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May 10, 2010

Tatiana rated it:

This collection of 3 stories (one short story and 2 novellas) is a must-have for all Lord John fans. It took me some time to figure out how these stories should be placed in relation to the 2 Lord John novels, so here is the order to save you trouble:

Lord John and the Hellfire Club (short story)
Lord John and the Private Matter (novel)
Lord John and the Succubus (novella)
Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade (novel)
Lord John and the Haunted Soldier (nov More...

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Jun 21, 2008

Gaijinmama rated it:

#11 Lord John and the Hand of Devils by Diana Gabaldon

Lord John and the Hand of Devils by Diana Gabaldon

This collection of one longish short story (11,000 words) and two novellas (about 100 pages each) stars one of my favorite secondary characters from Gabaldon's Outlander
series. I'm madly in love with her romantic hero,Jamie Fraser, but lifelong Hag that I am,
I would ***LOVE** to sit down and have a nice pot of Earl Grey with Lord John, prefe More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Christine (AR) rated it:

A collection of three novellas.

The first, Lord John and the Hellfire Club, I'd already read as part of one of the other Lord John books. I wasn't too impressed then, and upon re-reading it's still just meh. However, as it's the first Lord John story, it's worth reading.

The second, Lord John and the Succubus, comes between the two Lord John novels and explains his relationship with Namtzen. It was okay as a mystery, but I wish I'd read it before the novel it precedes.
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2 comments like (5 people liked it)

Dec 29, 2007

Jamie rated it:

I'd give 3.5 stars, if I could. The new story, "Lord John and the Haunted Soldier", is better than the first two which I have already read in other collections. I've decided that while I like reading about Grey himself and I enjoy the other characters in this series, the mysteries are too dry for me. I find at the end that I don't much care "whodunnit" or why.

I'm looking forward to the next book, though: Lord John and the Scottish Prisoner. That's what I reall More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 18, 2011

Richard rated it:

Rating: 3.25* of five

Gabaldon's writing is of the kind I call "serviceable" but her characters either make you swoon, pant, sweat and holler, or they leave you completely cold. I fall on the non-hollerin' end of category A. I like these people, Lord John especially having a claim on me because he's a shirt-lifter (or Warmbruder, depending on where we are geographically).

This book is a collection of three novellas that Gabaldon wrote about the good Major Lord John G More...

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Jan 10, 2012

Kathy rated it:

Three short stories about Lord John Grey. The first two are a blip in his life while the second takes a much longer view.

Series: Lord John and the Hellfire Club (Lord John Grey, 0.5)
Lord John and the Succubus (Lord John Grey, 2.5)
Lord John and the Haunted Soldier (Lord John Grey, 3.5)

<h2>The Stories</h2>
It's 1756 during Lord John and the Hellfire Club occurs just after Lord John returns from running the prison in Scotland where he met Jamie Fraser More...

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Apr 23, 2011

Emma rated it:

I don't normally read short stories, but these were nice to read during a lazy sunny day. While the central character is part of a larger series (two actually) they stand alone well. The first story, "The hellfire club" is very short in comparison to the other two and perhaps suffers for it. The second is much longer and thus much more satisfying. However it is strangely paradoxical in that the ending feels slightly rushed while at the same time , its hard to see how it could be made More...

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Apr 03, 2011

Chy rated it:

I did not realize this was a collection of novellas and short story, and that they dotted the chronology of the two actual Lord John novels. The first entry of this book is a short story titled, "Lord John and the Hellfire Club," and it comes before Lord John and the Private Matter. "Lord John and the Succubus" comes after that first novel and "Lord John and the Haunted Soldier" comes after the second novel, (Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade).

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Jan 22, 2011

Candice rated it:

John Grey is one of my favorite fictional characters ever, so to say I have mixed feelings about the Lord John series is a bit of an understatement. I love reading about Grey's life when he isn't with Jamie and Claire (the main characters from the Outlander series where Grey is a secondary character). But I'm completely thrown by the stories themselves. They're set up as mysteries, which is fine, but the cast seems to number thousands, and by the time we get to the point where the mystery is sol More...

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Sep 03, 2009

Eileen rated it:

I love Diana Gabaldon and I especially enjoy the Lord John spinoffs. That having been said, I feel this book is a bit of a muddle. It's actually three shorter books, including a short story I'd already read. The packaging of these shorter stories together is complicated by the fact it also mixes in with the timeline of other already published books. Though the stories do stand alone, as a reader of her main series (sometimes called the Outlander series) I had a hard time keeping things straight More...

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Oct 22, 2007

Robert marked it as to-read

The Lord John series are a MUST read! This really delves into the characteristics of the 18th century gay community - or rather that of a closeted gay male who is also a British military officer and how he deals with issues of the day. In a more subtle way, they are also a series of mystery novels but not being categorized as being such. A lot of interesting information to be found here and the author is outstanding as her previous works have attested.

Go on.. get a copy today!

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Apr 13, 2010

Alana rated it:

Lord John and the Hands of Devils is a collection that contains three Lord John mysteries... one simply called a short story and the other two meriting the designation "novella" from the author. Prior to starting the Lord John novels, I should have done a bit of research, as the first of these stories comes before the first novel in chronological order... similarly, the second story comes before the second novel and then the third story finishes things up. Reading them out of order d More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jun 30, 2009

Robin rated it:

This book is a short story and two novellas that should be read in chronological context because there are frequent references to characters and events that happen to Lord John in Gabaldon's Outlander series where the character first appears, and in the full-length novels about Lord John. A major element of Lord John, the ways he is written and the various challenges he must negotiate, deal with his sexuality, which was confusing in the first story, but became clearer in the final two tales. For More...

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May 12, 2009

Julie rated it:

Three long "short" stories, or three shortish novellas, make up this book. They're all three mysteries, featuring Lord John (from the Outlander books, a minor but important character, who now has his own series.)

I... I.... Okay, I can't get past the gay. I really have tried, folks, honest, but when Lord John starts speculatively eyeballing another man I just tune out.... Besides, the word "Sodomite" is starting to make me giggle reflexively.

I did More...

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Oct 09, 2009

Isis rated it:

A mediocre short story and two excellent novellas. I like Lord John exceedingly well, his private life and his public face both, and I love the way the mystery genre combines with the historical and a touch of romance to create such compelling stories.

What I admire and enjoy most about both the first two stories here and the two novels is the way in which Lord John's homosexuality provides him with both unique problems and unique windows on the problems of others. His nature is a More...

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May 01, 2011

Emily rated it:

I really loved the character of John Grey in Voyager, so I thought I’d start Diana Gabaldon’s spin-off series while waiting for The Drums of Autumn on audio. I tend to split the time I spend on her books listening to the audio (the reader for the Claire-Jamie books is one of the best audio book readers I’ve heard) and reading them, and this one was no different. I had another book started, but I found myself picking this up between work commutes instead.
I don’t recommend reading this no More...

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Jan 21, 2010

Salina rated it:

This book is a collection of stories about Lord John Grey, one of the characters we first saw in the Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. It includes Lord John and the Hellfire Club (short story); Lord John and the Succubus (novella) and Lord John and the Haunted Soldier (novella). I really liked the Hellfire club short story and the Succubus was very entertaining. I've just read Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade and the Haunted Soldier follows that story, so I was interested in reading that More...

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Dec 02, 2011

Lea Ann rated it:

A nice collection of stories involving Lord John. I had to take a break and finish Brotherhood of the Blade before reading the last story in this collection, and I'm glad I took the time to do that, because Gabaldon kind of assumes you know the backstory (which is kind of irritating because I really don't remember Private Matter very well and can't find a good plot synopsis anywhere on line to remind me).

In any case the stories are well done. Haunted Soldier seems like a stretch to be More...

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Jan 28, 2009

Valerie rated it:

I think I've already read the first two parts, as they were published in other places. But as always I find her forwards and acknowledgments worth the cost of the book. (In this case, free since I bookmooched this book.) As always I enjoy this character, and Gabaldon's writing very much.

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Jan 31, 2012

Mary rated it:

Lord John and the Hand of Devils is a collection of short stories starring (who else?) Lord John, a secondary character from the Outlander series. These stories fit in with the other novels in the Lord John series, but the publication order is not chronological, which - if I hadn't been forewarned - would have confused me. I read the first two stories in this collection and then read Lord John and The Brotherhood of the Blade before reading the last story (Lord John and the Haunted Soldier). As More...

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Mar 14, 2009

Barbara rated it:

Lord John is a minor character from Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. He is a homosexual man in the 18th century England where it was against the law to be gay. There is absolutely no sex scenes in any of these books just the hint of longing from Lord John. He mentions someones hands (or lips) and how they would feel to hold (or kiss). That kind of thing only so the homosexual aspect is really in the closet and doesn't impact the stories at all.

This is a collection of 3 novels. More...

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Oct 24, 2010

Suzy rated it:

I would probably give this book 3.5 stars. It is a collection of one short story and two novellas starring Lord John Grey, a character first seen in Gabaldon's "Outlander" series. The novellas are entertaining, but didn't wow me. I didn't care for the short story at all. I think Gabaldon excels at loooong books, but has a hard time putting enough detail into a short story. I also was a little lost during parts of all three stories, because I think I probably should have read the o More...

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Aug 03, 2009

Suze rated it:

As I love Diana Gabaldon's writing (esp. the Outlander series), I was a surprised to be somewhat disappointed in this book. It's more of a collection of three 'novella's', two of which I swear I had read before in another of her books.

I'm not a fan of short stories or novella's (call them what you will), never have been. I like a big book I can sink my teeth into for awhile so I can become closely acquainted with the characters therein. I found I just didn't care all that much about More...

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Mar 29, 2008

Stephanie rated it:

With each book, Lord John comes more to life. I never considered him a major player in the Outlander series but he has become a favorite character in his own with this set of books.

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Dec 05, 2008

Korynn rated it:

Not as satisfying as the novels but enjoyable little vignettes from the life of Lord John Grey, curious nobleman. He is akin to Lord Peter Wimsey but is more serious and a soldier in nature. The first short story I am not much impressed by, the Hellfire Club seems a bit weak on motive. The second, the Succubus is a tad far-fetched but enjoyable with load of new characters and a war to fight. The third story, following directly Brotherhood of the Blade, delves more into one of the mysterious olde More...

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Dec 06, 2011

kathleen rated it:

I love Diana Gabaldon's writing style -- it's very evocative of the moment, if I can say that. She notes the scents, sounds and textures experienced by her characters and it adds a sense of immediacy that I revel in. This book is really a collection of two novellas and a short story -- all mysteries involving political or military treason, set in the 18th century. The fact that the main character, Lord John, is gay is an interesting twist, because he has to balance his own preferences with the More...

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Aug 15, 2010

MichelleKCanada rated it:

This book took me forever to finish. There is 3 novellas in this one book so it was verra easy to stop and start at will.

I had already read the first "Lord John and the Hellfire" club. It was in one of her previous books but I kept on reading thinking that maybe something extra happens. It doesnt.

"Lord John and the Succubus" was really boring and all over the place. Even though it was a novella, I picked it up and left it numerous times. I read 2 boo More...

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Nov 08, 2011

Fiona rated it:

I'm a huge Diana Gabaldon fan and the Lord John series has helped fill the void I feel while waiting for a new Outlander book to be written. That said, they're not quite as gripping. I do love Lord john as a character and i love the personal stuff about him and his relationships but the mystery stuff is secondary. Though they are designed to be read as stand alone books and not necessarily in chronological order have read them out of order and it bugged me. This one, The hand of devils is really More...

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Aug 04, 2011

Rachel rated it:

A compilation of several short stories regarding Lord John Grey. It was a bit odd to read this after having read the 1st two books in the series, as the short stories fit chronologically in between those stories. I understood a lot more of the Brotherhood of the Blade story after having read the last short story in this book. Make sure to check the order (helpfully located at the start of the book) before embarking on any of the Lord John Grey Series.

Regardless, the stories were More...

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Aug 05, 2011

Matt rated it:

An interesting collection of short stories that weave some alternate tales to the usual Lord John-Jamie theatrics of the Outlander series, while still leaving little doubt as to where Lord John's heart remains. Each story is a mystery in which Lord John stumbles across the answers in a rtoundabout way. Call it an 18th century Sherlock Holmes (he even paraphrases Holmes' famous quote about truth).

A little dry at times, though Gabaldon does push through to give Lord John another angle, yet does so More...

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