101 of 104 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars It's all in the details, November 25, 2001 I finished The Fiery Cross a couple of days ago, and while it's not my favorite of the series (nothing beats the first one), I enjoyed it thoroughly. Diana Gabaldon has taken us back once again to the eighteenth century and revealed it to us in glorious detail. I can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon than with Jamie and Claire Fraser. I also appreciated this book greatly as a further deepening of Roger and Brianna's story. In the previous books, Bree wasn't really an interesting character to me - but here her character is fleshed out considerably. Likewise Roger - although his character was well-developed before this book, he endures hardships here that test his self-image and strength of character. And of course, Claire and Jamie are the same wonderful characters as ever - you really see here how their love has developed over the years.
I understand the complaints of some that this book doesn't have a plot, that it moves too slowly, etc. Those are valid points to make - there's nothing really earth-shattering that happens in this installment, although you know that something (the Revolution) is looming just beyond the horizon. For me, though, the beauty of the book was in the details - the very fact that this is for the most part a book about everyday life. More than in any of the rest of the books, Diana revels in these details. While some may find all this detail "boring," it allows us to really understand what life was like in the past, and it fleshes out all of the characters immeasurably. I closed the book feeling satisfied and yet craving more - I can't wait to find out how the entire saga ends! The Fiery Cross is a book for true fans who love these characters.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?64 of 66 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written, April 16, 2002 Before anyone is discouraged by the negative reviews here, I hope they will read this one.
I don't understand when someone says nothing happens in this book. Granted, the action is subtle in the form of politics and intrigue, however it is still there. We finally get to see the everyday life of these wonderful people as they try to find a place to call their own. They have spent so much of their lives running from one thing to another, not really having a home that this is refreshing. People adore these books because of Diana's amazing ability of bringing characters to life, yet bash this book for the same reasons. When you nurse and have small children, bodily functions are something you have to deal with. One of the most humourous sections is Roger and Bree dealing with potty training Jemmy.
There is plenty of action, political intrigue and drama. We travel with Jamie and the militia, find some new characters, deal with almost losing not just one but two of the major characters and see the return of another. Some loose ends are tied up (wondering about the Tory gold and just who was Otter Tooth?), some are still hanging and new ones pop up (who was that with Laoghaire in the arbor and what about Claire's nighttime visitor?). The action is there if you care to read it.
It's true this book was split in two, Ms. Gabaldon didn't get as far as she would have liked with it, but it is a wonderful book all the same. I finished it in 2 days and had to reread it almost immediately. It is a slower starting novel than previously, something like Dragonfly in Amber, but still filled with the characters I have grown to love. Read it, you won't be disappointed.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you?39 of 41 people found the following review helpful: 2.0 out of 5 stars Patched Together, January 5, 2002 This book, as well as the end of Drums of Autumn, has a decidedly taped-together feel. Ms. Gabaldon has said, with some pride, in various interviews, that she never uses an outline or flow chart to make a "big picture" of her plot. Apparently, she writes various chapters as they occur to her and then, at the end, puts them in some sort of order. This approach, which worked pretty well in the first 3 books, has now produced some very mediocre stuff.
Fiery Cross is admittedly a "bridge book" between the first 4 novels and the final one. My bet is that Ms. Gabaldon knows exactly what will be in the last book and chose a few segments to put out as "cliff hangers" in the end of Fiery Cross. Then, she filled in the first 2/3 of the book with the results of her research, adding vignettes of daily life and a few tidbits of the storyline to keep readers going. The result is a meandering book with very little forward motion. Parts of it are painfully drawn out and add very, very little. Please rethink your approach, Ms. Gabaldon. We love to read about Jamie and Claire and will indeed read practically anything (even Fiery Cross) to get it. But don't we deserve better, after waiting so long?
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