Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander Series
Outlander (Cross Stitch[1] in UK) (1991)
Dragonfly in Amber (1992)
Voyager (1994)
Drums of Autumn (1997)
The Fiery Cross (2001)
A Breath of Snow andAshes(2005)
An Echo in the Bone (2009) — released in many countries (including Canada, Australia and New Zealand) in September 2009; UK release date January 7, 2010

My review comments for An Echo in the Bone

Having listened to the interview with Diana Gabaldon where she stated that each book was written to stand on its own, I cannot give this book the same rating as her other books. If at the end of the book she had said, “To Be Continued,” my rating would be higher.

Toward the end of the book I got the impression that she was in a rush to finish it. The normal momentum of the book was cut short toward the end. The introduction of new characters and their involvement not being played out left it hanging. In particular, the character Rod Cameron and Jem’s disappearance left me wondering what happened to him. What happened to Roger and William Buccleigh in their pursuit of Jem?

Diana Gabaldon is a great author. It’s normal for the reader to have expectations based on previous works. This book, “An Echo in the Bone” is good but not her best work due to the above-mentioned irregularities.

Note: I read all the books in the Outlander series. I gave them all a 5 Star rating except for the last one that I gave a 3 Star. I think she was under pressure to meet a deadline and hurried to finish it. With 821 pages in smaller print, she would have been better off cutting the last 100 pages and maintain the rhythm of the story. There is no announcement of a sequel and therefore the ending is not what one would expect from such a great author.

I haven't read the book yet because, as usual, I'm waiting for the paperback version.

Malcolm