Lord John Novels

Has anyone besides me tried the Lord John novels? I just finished Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade. Jamie shows up in a 'cameo' appearance. I do not care for the Lord John books nearly as much as I love the Outlander series. Any comments?

I listened to Lord John and the Private Matter -- I agree with you that I didn't like that story nearly as much as the Outlander novels.

I think part of my dissatisfaction with the Lord John novels is that the Outlander books revolve around the close relationship between Claire and Jamie, but the Lord John books contain no such center point.

I agree on that point and I also feel like I never have had a sympathetic view of Lord John and so it's hard to get absorbed in the stories. In the Outlander series, he's nice enough, but still somewhat of a rival of Claire's. I've always had a distrust for his character.

I actually have quite a fondness for the Lord John novels. I love the Outlander series...no doubt about that. But, although there is no relationship with fire and ice for the stories to revolve around, I do think that they have a passionate center in Lord John himself. I find that I love his character more than I did in the Outlander series. I'm fascinated by his struggles in that society because of who he is. I've read Lord John and the Private Matter twice now and I'm half way through Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade. I can't wait to read Lord John and the Hand of the Devils.
I also think that Diana Gabaldon's enrapturing style of writing shines through whatever her subject may be. I sometimes think that she could write a calculus textbook and I still wouldn't be able to put it down.

I agree with kattamer81 about almost everything. I have read Brotherhood of the Blade more than once and I actually enjoyed Johns perspective on James Fraser. We get to know him in the Outlander series as warm and loving and here he is the adversary. I can't wait to see a new perspective on their relationship later on when John is the Stepfather of Jamies son.

I found the earlier stories a little cool and uninvolved, becoming far more intimate and involved later, but oh wow! John's involvement in Echo!!! So unexpected and so incredibly real!