Solid brick this 5th volume!

Always so happy to find Jamie and Claire again.

Since the 2nd volume, there is no longer a single guiding line that transcends the book, but several throughout the novel. We follow Claire and Jamie in their very eventful daily life. Claire's profession takes up a lot of space and the various confrontations that Jamie has to participate in as well.

There is a huge number of characters. In addition to the number encountered in the other volumes, there are even more in this one. The little reminders are welcome when there are any. Otherwise, it's not that important to locate everyone.

Small hiccup, sometimes we follow Brianna or Roger instead of Claire and Jamie and it's not indicated. At some moments it's a bit destabilizing.

Beautiful and satisfying ending in several ways.

While the Lord might insist vengeance was his, no male Highlander of my acquaintance had ever thought it right that the Lord should be left to handle such things without assistance. This shows the strong sense of honor and justice among the Highlanders. They believed that they had a duty to take matters into their own hands when necessary.

I've seen more than one complaint that this book meanders, making itself far too long. However, I beg to differ. Each gentle passage of family togetherness, so haphazardly mixed with colonial violence, really brought to life both the terrible risk and great beauty of the time. The author's ability to描绘 these contrasting elements in such a vivid way is truly remarkable.

I've adored every detail Gabaldon has ever put on paper and this book is no different. If it wasn't quite the action packed ride of the first novel, it was somehow more romantic. The relationships between the characters are developed with great care and tenderness, making the reader truly invested in their fates. Overall, this is a wonderful addition to the series and a must-read for fans of historical fiction.

My profound love for this series keeps on intensifying. However, 1400+ pages! One should not embark on this book if not fully committed and lacking in spare time. The story of our cherished characters persists. Claire and Jamie, Brianna and Roger, along with all their diverse offspring, grow, flourish, and prosper on their homestead at Fraser's Ridge. The events of the wider world continuously intrude, and Jamie and his kin are once more pulled into the perils of war and intrigue.

The Fiery Cross does at times meander, and it could indeed have benefited from some trimming. The initial 250 pages of this massive tome cover the events of a single day! Nevertheless, the author does an outstanding job of evoking the thrills and perils of the 1770s, the simple joys of love and family, and the risks that people must undertake to safeguard their home and loved ones. One can't help but feel a tinge of sympathy for Jamie and Roger especially - how many times must they find themselves on the verge of death? Claire, of course, is the heart of this series, and she continues to captivate with her blend of romantic love and clear-headed science.

If you have reached this point in the Outlander series, you will not want to miss The Fiery Cross.

**Updated to add: Re-read completed on 2/15/2014. It was even better the second time around, when I wasn't as completely consumed with discovering what happens next. This allowed me to think things through a bit more, relish the connections to previous books and the foreshadowing of what lies ahead, pause and consider the significance of small moments, and generally just enjoy the heck out of this remarkable book! Love, love, love.

Have you ever had a desire to read an extremely long book in which all the ordinary activities of life are depicted in minute detail and nothing truly significant occurs except for brief, contrived drama?

Well, if that's the case, then this is precisely the book for you! This particular work has most definitely extinguished my interest in the Outlander series and reading in general.

I felt an obligation to finish it, which perhaps contributed to this feeling.

One can't help but wonder if Gabaldon was compensated based on the number of words. It seems highly likely.

The excessive detail and lack of real substance made it a rather tiresome read.

It's a pity that a series that initially held such promise could end up having this effect on a reader.

Maybe future installments will offer more excitement and less of the mundane.

Until then, I'll be looking for other books to reignite my passion for reading.

I've been having a strong desire to read this book for an incredibly long time.

I'm truly uncertain as to why I postponed it for such a lengthy period, but I'm extremely glad that I finally got around to reading it. Honestly, I have a profound love for this series.

In this book, I felt an overwhelming sense of sympathy for Roger. Goodness gracious, the experiences that he endured were truly heart-wrenching. However, I did greatly appreciate the way in which the relationship between him and Jamie developed and grew stronger.

I also adored the ending involving Ian. I truly hope and pray that we get to see more of him in the next installment of the series. The same goes for Fergus. I had the distinct feeling that he was pushed into a very secondary role in this particular book.

Moreover, I love the fact that this book can be nearly 1500 pages long and still manage to keep me fully engaged throughout the entire reading process. Don't misunderstand me. There were a couple of instances where it seemed as if the details were a bit excessive and perhaps more than what was strictly necessary, but nevertheless, the story continued to flow smoothly and captivatingly.

Listening to these audio books back to back, they are starting to blend together. As I mentioned before, it's like one continuous, sprawling Outlander movie. I'm not sure if what I heard was from one book or the other. Here's what I do know. Everyone is living together at Fraser's Ridge. Jamie gets called into the army by the Governor, and Roger goes with him. There's some fighting, but I sense there's more to come.

And dear Lord, Roger really went through the wringer. He did something rather foolish, in my opinion. You just couldn't do that sort of thing back then, and it's not much better now. When he saw someone he knew, he should have simply waved and moved on. But no, he had to be an idiot and go over and talk, right in the middle of people on the verge of starting a war. And then it all went downhill from there. Fortunately, a man arrived just in time to get Jamie, Bree, and Claire to save him. They thought he was dead, and my heart sank until I found out he was still barely alive. At that point, I was thinking, "Why on earth did I come back to this blasted time in history?" But, after some time, Roger did recover.

That slimy Stephen Bonnet is still out there somewhere, eluding their grasp. And now there's another person they need to deal with, William MacKenzie. And of course, he's related, so that's just great. I remember listening to a lot about all kinds of babies, goats, horses, and all sorts of crazy and funny stuff. At one point, I had no idea which kid belonged to whom! And Ian, he comes home with a wolf, Rollo. =) This book was a huge undertaking to get through, but listening to the audio with the amazing Davina Porter narrating was a delight. She does an outstanding job!

You might think a book that rambles on about random things for most of the time would be boring, but not to me. There's just something about these books. And I'm still so happy to know that Jamie and Claire's love for each other remains as strong as ever. I still really wish they hadn't missed those 20 years together. It still gets to me, but I digress. Now, onto the next...

MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List

It is much quieter than its predecessors. Which, in my opinion, was a positive change, because I think I was already a bit traumatized thanks to Diana Gabaldón because all the time I felt that it was going to end with my heart completely broken, just like what happened to me with the previous four books

Book Five of the Outlander Series, titled "The Fiery Cross", continues to enchant us with the captivating story of this remarkable family.

What stands out to me in this installment is the profound transformation of Roger. At the end of Book Four, he had journeyed 200 years in time to be with Brianna, having endured great hardships along the way. Now, he has to grapple with the uncertainty of the child she carries and the need to earn back her trust.

Roger is forced to redefine himself in this new time and place. In 1968, he was a historian and a singer, but in the 1770s, those skills are of little use. He has to learn to use his hands, adapt to a different culture, and prepare for a war that happened 200 years earlier. The transformation of his attitude is truly remarkable.

Ian's journey is also similar, as he too has to figure out what honor and allegiance mean in two different worlds. Jamie, Claire, Brianna, and Marsali all have their moments of growth and transformation as well.

The book is filled with action, romance, and merriment, especially at the Gathering and the wedding of Jocasta and Duncan. However, the near deaths and medical situations can be difficult to read.

The discussions of time travel and the introduction of the others add another layer of fascination to the story. The question of whether history can be changed is a central theme, and it keeps us on the edge of our seats.

My theory about the fire is that it somehow allows Jamie to get out of his debt to the crown and play a crucial role in the revolution. But as always, there are many unanswered questions, and I can't wait to see how it all unfolds in the next book.

At the heart of it all, these Outlander books are about love and honor. "The Fiery Cross" is a perfect symbol of the past and present, faith and conflict, and standing together. It's a great read that will keep you coming back for more.

Brava, Diana and Davina! I'm already looking forward to the next installment.

Now, I have finally reached the point where I left off the series during my first reading. So, in a sense, this is all fresh and new to me. However, it isn't entirely so because I have watched the series.

Oh my, what a substantial book it is! It was a bit of a struggle to get through it, and I indeed found myself skimming certain parts, especially the battle scenes. Having watched the TV series, I was anticipating a different ending. But by now, I should know better that the storylines in the book and the series aren't always identical.

I believe I will take a short break and read some easier and lighter books before delving into the next installment. This will give me a chance to unwind and recharge before embarking on the next adventure in the series.

"La cruz ardiente", the fifth installment of the "Outlander" saga, is a book that is less intense than the previous ones, but by no means less important. There is still action, but it is concentrated in certain parts of the book.

Thus, it delves deeper into the characters, their history, their progress, and how they face the new challenges and dangers that arise along the way. They always remain united, regardless of the circumstances, and watch over all their loved ones. Their light and dark sides are shown to us, and we get to know their thoughts, feelings, and dreams, all narrated with the delicacy, depth, and musicality of the author's pen. It is a delight.

We also get to know new characters whose actions will be crucial for the development of the story. But, also, we meet many old ones, including young Ian, Rollo, or the wretched Stephen Bonnet (who, among other things, is very good at causing trouble), whose role will be very important. All of this is mixed in order to untangle and clarify various threads of the plot, which will help us better understand the story and how, after all, everything is perfectly related.

For all these reasons and what was said in previous reviews, I highly recommend this saga, as you learn with each book, grow with its characters, and suffer with them, while also having some good laughs, because it is a story that entertains, intrigues, and above all, hooks. I still have several books of the saga to read, but I'm sure they will be as good as the ones already read.

This book is not only superb reading but also taught me a great deal. It delved into sea travel between Britain and America, specifically in North Carolina during the late 1760s and early 1770s. It explored pioneer settling, early trade, The Regulators, Herman Husband, and the Battle of Alamanac (which some www sources consider a precursor to the American Civil War). However, I must mention that Gabaldon subjected Roger to some truly dreadful tribulations. These events made my stomach curl and my throat horribly dry. It's also quite fair to say that what happened to the priest gave me nightmares for a couple of nights. But don't let that deter you from reading this incredibly good novel. It truly deserves a 4.5★ rating.

I got stuck on my third re-read.

It's just too long and daunting for me.

However, I have to admit that I loved it during the first two times.

The story was so captivating and engaging that I couldn't put it down.

But now, on this third attempt, I find myself struggling.

Maybe it's because I already know the plot too well, or perhaps it's because I'm in a different state of mind.

Whatever the reason, I hope I can push through and finish this re-read.

After all, I still believe there are many hidden gems and details in the story that I might have missed before.

I'll keep trying and see if I can rediscover the magic that made me fall in love with this book in the first place.