Just finished Echo in the Bone (spoilers included)

[Tracy]

I just finished reading Echo in the Bone. No sleep for days!! Anyone know when Book 8 comes out? LOL!

[Wendy]

You need to go to sleep like Sleeping Beauty and sleep for about 5 years. When you wake up, Presto! Book Eight!

[Kelly]

Tracy wrote: "I just finished reading Echo in the Bone. No sleep for days!! Anyone know when Book 8 comes out? LOL! "


What the heck is up with the ending??? I hope we don't have to wait 3 years for another book? So many questions with J&C left unsaid.

Did you like the end. Talk about cliffhanger

[Michelle]

No I can't say I liked the ending. There were a few parts I thought were rather rushed. It just seemed to be the last 20 pages though. It was excellent up until then. It is the first time I have ever been disappointed in one of the books. I agree, I hope the next book doesn't take years. By then I will have forgotten what's going on.

[Gam26]

What the heck is up with the ending??? I hope we don't have to wait 3 years for another book? So many questions with J&C left unsaid.

Did you like the end. Talk about cliffhanger

I Have not finished the book but I couldn't help be read your post. You are scaring me.lol

[Amy]

<> I just finished the book, too! Very interesting and many surprises. I understand why you felt the ending was a little rushed, but after reading 800+ pages I WAS a little relieved to have some action. May have been rushed, but I did like what happened. Most surprising to me was Jenny leaving Lallybroch at all, let alone coming to America. Never saw that coming!
Can't wait to read more...in, what, 2014? Yikes!

[Kelly]

Amy wrote: "> I just finished the book, too! Very interesting and many surprises. I understand why you felt the ending was a little rushed, but after reading 800+ pages I WAS a little relieved to have some ..."




SPOILERS*********************************


Although I am very happy that she will be writing another book I think it is very disappointing to leave J&C that way for fans. 3 years is so long it just makes me sad to think things may not be okay with the 2 of them. I did enjoy the fact that William found out about Jamie. Jenny seems so bitchy to me about Claire I mean can't she see how much Jamie loves Claire and that Claire loves him. She knows about Brianna and she is still not a fan of Claire.

[LibraryGirl]

spoilers ******************************


I finished Echo yesterday. I have mixed feelings. For me there was too much about battles and not enough about Jamie and Claire. And Ian falling in love with Rachel came out of nowhere.

But there were other parts that were just right. The scene where Fergus tells Jamie that as a boy he always dreamed he was the son of a great man, and now he realizes that he is the son of a great man, was beautiful. The scenes with old Ian dying were heart wrenching.

Claire marrying Lord John was not very convincing, I just don't believe she would do that let alone have sex with him.

Maybe when I read it again, more slowly, things will make more sense.

EC

[Amy]

SPOILERS
You know, I agree. I don't buy Claire and Lord John having sex. MAYBE holding each other, but that's it. Especially the second time!

[ChristinaRae]

Amy wrote: "SPOILERS
You know, I agree. I don't buy Claire and Lord John having sex. MAYBE holding each other, but that's it. Especially the second time!"

At the first read (I had to read the last 100 pages twice) I totally thought that too. At the second read, it made sense that she married him (since she was about to be arrested and would've been hanged) and after her first sexual encounter she said she wouldn't do it again(although she did). This did seem really incongruous with her character; she's always saying she won't use people emotionally, why would she use them sexually? Maybe it's supposed to demonstrate the intensity of her despair. What a gal, though; she even turned Lord John semi-straight.

[ChristinaRae]

So, the top three things I wanted in EITB:

1) Wanted Wm and Jaime to meet and Wm to find out Jaime was his father.

2) Wanted Ian to find himself a girl!

3) Wanted Bree and Rog to have more exciting encounters with the past.

And of course it goes without saying that I wanted lots of Jaime and Claire. So technically, I got everything I wanted. I'm just going nuts over the fact that all of those story lines left me hanging!! ARGH!

[Kelly]

Amy wrote: "SPOILERS
You know, I agree. I don't buy Claire and Lord John having sex. MAYBE holding each other, but that's it. Especially the second time!"


I think they only had sex 1 time. I think she did "relieve" him once. I was very disappointed in that I mean one time when they were drunk was one thing but come on to have her do anything sexual again was so wrong! I still find it hard to believe she would leave Jamie in Scotland!

[Amy]

I agree, she had to marry him. It was a good solution.
ChristinaRae, I love that you say "what a gal, though!" I like your thinking!

[Alicia]

Amy wrote: "I agree, she had to marry him. It was a good solution.
ChristinaRae, I love that you say "what a gal, though!" I like your thinking!


You know i agree with that she had to marry him, otherwise she was in big trouble! But i wouldn't say she turned him semi-straight, i think he turned to Claire because she is the only one who can really understand the depth of despair and grief he was feeling, even more so in fact. So it makes sense that they would turn to each other for comfort. And i'm pretty sure that Claire was just as surprised and weirded out by the situation with LJ as some of the readers here. LOL.

[Carolyn F.]

Alicia wrote: "Amy wrote: "I agree, she had to marry him. It was a good solution.
ChristinaRae, I love that you say "what a gal, though!" I like your thinking!


You know i agree with that she had to marry..."

I don't think Claire really cared about the sex - she was planning her suicide anyway so she was probably just reacting. So sad, cried my eyes out.

[Cpence1]

I just finished Echo yesterday and I must say it is going to be torture to wait for the next one. I agree many cliff hangers at the end. I am worried about what happens to Roger and Jem.

[Kasi]

I completely agree that it will be absolute torture waiting for the next installment.

For me, the biggest disappointment was Jem still being in the tunnel while supposedly Brianna was on her way to convince him of helping with locating the Spaniard and Roger gone to search with Buck. It seemed more than a cliff hanger...it felt as if that storyline was simply forgotten.

Does anyone have any idea if the next book may come out sooner? I think I remember reading that Diana had been writing the two as one gigantic novel in the beginning. Maybe most of the next one is done?

[Alicia]

If that were true, i would be so freaking happy. But i doubt it. At least we have the Graphic Novel to look forward to, if you're into that kind of thing.

[Lady]

I LOVED book 7. Yes, there were a lot of battle scenes and they make me nervous. I worry about who is going to die. Also a lot of sailing drama. But the love scenes were worth the wait.

Spoilers******
I can't wait 3 years to find out how Jaime is going to react the Lord John's admission to carnal knowledge of Jaime's wife.

I think that Claire and Lord John were in a state of shock and grief over Jaime's death and ended up sleeping together to get as close to Jaime as possible. Shocking!

I love that Willie finally knows who his biological father is and I can't wait to find out how Ian and his new love fare. The frantic goings on in modern day Scotland have me worried that Bree and Rodger will be hopping back and forth in time. Can't wait!

[Alicia]

Lady wrote: "I LOVED book 7. Yes, there were a lot of battle scenes and they make me nervous. I worry about who is going to die. Also a lot of sailing drama. But the love scenes were worth the wait.

Spoil..."

I hope Bree and Roger aren't hopping around in time too much because it is quite dangerous and they could die.

[ChristinaRae]

What about "Uncle Buck" showing up? I thought that was a great twist; I had been wondering who the menace in the broch would be ever since I read an excerpt about Jaime's dream six months ago!

[Christie]

SPOILERS

-- The cliffhangers are positively excruciating to me. I can't get them out of my head and I'm gonna have to try. I gotta believe she's onto the next writing. That was way too open ended even for her and you know the next book is on it's way, but who knows how long we'll have to wait. . .

[ChristinaRae]

OK, just looked at Diana's sight and re-read her little blurb about the caltrop . . . she did it all on purpose!! She says each spike represents a story line and each story line comes to a sharp point. I think I get it now.

[Emily]

I thought the Uncle Buck thing was crazy too! I don't remember Jamie's dream about the menace on the broch though...That does remind me of when Jamie was hunting at Lallybroch and scared the red deer, which echoed Roger being charged by the red deer out of nowhere. I think it was the same deer.

Do you guys know how many more books there will be? (Please don't say just one...) Her website FAQ says she hopes to end the series in 1800...that's what, 23 years or so beyond where we are now? That's at least two books worth, right..?

[Megan]

I just had a crazy revelation, and I'm not sure if it holds up. OK, remember the whole Fraser Prophecy that Geillis Duncan talked about in Voyager? Why she was going back to the future--to get Brianna. So, I believe they mention in Echo that Rob Cameron may have known Gillian/Geillis. If that's the case, could he also know about the prophecy? Or was this something she learned about in the past?

I don't have my copy of Voyager close at hand, so I can't check all the facts on the prophecy. If anyone has any insights or clues, please share.

Or I could be totally grasping at straws here, and the kidnapping is simply because of the gold only.

Other thoughts??

[ChristinaRae]

Megan wrote: "I just had a crazy revelation, and I'm not sure if it holds up. OK, remember the whole Fraser Prophecy that Geillis Duncan talked about in Voyager? Why she was going back to the future--to get Bri..."

I have wondered if anything was going to come of that prophecy. There are many ways it could go . . . maybe Jem will become leader of the SNP.

[Elisha]

Kelly wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I just finished reading Echo in the Bone. No sleep for days!! Anyone know when Book 8 comes out? LOL! "


What the heck is up with the ending??? I hope we don't have to wait 3 ye..."

I don't know. I loved the book. She is an amazing writer, but all the other outlander books ended well. I mean each book could have ended the series and i would have been satisfied. I can't possibly wait 3 more years tho to find out what happens with jamie and claire. I have to find a place or petition where i can beg that she gets book 8 out soon. I am going crazy.

[Kelly]

Elisha wrote: "Kelly wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I just finished reading Echo in the Bone. No sleep for days!! Anyone know when Book 8 comes out? LOL! "


What the heck is up with the ending??? I hope we don't ha..."


Don't hold your breath. She is on book tour for 2 months so we know she is not writing book 8 yet.

I do remember she said that Claire and Jamie would have a happy ending so that gives me faith that I may enjoy the ending of the next one. I am so upset with how Claire and Jamie were apart with major things unsaid between them. One thing I can say about DG she keeps you thinking well after you read the book. I can't say that about many books.

[Elisha]

Kasi wrote: "I completely agree that it will be absolute torture waiting for the next installment.

For me, the biggest disappointment was Jem still being in the tunnel while supposedly Brianna was on her w..."

Oh god! i do hope u r right about her being mostly done with book 8. I can't wait too long. I have to know what will happen with Jamie and claire

[Renee]

Why are you all writing **spoilers** when we have a sectio where this thread could be posted. It's the 'spoilers' section. Okay, if you're reading this thread I give you no spoilers warning because the thread title speaks for itself.

Umm, Claire and LJ having sex was silly. I mean, just silly. Sometimes I think that Claire is a huge slut. I mean it. I've never seen a woman who can come up with so many excuses for having sex with men. She was married to Frank, but talked herself into sex with Jamie, she's married to Jamie, but talks herself into sex with LJ. Yes, she had to marry LJ but she did not have to have sex with him. Or spank the monkey later. Come on, gimme a break with this! And Claire's grief was...well, it was barely there. She's up and going to a party with LJ????

The book did not kick in for me until at least 500 pages went by. It only got to the point where I couldn't put it down after that.

Too much Lord John and not enough Jamie and Claire. Once we got back to Jamie and Claire it got interesting again. I think this book could have been about 200 pages shorter. If not more. When I do my next cycle of reading I'm skipping the first 500 or so pages.

I don't quite understand the attraction between Ian and Rachel. Where'd that come from? I like Rachel though. She's a lot like Claire in a way. Maybe that's the attraction for Ian. That and he's lonesome. She can travel like Claire, and mend him and she's stubborn.

The worst was elder Ian! WHY!!!???? I cried and cried. That was one of the saddest things I've ever read. It was just painful.

I don't understand the animosity between Claire and Jenny. Jenny had already told Claire why she was angry with her. In what, Voyager? She was afraid for Jamie. They'd already made it up before Claire and Jamie left. I don't get the hostility.

I loved the bit with Jamie and Loaghaire. Right on, girl! You tell him! I'm glad she's found someone to love and feel needed by.

Bree and Roger? I dunno what the heck is going on there. But I don't trust that Buck either. And Roger's alone in the past with him.

All in all, I can't say that I like this book as much as the others. Yes, there are tons of painful moments more than funny ones. But this one is more a transitional book, I guess. Taking us from one phase to another. It's not a caltrop, it's a roundabout. Turning to take us somewhere else. How long we'll have to wait for that 'somewhere else' I don't know.

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Sent on a phone using T9space.com

[Carolyn F.]

Roger kissing his great + grandma kind of grossed me out too. I would not have hung him but I'd have been mad too.

[Elisha]

Renee wrote: "Why are you all writing **spoilers** when we have a sectio where this thread could be posted. It's the 'spoilers' section. Okay, if you're reading this thread I give you no spoilers warning because..."

i don't think Claire is a slut. She was married to frank, jamie and lord john. She had to have sex with jamie to make her marriage legal and save herself from captain jack randall. She slept with LJ because she was drunk and sick with grief. They both wanted to feel closer to jamie and they were the only 2 people in the world who might understand what the other was going through.

[Renee]

The point is that LJ is a gay man. He's gay. It doesn't make sense for him to be getting drunk and bonking Claire. They couldn't just sit around talking about Jamie and drinking? If he wanted some fantasy sex with Jamie he would have gone out and found a man to sleep with. No? How does Claire remind him of Jamie?

Yes, I still think Claire is a bit loose. Marriage of convenience or necessity does not equal having sex with the guy. After LJ shuts the door and says he won't mourn Jamie alone how did Claire decide it was a good idea to hop on her back for him? Excuse my plain language, but it is what it is. And it's very difficult to buy.

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Sent on a phone using T9space.com

[Crystal]

Renee wrote: "The point is that LJ is a gay man. He's gay. It doesn't make sense for him to be getting drunk and bonking Claire. They couldn't just sit around talking about Jamie and drinking? If he wanted some ..."

Well, I hate to, but I have to agree with Renee, somewhat. I don't think Claire is a slut or loose. BUT! I think DG could have done a better job of setting up the reasons for reacting the way she did. I think the grieving and mourning of Jamie could have been written...better? more? The only thing we are told about her feelings are shown by how she wants to commit suicide. Of course that speaks volumes, but this is a book and I wanted more time spent convincing me of Claire's despair. I don't think sleeping with LJG made any sense at all. Not in the context that it was presented. And then skipping right on to a party, yeah...it irked me. I felt like 'I' was grieving more that Claire!
And the way Ian suddenly was in love with Rachel after having ONE brief encounter with her. Never do either of them mention noticing each other around the various military camps...just all of sudden, Ian loves her and she him. Way to throw something at us without any explanation at all.
I also didn't understand the Claire/Jenny fiasco. I thought the exaxt same thing...huh? They talked this out YEARS ago. Maybe things weren't perfect but not enough animosity left over for this level of tension.

Believe me, I love DG so much and this series that it is hard for me to admit these reservations. But there they are and I do find myself somewhat disappointed that I waited 4 years and for the first time was disappointed with a lot of the story. I also agree about the first 500 pages. I felt tricked into reading about LJG when I had been waiting for Jamie/Claire and Roger/Bree storylines.
Not that this will stop me from being a fan or continuing to read them.

[Cjhays]

I'm purposely not reading any of these posts, because I'm only about 1/4 of the way through the book. I must say that I'm loving it so far. I'm loving it way more than I did any of the others - partially because I'm savoring it and paying attention to detail, and partially because Gabaldon has really "cleaned up" her writing technique since the beginning, in my opinion anyway. I have found one grammatical error and one typographical (surely it's a typo and not a misspelled word!) error, but who cares? That's just the English teacher in me. I can't help myself! Just into the second chapter I found myself near tears just from emotion I guess, of being back in touch with Jamie, Claire, Ian, Roger and Bree. I know that sounds totally dopey, and like I don't have a life or something, but really I'm an intelligent, busy mom and business owner who really has to squeeze in moments or two here and there just to be able to read a chapter or two! I'll weigh in on everyone's comments after I've finished.
C. Hays

[Renee]

Heyyyy, Chrystalmk! Why do you hate to agree with me? What did I do?


You know, not liking something in the book does not mean not liking Diana. Hahaha. I'm quite sure she realizes that her books are open to criticism and can handle that like the grown up she is. ;)

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Sent on a phone using T9space.com

[Renee]

Cjhays, do not apologize for being into these characters. Geez, we all are. We're all busy. We all have lives. Since when is enjoying a book the sign of having no life, whatever that means?




Just too much LJ and not enough Jamie and Claire. Jamie is the true axis of these books and when he's not in the picture, or he and Claire aren't I got bored with Lord John.

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Sent on a phone using T9space.com

[Crystal]

oh! no, I didn't mean I hated to agree with you in a personal way. Sorry it looked that way in print. I simply meant that I have spent so many years finding these books infallible (for me) that I really hate to find fault now. Even when some others, or critics, claimed that one book or another wasn't as good as one of the others....I always just turned the other way because I felt they were all good, even if in different ways.
This is the first time that I have lost a little faith, if you will. Questioned what she was doing with the characters and where she might be taking them. And the worst part was feeling that she took them places without telling me how or why they got there! That, to me, is a lack of writing skillfully, rather than just disliking the plot, ya know? I would rather have waited another 6 months+ in order for her to go back over and say "hmmmm...no that isn't working" than to publish the way it is.
I have found my ability to suspend disbelief has been challenged with this book, and I SO hate that!

That is why I hated to agree with you, lol, not because you are someone I wouldn't want to agree with! Sounds like we think a lot alike, actually!

[Renee]

Oh, hahaha. You're absolutely right. I'd give Diana a re-do on this one. Tell me why Ian and Rachel are attracted to one another. Tell me what Claire felt that she thought she'd lost Jamie in a storm. Tell my WHY she slept with Lord John and WHY he slept with her. You're right. That did feel inconsistant and just an excuse to have Claire and LJ have sex. That's not good enough. I want to know why a gay man suddenly wants to bonk Claire. And why Claire wants him to.


Stop telling me about Percy and Lord John. Keep that to a bare minimum and go back to Jamie and Claire.




I have read through this series at least 10 times and each book has it's own special appeal. But 'Echo' will be the one I'll have to skip halfway through to get to the interesting bits. And it DID get very interesting later in the book. I think about the time Claire had to remove Jamie's finger. I wanted more anguish from Claire about that too. My God, she was taking off his finger! Something was lost emotionally in this book. I felt as if Jamie and Claire were strangers to me. They clicked much later in the book and I did enjoy that.

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Sent on a phone using T9space.com

[Crystal]

Gosh...its like we read it with the same brain. I was crying for that finger! It was a part of him, and now its gone. Sure...it had to go, I get that. You do what you have to, then you let it go. But for just a little while, it would make sense, to grieve. Heck, I grieved for my kids baby tooth! Not because she was growing up, not only that anyway, but because I would actually miss seeing that cute little tooth! Probably stupid, but I felt that way for Jamie's finger.

Something lost emotionally. Definitely. I have no emotions for LJG, only for Willie as it applies to Jamie and I don't know who in the %&$^ Percy is! (now that I am reading LJG, I do know who he is, but still...should not have crossed over to that extent, IMHO!).

[Renee]

Yes, it felt like a setup to get one to read the LJ books and I just don't want to do that.


I'd think Claire would have grieved for that part of Jamie going. Like taking off her own finger. But she didn't.

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Sent on a phone using T9space.com

[Susan]

So the bad news first...I do agree that Claire and LJ having sex was way too much of a stretch. I can see them getting married to help Claire but not consummating it. Not in character for either of them, even with how strongly they both feel about Jamie.

It's also easier for me to except time-travel in the series than how so many of these characters happen to know each other, be related to each other, meet each other. I realize the population of the Colonies, England, France and Scotland was a lot less back then but geez, everyone ends up being connected in such a neatly arranged way. Another stretch. A forgivable one though because it didn't actually ruin any of the story lines for me.

Sorry, one last thing. Not enough Jamie and Claire!!!
The author must know by now that most of us are Jamie-crazed fanatics who can't get enough of him. The only solace is that when she makes him speak, he speaks so well. Pretty much utter perfection with his endearments for his wife, children, friends, life, etc. Oooh, aaahhh.

I really did enjoy this book though, negative comments aside. Like most of you, I can't wait for the next one.

Funniest line has to be from Jenny when she sees Willie leave the house.

I so liked that Tom Christie was alive and well. What a great scene between him and Claire.

Reading Echo makes me want to re-read the entire series...again...That should be the ultimate compliment to the author right?

DG, please do not make us wait three years. Ugh. Jamie, Jamie, Jamie!!!

[Emily]

I was thinking that maybe all of the Loaghaire stuff before it was sort of meant to warm us up, in a way, for Claire & LJ. Explaining the reasons why two people might come together even though they don't love each other when they are in a bad place emotionally. (Plus we all hated that Jamie slept with her, so maybe Claire with LJ is kind of revenge for that for us as readers.) I agree that it's not very plausible that Claire & LJ slept together, but I suppose being devestated and drunk and the only other one sharing that grief, I can buy it. It would have made more sense if there'd been more description of how lost/devestated etc. Claire must have been in thinking Jamie was dead. I kept waiting to hear about her emotions...In defense of the book, perhaps she just didn't really feel he was dead (because he wasn't). She had to know by then that back then news like that should be taken with a grain of salt.

And I'm with you, Susan, on rereading the series...I just started Outlander again yesterday. I need a new copy. Mine is now in two pieces with no cover. :-)

[Elisha]

Emily wrote: "I was thinking that maybe all of the Loaghaire stuff before it was sort of meant to warm us up, in a way, for Claire & LJ. Explaining the reasons why two people might come together even though they..."

I totally agree with you.

And yes, PLEASE don't make us wait too long for the eighth book!

[Lena]

All in all, the book was what I had hoped....BUT, none of the others left a cliff hanger as complex as Echo. Everyone is talking about Jamie, Clair, and LJ and I'm thinking, " I can't wait 4 or 5 years to find out what happens to Jem, and if he's okay!"

[Lena]

ChristinaRae wrote: "OK, just looked at Diana's sight and re-read her little blurb about the caltrop . . . she did it all on purpose!! She says each spike represents a story line and each story line comes to a sharp p..."

If it is any kind of weapon it's a flail to me (way more spikey points in this story than a caltrop has!!

[Cindy]

just finished!! at first i thought possibly my book was missing the last chapter!! What in the world is up with the last 150 pages of this book? I am really bummed. I get the Claire and LJ thing, whatever, but to leave Jem in a tunnel, and Claire and Jamie not together? Not to mention Roger going through the stones... Come on!!!

[Amy]

Renee and ChrystalMK, I agree with every SINGLE point each of you make. I was surprised no one else had questioned why the Jenny/Claire thing is still going on when they DID talk about it. And about Claire's grief? Chrystal, you say, " I think the grieving and mourning of Jamie could have been written...better? more?"
Yes! Perhaps reading New Moon (Twilight #2)unfairly set my expectations for future scenes of despair in other books. :)

[Kelly]

Early on in Echo Claire says that she wishes she had the ability to say what lay in her heart, in a way that Jamie would know.


I think it is very hard for Claire to show her emotions she is such a strong person. Maybe this is part of the reason DG doesn't show us Claire falling apart when she thinks Jamie is dead.

I agree that it didn't seem like she grieved enough but for Claire that is just the way of it for her.

[ChristinaRae]

Kelly wrote: "Early on in Echo Claire says that she wishes she had the ability to say what lay in her heart, in a way that Jamie would know.


I think it is very hard for Claire to show her emotions she is ..."

Does Claire have a hard time showing her emotions? She certainly has no problem sharing her opinions.
I think that LJ must be a character that Diana really enjoys, and she is the Goddess of this little universe.
It seems that Claire has changed somewhat; maybe it's aging or maybe it's the loss of Bree and Roger. (C'mon, Moms, can you imagine?) She seems a bit lost in this book, with the exception of her feelings towards Jaime. But maybe that despondance is accurate for someone who has been raped, kidnapped, imprisoned, and lost her home, good friends(the Bugs), children and grandchildren. I'm thinking of the prologue where she says one can't recover from some things.