be possible to hurt for him any more than I have in the original series, but again I was proven wrong. His loneliness and longing for Claire is palpable and well established from the very beginning of the book in a most unusual way and runs as a continuous thread throughout the novel. The conflict between his certain knowledge of the outcome of the plans to effect another Jacobite uprising, his loyalties to his friends and the choices he must make are painful to read. Couple all that with his dawning awareness of his love for his son, William and the understanding that he will never have much of a role in his life gives you a much more intense understanding of Jamie that I found heartbreaking in the extreme. As to the writing, the cast of characters is much smaller, the story tighter, more narrowly focused and the action intense. The duel between Lord John and Edward Twelvetrees is tension-filled and thrilling. Initially, I figured I would be able to recommend this book as a stop gap in the waiting for the next in the Outlander series. Instead, I recommend this book on its own merits. It is excellent.

Diana has done the greatest job of bringing the characters together. Although this isn't as good as the love story between Jamie and Claire, it still is an enjoyable read.

"But it marks you, killing. No matter why it's done. It's a brand upon your heart, and while it may heal, the mark canna be removed, save by a blade. All ye can hope for is a cleaner scar." "Lord that she might be safe. She and my children." The Scottish Prisoner is technically considered the 3rd book in the Lord John series. However, it should also be noted as a mid-novel in the Outlander series. Both John and Jamie Fraser are the main characters in this story. From Goodreads: "London, 1760. For Jamie Fraser, paroled prisoner-of-war, life is coming apart at the seams. In the remote Lake District, where he's close enough to the son he cannot claim as his own, Jamie's quiet existence is interrupted first by dreams of his lost wife, then by the appearance of an erstwhile comrade still fighting to rally the Irish. But Jamie has sworn off politics, fighting, and war. Until Lord John Grey shows up with a summons that will take him away from everything he loves--again. Lord John is in possession of explosive documents that expose a damning case of corruption against a British officer. But they also hint at a more insidious danger. Soon Lord John and Jamie are unwilling companions on the road to Ireland, a country whose dark castles hold dreadful secrets, and whose bogs hide the bones of the dead." (I'm not sure that the synopsis is 100% accurate - Jamie is actually blackmailed into assisting John (against John's wishes) by Hal. I'm kind of picky about these things and, more and more, some of the summaries seem to be twisted to make the book sound like something it isn't. Just a pet peeve.) I am going to backtrack on something I said in a recent review of the 2nd Lord John novel. That synopsis played heavily on Jamie's involvement and it was so minor to that story. Lord John should be able to (and can) stand on his own as the main character of these novels. However, for this novel, it was important to see more of the interplay between John and Jamie. And, we got to fill in some of the blanks regarding Jamie's time at Helwater. The result gave us not only a thoroughly enjoyable Lord John mystery but also a story that will help round out the Outlander series. With each book, Lord John continues to become one of my favorite protagonists. His sense of loyalty, friendship, family and fun are refreshing. I especially enjoyed the expansion of his relationship with Stephan. My hope is that their foundation of friendship will allow them to continue on in each other's lives. Duels - were they so common in the 1700s? It seemed like one of the men was always challenging another to a duel for some real or perceived insult. There was one major fight and, whew, it was a doozy! Diana's writing brought it to life so that my heart was in my throat the entire time. We also learned more about Minnie's history. As Hal's wife, I assumed that she had always been a member of a privileged family. BUT...she used to be a spy. With her father! And, Jamie knew of them in France. This was a nice surprise and actually allowed me to like Hal a little more. He's not quite the stuck up Duke that I thought. Overall, this was a great addition with a lot of heart and adventure. 5/5 stars.

Such a nice treat to get a whole book with Lord John and Jamie. Here, they travel to Ireland to try and uncover a huge political intrigue, and we get to see so much more of their friendship and dynamics. It is a great book with fantastic characters, and I loved it.

Okay ... I'm just gonna say it! I don't always read Diana's books because they are good stories. Sometimes I read her books because I love the way she writes. This story falls into that category. While this story was more enjoyable to read than the other Lord John series, I found myself bored and sometimes lost due to the history revolving around war and what I would call "Political bull***"! There were a couple places in this story that I missed something or ... I read the words but they never sunk in. Was I bored and just kept reading ... somewhat hypnotized by the words on the paper and never really digesting what was being written? Perhaps. For these things, I knocked one of the stars off from a 5-star rating. Now ... let's get to the good stuff. As always, Diana's character descriptions and scene settings always plunge the reader into the place and time. I love Lord John and for the very first time in all of Diana's books ... to my great, GREAT satisfaction, John was able to engage in the act of making love. It's about damn time! It was innocent, tastefully orchestrated and for me, it was like I finally reached a climax with a character and after the fact, I was limp and extremely satisfied. Mercy!!! I'm not gonna lie either ... Jamie's relationship with wee Willie, pained me ... only because I know how the rest of the story plays out. In every one of the Outlander stories where Willie is present, what was gained, nurtured, cultivated and cherished between Jamie and Willie in this story, has been stripped away in all of the others. It was endearing and sentimental to read of Jamie and Willie in this story and on the flip side of that, I was frustrated and pained. Again ... Diana is a master at infusing each character into your bloodstream and during the course of the story, they pulse through your system nourishing your body as well as causing some kind of incurable disease! Lastly, I do love the relationship between Jamie and Lord John. Unfortunately, I picked up this book after reading the entire series and I do not remember Lord John and Jamie having some kind of fall out in their relationship and this story is all about them rebuilding it once again. So ... I was a little frustrated and somewhat lost but in the end, their wounds were salved and bandaged and their friendship was rekindled. This is perhaps the place that I missed something and felt somewhat lost. Perhaps if I would have picked up this book after I finished Voyager and established more stable bearings as I read this story. Overall, a very delicious and satisfying read. Yes … it’s a slower paced read then all of the Outlander stories, I still found it a satisfying morsel to chew on while waiting for book #9.