Lord John and the Scottish Prisoner (Lord John Grey, #3)

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Lord John and the Scottish Prisoner (Lord John Grey #3)

by Diana Gabaldon (Goodreads Author)

4.04 of 5 stars 4.04 · rating details · 6,959 ratings · 948 reviews

In this highly-anticipated new novel, Diana Gabaldon brings back one of her most compelling characters: the unforgettable Lord John Grey - soldier, gentleman, and no mean hand with a blade. Set in the heart of the eighteenth century, Lord John's world is one of mystery and menace. Diana Gabaldon brilliantly weaves together the strands of Lord John's secret and public lives...more

Hardcover, UK, 560 pages

Published October 25th 2012 by Delacorte Press (first published 2011)

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Feb 07, 2013 Lori McD rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: british-lit, drama, favorite-author, guilty-pleasure, highlander, historical-fiction, pseudo-mystery, scottish-lit, some-steam, thriller, suspense, kindle-book, lord-john-grey, 2011_read, 2012_read, 2013_read, war, military, spies, outlander

3rd read: Feb 2013

OK, so I'm just a sucker for Jamie Fraser... and any book that he's in.

2nd read: Feb 2012

Just gets better! Not much to add this time through, except that I appreciated the nuances of this book so much more. I was, however, dismayed to realize that the name Tobias Quinn never darkened our door before in any previous Outlander or Lord John book. That was a mystery to me, but...

Also, I'd missed the resolution with Betty, the ladies' maid at Helwater in the 1st read. I was too foc...more

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May 24, 2012 Mary Rose rated it 3 of 5 stars

Can't wait for this book, for any of you out there that have read and fallen in love with the outlander series, this is supposedly about Lord John and Jamie's life before Claire returns. This time is only skimmed over as far as Jamie goes during the Outlander books, so it should be an interesting look as to what Jamie's up to after Claire returns to the modern era. And lets face it anything to do with our fav. scottish hottie is worth the look.

16 likes · like · see review

Feb 29, 2012 Lupdilup Duffy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review is for the audiobook.
I can't resist! it's about Jamie :)
All I can say is that if you love Jaime you're going to enjoy this book very much. It is so nice to visit Diana's world and characters, I truly feel bad for Lord John, he loves Jaime more than I do, if that is possible.
Now for the narration, I have to warn all Outlanders's fans, the reader's voice and tone for Jaime is completely different from Davina Porter's, it takes a while to get used to him, but Diana's brilliant writing d...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Renee rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Jamie Fraser fans

Shelves: read-in-2012

3.5 stars
While it was a good story, I was disappointed that Lord John had to share the narrative with Jamie Fraser. I've waited for years for a new Lord John book, and really wanted his story. And, while the book cover image and the Goodreads listing has the book as "Lord John and the Scottish Prisoner," I noticed that the library copy of the audiobook is titled, "The Scottish Prisoner" instead. This is much a more accurate title.

I found that the story itself took Lord John and Jamie's relations...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Megan Baxter rated it 3 of 5 stars

When I started this book, I quickly became annoyed at the Scottishisms in the writing - not in the dialogue, but the way they cropped up in the descriptive text. They felt rare and out of place and smacked of shouting "look at me! I've done my research!"

Eventually, I stopped noticing them. But there is a bit of the self-conscious researcher about this book. It's well written, interesting, and mostly the details don't overwhelm the story, but on occasion, that line is skirted.

This is also the fir...more

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Dec 02, 2011 Donna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Let me begin by saying that I am not a big fan of the Outlander series(Gasp! Don't hate me for it) I don't like time travel books all that much and I find the series confusing when skipping back and forth in time. I am a big fan of the Lord John series, though. I think that Lord John is an interesting character, very dark at times, with moments of lightness and tenderness. I never know what to expect from him from one minute to the next. I like how his public life is at odds with his private lif...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Summer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, anglophile, historical-fiction, series

This is the third in the series starring Lord John Grey, a character in the Outlander series. There is something of an under current of whispered rebellion, that is centering in Ireland, and it smells of a Jacobite uprising. Jamie's past with the Jacobite cause and his ability to read Gaelic make him the perfect person to use for Hal's, John's brother, purposes.

I had a hard time rating this book. I loved the portions that included Jamie and you were able to learn more details about his life. I...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

OK, I am biased. It had Jamie Fraser in it.

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Dec 10, 2011 Fran rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was hoping for a continuation of the Outlander story, but I got Lord John & Jamie at a time in the middle of the story. It was, as all of her books are, engaging. I just missed Claire and the other time travelers.

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Jan 22, 2012 Diane rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I already KNOW my rating will be 5 stars...just sat down to lunch, turned Kindle on..opened Scottish Prisoner..at 1% and I'm grinning like a young schoolgirl who is experiencing her first crush!! Jamie is BACK!! :)

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Oct 09, 2012 Tonya rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: top-ten-for-2012, fall-2012, 100-in-2012

I loved this story and the way that you got a glimpse into Jamie's life during his years at Helwater. His struggle to accept his role in life when he still found himself thinking of himself as a 'laird' still in some situations was not surprising. Jamie through all the books has always been a leader among men even when that's just taking the lead in the stables. The heartbreaking memories of Claire and his fervent, frequent prayers for their safety were so poignant and well written. (view spoile ...more

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May 10, 2013 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Diana Gabaldon continues to amaze me!!! Her story telling is exquisitely detailed so that you are easily transported into the story with characters. The visualizations are so exact and are a true testament to the thorough research she does for all of her books.

So, Jamie & John ... what a pair. They don't know what do to with each other and what to do with themselves around the other. Love the dynamic that has evolved between them. You are able to feel that a true friendship exists between. T...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Matt marked it as to-read

Shelves: audiobook

Admittedly, I have always enjoyed the OUTLANDER series, even if it is not the genre I would usually read. Jamie, Claire, and the rest of the gang really do make for a great tale (and when read by Davina Porter, it comes alive). Although he plays a role in some of the books, I have always struggled with Lord John Grey and the stories that focus on him. THE SCOTTISH PRISONER was very much the latter, even though Jamie Fraser plays a key role in the story.

I know that Gabaldon`s use of this book to...more

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Jan 28, 2012 Susanne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

How could an "Outlander" fan NOT read this? That said, I found it only modestly appealing, not so different from the other 'Lord John' books. This one seemed a lot longer than it needed to be (but that's not a surprise either -- I can't be the only one who thinks Diana Gabaldon could use a good editor). I thoroughly like Lord John as a character, but the books devoted entirely to him clearly fall into the camp of 'British mysteries' as opposed to 'rousing adventures.' Glad I read it, but I MUCH...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Karen Charbonneau rated it 5 of 5 stars

Having read all of Diana Gabaldon's novels, including the Lord John series, in one fell swoop during the past year, I made certain to be the first at my public library to check out The Scottish Prisoner. It was an enjoyable immersion, to be once again alongside two of the three best-developed characters from her Outlander series, Jamie Fraser and Lord John Grey. Gabaldon's historic settings draw me in. Her characters reside in those settings realistically and she maneuvers the reader through the...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Ricki Treleaven rated it 5 of 5 stars

This week I read The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon. She also wrote the wildly popular Outlander series which is my very favorite series of all time. You can read about the series here.

One of the reasons I wanted to get this book is because there is a preview of Written in My Own Heart's Blood, the eight installment of Outlander, in the back of the book. I wanted to read this excerpt badly because the seventh book, An Echo in the Bone, ended with a triple cliffhanger!

The Scottish Prisoner i...more This week I read The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon. She also wrote the wildly popular Outlander series which is my very favorite series of all time. You can read about the series here.

One of the reasons I wanted to get this book is because there is a preview of Written in My Own Heart's Blood, the eight installment of Outlander, in the back of the book. I wanted to read this excerpt badly because the seventh book, An Echo in the Bone, ended with a triple cliffhanger!

The Scottish Prisoner is a book about an episode that happened while Jamie was serving out his term as prisoner of war at Helwater when his illegitimate son, William, was a "wee bonnie lad." Of course Claire was still in the future after the failure at Culloden, so I spent most of the book feeling sorry for Jamie as he deals with his grief over the loss of his beloved wife and unborn child. Lord John Grey is a major character in this book, but this is not strictly a Lord John Grey novel like others Gabaldon has written. Lord John's elder brother Hal, the Duke of Pardloe, needs help in a possible court martial case. A manuscript written in Erse, or Scottish Gaelic, needs translating, and Hal sends soldiers to Helwater to retrieve Jamie and bring him to London so he can help with the translation. The translation was included in several documents written about Major Gerald Siverly; the documents are proof of corruption and of a possible future plot.

But before the soldiers arrive at Helwater, Tobias Quinn, a Jacobite who eludes capture, appears to inform Jamie of a scheme to rally the Irish Jacobites to fight for the cause. The plan includes an ancient Druid relic, and Jamie wants nothing to do with the cause, politics, or Irish Jacobites. He has recently been allowed to give young William riding lessons, and he is so grateful for the opportunity that he does not want anything to interfere with spending time with his son.

The manuscript Jamie translates is a story of the Wild Hunt straight from Celtic folklore, yet it is also a coded missive about a new Jacobite rising: a plot that would endanger King George II. Soon Jamie and Lord John set sail for Ireland to question Siverly. Jamie and Lord John have had a very volatile relationship since Outlander, and the trip to Ireland proves to be a difficult task for the two of them. Plus Quinn arrives on the scene as a travel companion to further complicate their mission.

My favorite aspect of the book is the Celtic mythology and supernatural elements woven throughout the plot. It was fun for me to read about Jamie's brush with the mystical realm rather than Claire. I have a sneaking suspicion that we might see more of this side of Jamie and perhaps an ancient Druid or two in future Outlander books. Lord John was his usual honorable self, and I enjoyed the parts of the book written from his point of view. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has read the Outlander and/or Lord John Grey series. It is a nice Jamie Fraser (and Lord John Grey) fix while waiting for Written in My Own Heart's Blood.
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Jan 17, 2013 Marleen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The last time Lord John Grey and Jamie Fraser saw each other they parted after a heated fight during which things were said that can’t be easily forgiven or forgotten. Since then Jamie has been working as a groom on the Helwater estate. While he is no longer a prisoner, he’s not a free man either since he can’t go anywhere else or plan his own life. Jamie isn’t too unhappy about his lot though. While he still misses his wife, Claire, terribly, even after more than ten years, and aches for his ho...more The last time Lord John Grey and Jamie Fraser saw each other they parted after a heated fight during which things were said that can’t be easily forgiven or forgotten. Since then Jamie has been working as a groom on the Helwater estate. While he is no longer a prisoner, he’s not a free man either since he can’t go anywhere else or plan his own life. Jamie isn’t too unhappy about his lot though. While he still misses his wife, Claire, terribly, even after more than ten years, and aches for his home in the Scottish Highlands, living on Helwater gives him the opportunity to be close to the son he can’t acknowledge. His life is peaceful and predictable until Tobias Quinn arrives. The Irish man, who was part of the failed Rising, is involved in plans to resurrect the Jacobite rebellion and determined to get Jamie involved.

In London, Lord John Grey has in his possession papers which reveal corruption and murder committed by a British officer. Together with his brother Hal, John decides to bring the officer in question in front of a court martial. But with their suspect residing in Ireland they have to come up with a way of getting him back to England. And since the papers also hint at a more far reaching conspiracy, the brothers need Jamie to travel with and assist John.

Soon the two men are reluctantly thrown back together and travelling to Ireland. Here they will face danger, conspiracies, murder, false accusations and divided loyalties. But it is also a journey that will give them the opportunity to overcome their old hostilities and forge a new, if complicated, friendship.

Set in 1760, this is a wonderful book. It offers solid historical fiction, great characters and a thrilling story. Really, I couldn’t find anything wrong with this book if I wanted to.

For the uninitiated, a short background to the characters in this book. Jamie Fraser is one of the two main characters in the series of books that started with Outlander (Cross Stitch in the UK). Lord John Grey occasionally makes guest, but not unimportant, appearances in those books but has been given his own stories in a separate offshoot of the Outlander books. This is the first book in which both characters play an equal role, and it makes for fascinating reading. Jamie, the proud Scottish Highlander, former rebel and now despised prisoner and John, the English aristocrat and officer couldn’t be further apart. And yet the two men have a lot in common. Both are honourable, intelligent and cultured and both have to live with an impossible love. Jamie will never get over the wife he had to let go so she could return to her own time in safety and John, as a homosexual, can never openly admit to his preferences. The fact that he is deeply attracted to Jamie only complicates matters further. The relationship between the two men is complicated and very interesting. Even after their big fight they find it hard to sustain their animosity when they’re forced to work together and depend upon each other. The way their feelings fluctuate, and their relationship develops, gives this book depth and adds greatly to the mysterious and thrilling story-line.

Diana Gabaldon writes her stories well. With every book I read her characters become more real for me and I’m deeply invested in their lives. The historical detail in the books is fascinating, and as far as I can tell, well researched and accurate. The fact that a big part of this story took place in Ireland was a very nice added bonus for me.

The Scottish Prisoner delivers everything you might be looking for in a good read: we have a mystery that has to be solved, danger that has to be faced and overcome, fascinating settings, realistic and multi-facetted characters with issues to overcome and dialogue that flows smoothly (and boy do I love that Scottish accent).

I’ve allowed myself to fall behind in my reading of the Outlander books. Of course, that’s not necessarily a bad thing because it means that even if I read “A Breath of Snow and Ashes” in the near future there will be a sequel already available in the shops as soon as I finish it. Life is good!
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Dec 29, 2012 Scrittevolmente rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Terza avventura del protagonista John Grey, che ci porterà direttamente sui campi di battaglia contro francesi e austriaci, dandoci una gradevole panoramica della Guerra dei sette anni, dei luoghi e delle usanze prima e durante le battaglie, affermando la Gabaldon come ottima narratrice in grado di documentarsi sulle epoche e sugli usi e costumi.
Peccato che in questo romanzo l’autrice abbia dato fondo a tutte le sue dotte conoscenze – interessantissime, ci mancherebbe altro – ma a pieno discapit...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Ish Healy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-reviews

In the course of The Scottish Prisoner Lord John Gey and Jamie Frasier team up in order to arrest a dishonourable Englishman and maybe stop a Jacobean plot on the way. The plot is as such: after returning to London Grey receives a package of letters that detail the illegal doings of Major Gerald Siverly, who Grey and his brother, the Duke of Pardloe, decide needs to be brought to London for justice – a task which requires journeying to Ireland. Within the package is a poem written in Irish Gael...more In the course of The Scottish Prisoner Lord John Gey and Jamie Frasier team up in order to arrest a dishonourable Englishman and maybe stop a Jacobean plot on the way. The plot is as such: after returning to London Grey receives a package of letters that detail the illegal doings of Major Gerald Siverly, who Grey and his brother, the Duke of Pardloe, decide needs to be brought to London for justice – a task which requires journeying to Ireland. Within the package is a poem written in Irish Gaelic, so Pardloe summons Frasier in order to translate it as best as possible. While all this is going on, Frasier has also been approached by Irishman Tobias Quinn, who he knew before the Rising of 45. Quinn talks of another Rising, this one in Ireland, and it doesn’t take a genius to put one and two together to see where this plot is going.

In the course of The Scottish Prisoner Lord John Gey and Jamie Frasier team up in order to arrest a dishonourable Englishman and maybe stop a Jacobean plot on the way. The plot is as such: after returning to London Grey receives a package of letters that detail the illegal doings of Major Siverly, who Grey and his brother, the Duke of Pardloe, decide needs to be brought to London for justice – a task which requires journeying to Ireland. Within the package is a poem written in Irish Gaelic, so Pardloe summons Frasier in order to translate it as best as possible. While all this is going on, Frasier has also been approached by Irishman Tobias Quinn, who he knew before the Rising of 45. Quinn talks of another Rising, this one in Ireland, and it doesn’t take a genius to put one and two together to see where this plot is going.

I think this novel really tied up some of the loose ends of the previous Lord John books, particularly in regards to the friendship between the two men. Having read the Outlander books I know that they become good friends again, and The Scottish Prisoner shows just how they do so. Things might not be exactly perfect between the two of them at novel’s end, but I at least have an idea of how they’re going to end up at the point of friendship that they’re at by Drums of Autumn. I am getting a bit bored of the Jacobean threat plot line in the Grey books, it seems to pop up every other book or so. At the same time, though I only have one more story (to date) in the Lord John series to read, and I suspect that Gabaldon will have to stretch a bit to write a story connecting Jacobeans and zombies. While this wasn’t my favourite story in the series, I did like it, overall. For the most part it was able to really stand on its own, although as usual there are many references to events both in earlier Lord John novels and in Voyager, so I wouldn’t recommend skipping over them before reading this one – even if Gabaldon’s note at the start of the novel says otherwise.

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Jun 20, 2012 Marlene rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally published at Reading Reality

June is Audiobook Month according to the Audio Publishers Association. So it's absolutely right and proper that one of my reviews this month be the audiobook version of the latest entry in one my favorite series.

I listened to The Scottish Prisoner over the last week or so, and I was sorry to see it end. While this is the third in her Lord John series, it could be counted as the tenth, or tenth-ish, in one of my favorite reads, the Outlander series by Diana...more

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May 21, 2012 Surreysmum rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, historical-fiction, homoerotic-fiction-by-women, owned

I enjoyed this Lord John novel far more than I thought I would, especially after my sister gave it a negative review as she handed it to me at Christmastime (thanks, sis!) Oh, I know Gabaldon will never do what I would like her to do with Lord John and Jamie, which is to have Jamie finally give in to his bi-curiosity and make John a happy man, but that's fair enough - her characters. And there are millions of readers who have a big investment in her original heterosexual romance series, which I...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Linda C rated it 4 of 5 stars

Thumbs up on this book. Generally, I haven't been a fan of the Lord John books-- I read the first one, didn't really like it (honestly, I can barely remember it now, some plot that he had to uncover, a scandal etc... I couldn't have cared less about the story line), didn't read the second, but was interested enough in this one to read it. Now, in the spirit of fairness, I was probably interested because Jamie was a central character and DG hasn't written a lot about him apart from Claire, so tha...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Gretchen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012

Diana Gabaldon has said many times that she doesn't like fan fiction. This novel is a great explanation for that statement. Here, she revisits John Grey and Jamie Fraser, filling in some of the blank space in the timeline of her Outlander series. It's a time that fan fic writers might have approached as well, and it's clear that Herself wants to be the one filling in the blanks.

It's interesting to see fit this novel in among the others in the series. As other reviewers have said, Gabaldon does a...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Kimberly rated it 4 of 5 stars

My husband was surprised when I said I didn't this book for Christmas. Lord John is one of my favorite characters ever. What was wrong with me?

It's right on the cover: Lord John and the Scottish Prisoner

Jamie was going to be ALL OVER THIS NOVEL. I like the Outlander series and I know James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser is regarded by fanatics as the perfect man. Anything to the contrary would be met with a call to a duello of pistols at dawn. But he's been getting the Mary Sue/sainthood tr...more

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Feb 15, 2012 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Diana Gabaldon is, without a doubt, one of the finest historical fiction storytellers out there. Her 'Outlander' series is seven books strong and now going on eight. Added to this, she has managed to intertwine this new series featuring Lord John Grey, a character from the Outlander series, with that original series. When you read it, she refers back to events and characters of that first series, so it is like you have never left these characters--they exist again in this new series. In The Scot...more

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Feb 14, 2012 Victoria Hess rated it 5 of 5 stars

In many ways I find Lord John to be a more interesting character than Jamie or Claire. So I am delighted to have read this book, which features both John and Jamie, during a period that is not covered by any of the other books, and develops their relationship into one of friendship, rather than one of mistrust.

Of course, John is gay, and that is definitely one of the things I love about him. When I first read a Lord John book, I was shocked (in a good way) to find a gay character in a historical...more In many ways I find Lord John to be a more interesting character than Jamie or Claire. So I am delighted to have read this book, which features both John and Jamie, during a period that is not covered by any of the other books, and develops their relationship into one of friendship, rather than one of mistrust.

Of course, John is gay, and that is definitely one of the things I love about him. When I first read a Lord John book, I was shocked (in a good way) to find a gay character in a historical novel, when I expected, and usually would, find simpering girls ISO "true love" combined with a title and money. John is gay, without apology, but with an under layer of concern that if he was found out, things would not go well for him.

But the fact that he is gay is not what this story is about, except to the extent that he has to remember not to scare Jamie off, because he needs Jamie for this mission, and to the extent that Jamie has to live with his knowledge that John is very much attracted to him, but won't take advantage of it of it because of the sense of honor they share. Jamie's past experience with a gay man did not include that sense of honor, and Jamie was badly used.

Jamie is summoned to assist John in a mission that requires both Jamie's warrior skills and his knowledge of Gaelic. There is a trip to Ireland, a lot of doings in London, including a dual, and plenty of chances for Jamie to escape from his continued imprisonment (and otherwise behave badly), but Jamie chooses not to take advantage, because it would dishonor him. Jamie and John come to understand one another better, and develop a friendship that could not have occurred otherwise.

There is one love scene between John and a minor character, which is tastefully done, but if you object to this sort of thing, could easily be skipped over. I think Gabaldon must have added it in to remind us of who John was, and to further develop another plot line that was presented in an earlier book.

I enjoyed this book greatly, and an glad to have read it because it filled a hole in the development of John and Jamie's relationship and answered a question raised in one of the books set in America. (less)

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Feb 12, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review is a bit overdue. I actually read this book last fall within days of its release, as I do with anything remotely related to Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. So, it's not as fresh in my mind as it should be, but I wanted to post a brief review anyway, particularly as I've noticed some reviews have been posted before the readers were even finished with it! So - there are things I love about Gabaldon's writing, and there are quirks that I find a bit annoying, but I think that's the ca...more This review is a bit overdue. I actually read this book last fall within days of its release, as I do with anything remotely related to Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. So, it's not as fresh in my mind as it should be, but I wanted to post a brief review anyway, particularly as I've noticed some reviews have been posted before the readers were even finished with it! So - there are things I love about Gabaldon's writing, and there are quirks that I find a bit annoying, but I think that's the case with any long established writer, as it is with old friends. I'm happy to say that many of the things that annoy me a bit (overused expressions, way more plodding detail than anyone could possibly need)felt largely absent from this book. In fact, it felt extremely fresh for being part of a series that is now two decades old. Its place in the series seems, to me at least, to fall somewhere between the main Outlander series and the Lord John books that spin-off the main series (though seem increasingly to be merging closer to it). What I loved about this book was the alternative narratives of Lord John Grey and Jamie Fraser. I have always liked Lord John as a character, though sometimes I find the Lord John series feel a bit disjointed and I've never felt as invested in it the way I have in the main series. In Scottish Prisoner, however, the characters, including Lord John, feel more rounded and even more loveable in some ways (Hal is increasingly one of my favorites). John himself is an incredibly sympathetic character, and lets the reader see Jamie through new eyes. Furthermore, I always enjoy Jamie's point of view, which we rarely get in the main Outlander series. I especially enjoy the younger Jamie of the earlier books, and while he's a bit older and more hardened here than in Outlander, he's still a delight. The interactions between Jamie and Lord John as they tentatively rebuild their friendship against almost impossible odds is extremely moving.
I found the trip to Ireland to be a lot of fun. However, this is where the book loses a star for me. I have yet to see a non-caricatured and/or sympathetic Irish character in a Gabaldon's book. Perhaps this is because we're seeing them through the eyes of the 18th century Scots and English, but they are either murderous sociopaths (Stephen Bonnet - not in this book thank goodness), or foolishly romantic, superstitious idealists, as in this book. All of them. Without exception. (If I'm forgetting one, and there is a reasonable, intelligent Irish character, please point him or her out to me. It will make me feel better). But - that is a small complaint in a book that I otherwise found funny, moving, and exciting, and incredibly difficult to put down.

Recommended for those who have read at least through Voyager in the Outlander series - I'm not sure how this would work as a standalone, but it's certainly better having all the back story. (less)

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Feb 06, 2012 Kathy Davie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, military, suspense

Third in the Lord John Grey historical suspense series revolving around Major Grey. This story involves Jamie Fraser and occurs during Voyager (Outlander, 3).

My Take
This one is a full-length novel in an exploration of honor and friendship. Jamie's honor that he won't besmirch by turning on his Jacobite friends. Keeping William safe without letting the truth out. Protecting the Dunsany family when Isobel makes a huge mistake. The friendship he remembers from Ardsmuir Prison with Lord John. Hal's...more

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Feb 04, 2012 Ms.pegasus rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: readers of historical fiction a good adventure tale

Shelves: history, fiction

An historical romance tethered to unrequited love is one way to categorize THE SCOTTISH PRISONER. This is not a love story. The romance is in the feeling with which Gabaldon writes about the countryside, the weather, the peat bogs and the mud. That emotional directness also comes through when she writes of the animals. The reader can feel the hay and smell the horses through her writing. We can't feel what Jamie Fraser feels, but we can easily embrace his compatibility with this pastoral setting...more An historical romance tethered to unrequited love is one way to categorize THE SCOTTISH PRISONER. This is not a love story. The romance is in the feeling with which Gabaldon writes about the countryside, the weather, the peat bogs and the mud. That emotional directness also comes through when she writes of the animals. The reader can feel the hay and smell the horses through her writing. We can't feel what Jamie Fraser feels, but we can easily embrace his compatibility with this pastoral setting.

Diana Gabaldon also has a special affection for her characters, Jamie Fraser and Lord John Grey. There is an oblique and fleeting “buddy/road trip” feel to the pair, complicated by a conflicted history, divided loyalties, and dissonant personalities, as well as a firm historic grounding: The bitter aftermath of the Battle of Culloden. The action begins in 1760's England when fears of Jacobite conspiracies were still very much alive, and a conspiracy thread drives the main plot. However, because we never become intimate with the key conspirators, the book holds our interest by focusing on the uneasy and at times humorous relationship between Grey and Fraser. Outward composure, etiquette and sartorial propriety rub against very real sensitivities – a bout of seasickness, enough bracing whiskey to float more than one liver, the desperation that moves a character to alleviate illness with the even more unsettling dreams of opium, and the interpretation of the subtlest gesture or remark. I very much regretted that this was my first exposure to these characters. The novel is part of a long series known as the Outlander books, and relies very much on the reader's prior understanding of the current characters and events. Thus, it took me several chapters to warm to the story.

Having gotten into the story, I found this to be a surprisingly entertaining book. The endnotes about the “Wild Hunt” actually reminded me of Goethe's poem, “The Erl-Koenig.” The Gaelic phrases are well worth exploring for pronunciation. The author refers to some sound bites on her website, but I couldn't find them. I did, however, find a website, http://www.forvo.com, which includes Gaelic (I'm not picky about whether the pronunciation is Scottish or Irish). If you type in the Gaelic word, and you are lucky, there will be an audio file to click on which gives a variety of pronunciations.

Unusual and imaginative, THE SCOTTISH PRISONER, offers an entertaining distraction from everyday cares.(less)

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Jan 22, 2012 Sylvia Kelso rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very much the sort of book you wd. expect from a long-running series with major in-conflict characters, where the author decides to give readers what they most want, ie. *both* characters as leads, with no interference from the third in the trio, as there has been elsewhere.
Interesting to see how Jamie and Lord John finally iron out the bumps from their nastiest moments at Ardsmuir and Helwater.

That relationship is the focus of the novel, which makes most of the action into a structural support...more

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Outlander Series: Lord John and the Scottish Prisoner	244	278	May 13, 2013 12:25pm
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“Could I but lay my head in your lap, lass. Feel your hand on me, and sleep wi' the scent of you in my bed.

Christ, Sassenach. I need ye.” — 20 people liked it

“Lord that she might be safe. She and my children.” — 13 people liked it

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