Lord John and the Hand of Devils
by Diana Gabaldon
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Book Summary Information
Author: Diana GabaldonEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-11-27
ISBN: 0385311397
Number of pages: 320
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Book Reviews of Lord John and the Hand of Devils
Book Review: Great Addition for Those Who Love the Lord John Series
Summary: 5 Stars
This collection of three tales makes a nice companion book to the Lord John novels.
"Lord John and the Hellfire Club" was the story that gave birth to the Lord John Series, Gabaldon explains in the Forward. It is similar in tone to the first LJ novel and concerns murder (several), Sir Francis Dashwood and the Hellfire Club. Gabaldon mentions that the ending was a bit rushed since the anthology she wrote it for, _Past Poisons_, had a word limit. She reworked it a bit, but to me, it was still rather abrupt, although this doesn't detract much from this tale. This story had also appeared as an e-publication and in the Trade Edition of _Private Matter_.
"Lord John and the Succubus" was written before _Brotherhood of the Blade_, for a fantasy anthology, _Legends II: New Short Novels by the Modern Masters of Fantasy_. This was amusing since while time-travel may be classified as fantasy, this story certainly is mystery (historical), but nothing at all fantasy. Those who enjoyed _Brotherhood of the Blade_ will like this story for filling in some history, such as Lord John's acquaintance with Captain Stephan von Namtzen. The setting is Germany during the Seven Years War, with Lord John acting as a liaison between the British and German troops, fighting against the French and Austrians. Rumors of a Succubus are causing unrest amongst the troops and two mysterious deaths do not improve morale. Amusingly, Lord John also needs to cope with an amorous princess as well as careful, dangerous approaches that could be more to his liking (sadly, this is not a romance--so don't expect hot sex scenes).
"Lord John and the Haunted Soldier"--is the latest and best of the three, written just for this publication. It takes place right after the events of _Brotherhood of the Blade_. Lord John is still recovering from his injuries and is called up for an inquiry into the cannon explosion that caused them. It seems as if cannons have been exploding more than they ought to and political enemies would be happy if they could pin part of the blame on Lord John--or perhaps a relative of his who may be responsible for faulty powder. Aside from investigating this, Lord John also undertakes to find the woman of the officer who died in the cannon blast, who may be pregnant and penniless somewhere.
For completionists, the forwards to the book and each novella are informative. Gabaldon also mentions that there will be a third Lord John novel to come: _Lord John and the Scottish Prisoner_, that is great news to fans of this series.
Summary of Lord John and the Hand of Devils
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 . . . dark family secrets. And here Lord John will face enemies who come in the guise of friends, memories in the shape of a fiery-haired Scot named James Fraser, and allies who have the power to destroy him with a single blow. . . .In Lord John and the Hellfire Club, Lord John glimpses a stranger in the doorway of a gentlemen's club?and is stirred by a desperate entreaty to meet in private. The rendezvous forestalled by a sudden murder, Lord John will wade into a maze of political treachery and a dangerous, debauched underground society. . . . In Lord John and the Succubus, English soldiers fighting in Prussia are rattled by the nocturnal visitations of a deadly woman who sucks life and soul from a man. Called to investigate the night-hag, Lord John finds a murdered soldier and a treacherous Gypsy, and comes to the stark realization that among the spirits that haunt men, none frighten more than the specters conjured by the heart. . . . In Lord John and the Haunted Soldier, Lord John is thrust into the deadly case of an exploding battlefield cannon. Wounded in the same battle, Lord John is called to tesify and soon confronts his own ghost?and the shattering prospect that a traitor is among the ranks of His Majesty's armed forces.
Capturing the lonely, tormented, and courageous career of a man who fights for his crown, his honor, and his own secrets, Diana Gabaldon delivers breathtaking human drama. And in tales seething with desire, madness, and political intrigue, Gabaldon once again proves that she can bring history to life in a way few novelists ever have.
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