45th out of 123 books
—
135 voters
Lord John And The Hand Of Devils (Lord John Grey 0.5, 1.5, 2.5)
by
Diana Gabaldon (Goodreads Author)
Diana Gabaldon, the New York Times bestselling author of Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade and the wildly popular Outlander novels, delivers three tales of war, intrigue, and espionage that feature one of her most popular characters: Lord John Grey. In the heart of the eighteenth century, here are haunted soldiers . . . lusty princesses . . . ghostly apparitions ....more
Hardcover, 302 pages
Published
November 27th 2007
by Delacorte Press
(first published January 1st 2006)
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May 10, 2010
Tatiana
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fans of Diana Gabaldon's Lord John series
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 (novella)
The Custom of the Country (nov...more
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 (novella)
The Custom of the Country (nov...more
#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, preferably with liberal amounts of brandy splashed in for...more
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, preferably with liberal amounts of brandy splashed in for...more
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.
The third, Lord John and the...more
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.
The third, Lord John and the...more
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 really want to read about. How did Lord J...more
I'm looking forward to the next book, though: Lord John and the Scottish Prisoner. That's what I really want to read about. How did Lord J...more
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 Grey. One was written for this...more
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 Grey. One was written for this...more
In this collection of three short stories (although Diana Gabaldon doesn't really 'do' short stories, LOL, so its more a collection of three relatively short single title novels), she takes a character from the Outlander series, Lord John Grey, and has him involved in three mysterious matters involving the supernatural and the all-to-real. In Lord John and the Hellfire Club he becomes involved in solving the murder of a young diplomat. I love that he is drawn into the mystery because the diploma...more
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)
The Stories
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. An encounter with Harry Quarry incurs a meeting with...more
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)
The Stories
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. An encounter with Harry Quarry incurs a meeting with...more
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 much longer...more
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).
Don't want to say too much because I really...more
Don't want to say too much because I really...more
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
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
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!
Go on.. get a copy today!
It's impossible for me to say how well this collection of two novellas and a short story featuring Lord John Grey stacks up on its own. The protagonist, John Grey, is a character from Diana Gabaldon's rather epic Outlander series and I found it impossible to separate my impressions of him from those books from this one. Regardless, I really enjoyed these little mystery stories.
I love the picture Gabaldon paints of Eighteenth century England and Prussia at war. Her descriptions always bring the s...more
I love the picture Gabaldon paints of Eighteenth century England and Prussia at war. Her descriptions always bring the s...more
I enjoyed these stories quite a bit - a little less than Brotherhood of the Blade, but definitely more than A Private Matter (which is my least favorite Gabaldon book of all). I think Gabaldon's greatest strength lies in continued development of her characters, which I think she also knows on some level since she keeps writing long series. The more I read of her cast of characters, the more I enjoy and appreciate them. And the characters in this series are no exception, and I'm finding them incr...more
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 doesn't neces...more
This volume contains one short story and two novella-length mysteries featuring Lord John. While there are no big revelations here, readers do get to spend some quality time with John, Harry Quarry, and Stephan von Namtzen. (The bluff Hal is nowhere to be found, much to my distress.)
"The Hellfire Club" is a short story, and in my opinion, the weakest of the three mysteries. I suspect that Gabaldon was hampered by length limitations here, as the story seems to end just as it starts to get intere...more
"The Hellfire Club" is a short story, and in my opinion, the weakest of the three mysteries. I suspect that Gabaldon was hampered by length limitations here, as the story seems to end just as it starts to get intere...more
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
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 finish this one, which is more than I can say for...more
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 finish this one, which is more than I can say for...more
In an effort to read the Lord John Grey series in order, I have not read this anthology of short story and novellas together, but rather where they fall in the story time line. I love John Grey's character in the Outlander series and was so pleased to see that he had his own stories.
The first story in this book, Lord John and the Hellfire Club, was a nice introduction and reminder of his character while posing a nice murder mystery plot. John has just returned to London and visits a few of his o...more
The first story in this book, Lord John and the Hellfire Club, was a nice introduction and reminder of his character while posing a nice murder mystery plot. John has just returned to London and visits a few of his o...more
Oct 09, 2009
Isis
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
slash fans, particularly of Sharpe and Age of Sail fandoms
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 an essential par...more
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 an essential par...more
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 novella co...more
I don’t recommend reading this novella co...more
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 al...more
So I did enjoy these stories, but I dunno... I think because they weren't really linked, other than that each was Lord John... just didn't "do it" for me. I absolutely love hearing all the "proper" speaking of the time, and I always feel a bit smarter hearing all the big words, lol. And I love Lord John's sense of rightness. And it's always interesting to watch him walk the line of his homosexuality. The stories were good, but I didn't find myself drawn to them like I do with Outlander... where...more
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 called pa...more
In any case the stories are well done. Haunted Soldier seems like a stretch to be called pa...more
Where I got the book: B&N clearance rack.
Do you have to be a Lord John Grey fan to read this book? I think not. Or not even, possibly, a fan of Gabaldon's Outlander series, although if you're not there will be one or two references to red hair that might confuse you. This collection of three stories (one short, one long-short-story length and one novella) is a decent introduction to Lord John and to Gabaldon's 18th century.
I've said a lot of what I think about the Lord John books in my revie...more
Do you have to be a Lord John Grey fan to read this book? I think not. Or not even, possibly, a fan of Gabaldon's Outlander series, although if you're not there will be one or two references to red hair that might confuse you. This collection of three stories (one short, one long-short-story length and one novella) is a decent introduction to Lord John and to Gabaldon's 18th century.
I've said a lot of what I think about the Lord John books in my revie...more
Lord John and the Hand of Devils is a collection of stories. I find it difficult to rate books like this as I feel each story should have its own rating. “Lord John and the Hellfire Club” takes place before the 1st Lord John novel- Lord John and the Private Matter. "The Hellfire Club" is a story of murder and men behaving badly what more can I ask for in just 36 pages. I have grown accustom to Diana Gabaldon’s writing and I felt it could have been more involved but otherwise I like the story and...more
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
This volume was a pleasant surprise. Some of the stories are quite engaging. Beware--Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade (a complete novel and volume to itself) fits chronologically before the last story here, and should be read in order so that everything makes sense. While Gabaldon is not a natural master of the short story, and the shorter pieces suffer by ending too abruptly and not allowing the proper plot and character development, the novellas are quite good, and do not give the sa...more
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. Contains Lord Jo...more
This is a collection of 3 novels. Contains Lord Jo...more
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Diana Jean Gabaldon Watkins grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona and is of Mexican-American and English descent. She has earned three degrees: a B.S. in Zoology, a M.S. in Marine Biology, and a Ph.D in Ecology.
She currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona .
More about Diana Gabaldon...
She currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona .
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“Filial respect caused Grey to hesitate in passing ex post facto opinions on his mother's judgment, but after half an hour in the company of either Paul or Edgar, he could not escape a lurking suspicion that a just Providence, seeing the DeVanes so well endowed with physical beauty, had determined that there was no reason to spoil the work by adding intelligence to the mix.”
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“Go to bed, Tom," he managed to say. "Don't wake me in the morning. I plan to be dead." ~Lord John Grey”
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updated Mar 31, 2010 04:26pm