Drums of Autumn (Outlander)
by Diana Gabaldon
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Book Reviews of Drums of Autumn (Outlander)
Book Review: Not as riveting as the first three, but still great...
Summary: 4 Stars
The Outlander series has been one of the most interesting and riveting reading investments I have made this year. I have loved all of the novels I've read thus far, especially Voyager. Now that I have read Drums of Autumn, the fourth book of what will apparently be a six-book series, it appears that the wonderful reading investments will continue, although I wasn't as riveted with this one as I was with its three predecessors. Drums of Autumn takes a bit of a break from Claire and Jamie Fraser and focuses more on their offspring Brianna and her significant other Roger. Brianna and Roger discover an old newspaper clipping in which states that Jamie and Claire die in a fire, so Brianna decides to visit the old stone circle that transports her to pre-Revolutionary America without telling Roger. Her intention is to attempt to change the course of history and save her parents' lives. Jamie and Claire are living normal lives in North Carolina after deciding to abandon the chaotic Scotland and all of the casualties that occurred during the Jacobite Rising. Brianna is happy to be with her parents and spending time with them, but will she be able to return to 20th Century? And will she ever see Roger again? There are various twists throughout the novel.
Once again, Gabaldon regales the reader with a historically rich tale that makes you feel as though you had been around during that time frame. The backdrop of North Carolina in the 18th Century sounds beautiful. The Colonial times have always fascinated me and reading about that period, especially before the Revolution, was very insightful and enjoyable. And I loved reading about how Jamie and Claire got there and built their lives away from Scotland. In fact, all of the chapters centered on Jamie and Claire were wonderful and riveting as usual. But I agree with the reviewer who stated that their relationship is a little too perfect now. I like them when they are facing adversities and conquering dilemmas with a love that transcends time, war and all sorts of obstacles. I enjoyed their love story of old, especially in Voyager. And I have to add that Brianna and Roger aren't quite as memorable or as interesting as Jamie and Claire. Brianna is somewhat one-dimensional and doesn't bring anything new to the story. As for Roger, I like that he's a descendant from one of the members of the MacKenzie clan who happens to be one of Jamie's cousins, and he does have a spark to him that I like. However, he is not Jamie, and reading about him and Brianna has left me cold. Perhaps I am being biased because I love Jamie and Claire so much, but Brianna and Roger don't transmit the same sort of passion and fire that their older counterparts do. As for the other characters, there are some new ones that are colorful and wonderful to read, which keeps the story from lagging too much. But, as I already said, the new couple doesn't quite do it for me. And that is why Drums of Autumn isn't quite as unputdownable (not a real word, I know) as the previous three and that is why I take away a star. I felt the impatience of reading the 800-plus pages of the trade paperback book this time, unlike with the other books. I nevertheless loved it and cannot wait to pick up The Fiery Cross.
Book Review: A Good Read
Summary: 3 Stars
This book is the 4th installment in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. The stars of the series are Jamie and Claire Fraser, whose long, passionate love has transcended time and keeps readers coming back for more.
Jamie and Claire are living in 18th century America during this installment. Their daughter, Brianna, is a young woman in the 20th century. But when Brianna comes across historical references to her parents' untimely death, she rushes back into the past to warn them. However, her love affair with Roger Mackenzie Wakefield complicates this endeavor.
Had I not enjoyed the first three books of this series so thoroughly (especially Outlander, the first book) I would give Drums of Autumn at least 4 stars. I did really enjoy it, particularly after the first 300 pages or so - the story seemed to get much tighter and more exciting at that point. But this book simply doesn't live up to Gabaldon's previous work overall.
Why? Well, for starters, Brianna and Roger occupy a non-trivial amount of the book, and they are simply not as interesting as Jamie and Claire. Gabaldon tries very hard - in some ways their relationship follows the same trajectory as Jamie and Claire's (they fight a lot despite being attracted to each other, they're both stubborn). But the "spark" just isn't there. It does not help that Brianna, despite being an MIT graduate, seems to lack maturity and common sense. And Gabaldon cannot decide if she wants to make Roger a quiet, retreating historian or a loud Scot like Jamie.
The parts that feature Jamie and Claire are extensive, but they also disappoint sometimes. They are still wonderful and compelling characters, but they can be exasperating, too. Gabaldon never tires of reminding the reader of Claire's beauty and intelligence, and though I applaud her for featuring a "mature" female heroine, I am tired of hearing about how she looks half her age, and how every man all but falls madly in love with her on sight. Jamie, meanwhile, is still dashing and brave, but he veers into brutish violence a little too quickly and too often. In a way, this is understandable. Jamie has led a very harsh life. But in putting Jamie through so many years of hell, Gabaldon has sacraficed some of what made the young Jamie so appealing and different.
The matter of Claire's first husband, Frank Randall, also troubles this book. Gabaldon can't seem to decide how she feels about Frank. In the previous book, Voyager, he was portrayed as an insufferable racist and philanderer. But in this installment, Gabaldon seems determined to prove that Frank was a good husband to Claire, and several plot points revolve around her continuing devotion to his memory (even though she does, and always did, love Jamie more). I had hoped all talk of Frank would cease after he passed away, but, that's clearly not the case. Gabaldon has trouble letting characters go. Even those who are long gone reappear in dialogue and memory to a frustrating degree.
Having said all this, again, I enjoyed the book, and I will finish the rest of the series. Gabaldon's efforts are always engrossing, and no other love story I've ever read compares to that of Jamie and Claire.
Book Review: Worthy Entry in the Continuing Adventures of Jamie and Clare
Summary: 3 Stars
. In this fourth volume of her time travel/romance series, Gabaldon continues the adventures of Claire and Jamie Fraser. Shipwrecked on the coast of the American colonies, Claire and Jamie are making their way to North Carolina where many Scottish exiles have settled after serving time as indentured servants. They are faced with the task of making a life in the wild, untamed American wilderness menaced by hostile Indians, bear, venomous snakes and disease. But Claire and Jamie rise to the challenge. Jamie accepts the offer of the Carolina governor to start a settlement on a beautiful mountain that will soon be known as "Fraser's Ridge" which he hopes to fill with former fellow Scottish prisoners from Ardsmuir. But their lives are disrupted by the sudden appearance of their beloved daughter Brianna whom they believed to be safely settled in the future. Brianna has risked her life to find Jamie and Claire to warn them that they are destined to die in a terrible fire in less than eight years. Although filled with joy to have Brianna join them, the Frasers are terrified by the dangers that colonial America provides to a young woman. Following from the future is her lover and Claire's friend, Roger Wakefield, a Scottish historian who has fallen in love with Brianna. Roger is the only man able to use the mysterious stones to travel to the past because he is the descendant of the witch Geilie, Claire's nemesis. As usual, Gabaldon has crafted a lusty, exciting tale that propels the reader at a lightning pace through bear attacks, hangings, mystical encounters with ghosts and lots and lots of juicy sex. At its heart, this is after all, a romance series, so the fiery passionate scenes between Claire and Jamie are still just as urgent and descriptive as Gabaldon's other volumes in the series. It's refreshing to have a pair of middle-aged protagonists who still find delight in each other. However, I do concede that by this volume, Gabaldon's plot formulas sometimes wear thin. Her reluctance to end the series that is already many thousands of pages, means that Gabaldon often repeats plot devices like the resurrection of a supposedly dead character or the amazing coincidences that sometimes drive the story. Still, the book is entertaining.Book Review: Slow Start but good book
Summary: 4 Stars
This book started very slow and did a lot of rambling with Brianna and Roger's relationship. Roger was a pretty uptight and too tightly strung most of the time but likeable. I found Brianna to be very immature and self centered. Rather dumb too in some respects concerning almost inviting herself to be raped. What did she think Bonnet was talking about in the tavern when it was apparent that he thought she was a prostitute? For a supposedly knowledgeable woman of the late 1960's she still goes on board his ship knowing how women were treated in the 1700's after months of research on that era. Pretty farfetched. Then she is entirely too keen on slapping, punching and generally thinking it is okay to tear into Roger, Ian or anyone else that crosses her including threatening blackmail to get her way with John Grey. This book does not put her in a very good light. She becomes more likeable and matures into an interesting woman in later books, thankfully, as she is an important character from this book forward.
I was touched by Brianna's initial meeting with Jamie but wasn't too thrilled with his really horrible handling of her in such a rough way when he was "convincing" her in the stable that she could not have prevented her rape by fighting back. Obviously, fainting was a terrible fright in all of Gabaldon's books but manhandling a woman in early pregnancy was not a concern by Brianna's father of miscarriage? One of the few times I found Gabaldon's portrayl of Jamie a bit much.
I did enjoy the details of the settling of Frazer's mountain and general info of early days in N. Carolina. Ian is certainly an interesting character and was glad to see him appear in subsequent books of this series.
If you enjoy history, some romance, general mayhem and often times harrowing experience, you will enjoy this book. I find Gabaldon to have a very enjoyable sense of humor in most of the books and found myself smiling at many things I read.
Book Review: HOW DOES GABALDON KEEP WRITING THESE PAGE TURNERS?
Summary: 5 Stars
I am starting to get a little sad at the prospect of soon finishing these books! What will I do with my life? I do know that I will really miss these characters.I agree with many of the previous reviewers about Brianna (even 30 years ago girls were being 'sent off' to have illegitimate babies)--I can't imagine what reactions would have been 200 years ago. Wouldn't Jocasta have kept her hidden? And why didn't she tell people that she was 'handfasted' when her pregnancy was discovered? It's also ironic that Claire is always saying that Brianna is stubborn just like Jamie. Claire is pretty stubborn herself! I did enjoy Roger and Brianna's story though.
I disagree with previous reviewers about DRUMS OF AUTUMN needing a villain. Bonnet is extremely dastardly, isn't he? Frankly I'm glad Black Jack is gone!
I loved this novel as much as the first three. The writing is exceptionally beautiful and as we have grown accustomed, the plot is compelling. As usual, something is happening on every page and I enjoyed the fact that Jamie and Claire have settled down (sort of!). The last few pages of this 'bonnie tale' are so poignant and touching that I was moved to many tears!
I have learned so much about Scottish and Colonial history; this is a historical novel with large doses of romance, adventure, and fantasy to boot. And best of all is the love story of Jamie and Claire: "Your face is my heart, Sassenach," he said softly, "and love of you is my soul." Or, "And when my body shall cease, my soul will still be yours Claire--I swear by my hope of heaven, I will not be parted from you." And, "You are my courage, as I am your conscience," he whispered. "You are my heart--and I your compassion. We are neither of us whole, alone. Do ye not know that, Sassenach?"
I recommend these books to anyone who loves to read; they will touch your heart as they have mine!