Talkie Tuesday: Blood of My Blood

 

"I will stand with you, whatever comes. We are one."

 

Hello everyone!

 

While I'm still not completely out of the woods yet - this stupid cold is taking absolutely FOREVER, and it probably doesn't help that I have to work in retail every single day, either - I'm feeling okay-ish enough to finally get back to blogging.

 

To a point.

 

It's going to be a much shorter post tonight unfortunately because I'm mostly just super tired all the time, and had to drag myself out of bed just now, BUT.

 

I CANNOT just stay sleeping anymore. It'll ruin my rhythm altogether!

 

So it's time we hop back in time a little bit, and check out the Scottish Highlands yet again.

 

Because nothing says 'welcome back, baby' as an Outlander-related prequel.

 

Blood of My Blood, here we come!

 

Outlander: I Am Not Alone

 

"Sing me a song of a lass that is gone ..."

 

Hello everyone!

 

Ugh, we FINALLY made it.

 

Listen, I have nothing against Outlander. In fact, it's one of my absolute favourite shows, and the cast has wormed its way into my heart and lives there on a permanent basis.

 

But it's no secret that I haven't been a massive fan of season six.

 

In fact, this is a season I've loved the least of the lot, despite the fact that there's definitely been questionable choices made back in the day in previous ones.

 

The problem has to be in its relative shortness, which I know couldn't have been prevented given circumstances - however, coupled with that came what the writers and producers wanted the story to focus on, which didn't help progression any.

 

When you have books as massive as the Outlander Series, then you need to pick and choose actions and situations which will help you move forward. I'm not convinced that season six managed.

 

Let's have a quick look at the finale, I Am Not Alone.

 

Outlander: Hour of the Wolf

 

"Flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone."

 

Hello everyone!

 

We're halfway through season six of Outlander after this week's episode, can you believe it?

 

It's really going by so fast with only eight installments slated for the season, though of course all of us can't wait for the extra long seventh that's coming our way (all of us are also sort of feeling that it MIGHT be the last, and that's why they're making it extra long).

 

In the meantime though, we're still slowly marching our way towards the inevitable.

 

History is as much a part of the Outlander books as the love story between Jamie and Claire, perhaps even more sometimes, and the closer we are to the end of the season, the closer we are to the inevitable Revolution.

 

But it hasn't arrived JUST yet, and so we can probably rest for a little while longer.

 

Maybe.

 

Without further ado, let's take a look at Hour of the Wolf.

 

Outlander: Allegiance

 

"Come what may." 

Hello everyone!

I'm actually on time this week, which is a massive shock to just about anyone really. Or should be.

But I finally seem to have found a rhythm so let's hope that everything will now run like clockwork and there'll be no switching up for Saturday posts anymore.

... famous last words.

Anyway, we return for the second week in a row to the world of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander, if you haven't figured it out yet from the title or the poster image here on the side.

And boy, is it an episode!

There's a lot of things going on at once on Fraser's Ridge, and they'll probably keep on adding on to it in the next six weeks while this short season lasts.

But without further ado, let's jump right into Allegiance, shall we?

Outlander: Echoes

 

"If you are to stay, then my word at Fraser's Ridge is law." 

Hello everyone!

Firstly, let me apologise for the fact that this post didn't go up on Tuesday as I'd originally planned. Unfortunately, life got in the way - as it often does - and I was SO exhausted over the weekend and on Monday that it just ... wasn't going to work out.

So in the end, I did what I promised to do at the start of 2022, took it easy, and decided to bump it to a Saturday post.

And here we are!

Of course, I'll hopefully be covering the rest of the season since it's only eight episodes (the horror!), but is anyone else getting the feeling we may be drawing towards the end here? I know a season seven has already been confirmed, and it looks as if they'll be covering ALL the books, but I don't know.

It feels like an ending, sort of.

Anyway, enough of my maudlin, time to head back to Fraser's Ridge and see our beloved people of Outlander!

Saturday Snippet: Outlander SEASON 6 TEASER

 

 

 IT'S ALMOST HERE!

 

XX

*video not mine

Tome Thursday: Clanlands

 

Hello everyone!

 

So before I bid adieu to Scotland entirely for some time (because naturally I could never do it forever!) I wanted to touch base with a book that I think might be one of the funniest I've read in a while.

 

And also educational considering it teaches you a lot of useful little tidbits about the country, too.

 

Plus, I mean, it's written by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish. Need I say more?

 

If you thought Men in Kilts was something to laugh at and something to enjoy, you're going to LOVE this adventure into writing that the two of them went through together, because there is nothing funnier than reading about the by-play these two men have with one another just on a general kind of basis, not even on screen.

 

Yes, the show was scripted and filmed, and you learn more about that in this particular book, but we all knew that! It's no secret.

 

The secret is how these two didn't end up mortal enemies, or more specifically, how Graham didn't murder Sam along the way.

 

So kilt up one more time - a quick look at Clanlands is up next.

 

Men in Kilts: Battle of Culloden

 

"Oh sons of dogs, oh dogs of the breed,

Come, come here, on flesh to feed!"

 

Hello everyone!

 

And that's a wrap. 

 

We made it all the way through what is hopefully only season ONE of this show, because I'm pretty sure that every single one of us would love nothing more than to watch McTavish and Heughan traipse across some sort of landscape and give us the details as they go along.

 

I've seen commentary online that they could be giving a guided tour of the local Target or Tesco and people would still watch.

 

I mean, same, I totally would too!

 

All signs seem to point to a season two based on social media posts, but alas, for the time being, there hasn't really been any news of it, so we bid adieu to our two Scots who've done all the roadtripping.

 

And so, for one last time, it's hold on to your kilts, everybody.

The finale to Men in Kilts is up next.

Tome Thursday: Lord John and the Haunted Soldier

 

Hello everyone!

 

So alright, I'm fudging a little this week since this isn't a full book that I'm adding into my collection.

 

HOWEVER, considering the way Diana Gabaldon herself looks at her second, off-shot series, it's still better than an actual novella would be, you know?

 

Every once in a while I'll go back and read some of the shorter stories the author's written, because while I do thoroughly enjoy her longer novels (and by longer I mean, as long as the day you're going through is with their thousands of pages), sometimes it's nice to be able to read through something in an afternoon.

 

No way this happens with, say, Voyager!

 

And I've been on an Outlander, or more specifically Scotland kick lately, thanks for Sam and Graham, so I mean.

 

If you're like me and you want to have a look at some other adventures that are just as fun but don't take as much out of the reader - read no further!

 

Lord John Grey is back. And he has a Haunted Solider to deal with.

 

Lord John Grey (Booktober)

 

"A conclusion is simply the point at which you give up thinking."

 

 

So you may have heard of Outlander - that tiny little show about time travel and James Fraser - but have you checked out the book spin-off series, about Lord John Grey? Well if you haven't, now is an excellent time, because if there's one person who can definitely put a smile on your face during rainy fall afternoons, it's Lord John. If he isn't accidentally landing at the siege of Quebec, then he's somehow getting himself in trouble in Jamaica. AND he has time to visit the Frasers while he's at it! I swear, this guy gets around. But Diana Gabaldon was sure on to something when he popped into existence, and I highly recommend his books.

 

In this highly-anticipated new story, 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. 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, proving once again that she can bring history to life in a way few novelists ever have.

(from Goodreads)

 

xx

*image not mine

 

The Last Wish (Booktober)

The Inheritance Cycle (Booktober)

His Dark Materials (Booktober)

The White Queen (Booktober)

The Thorn Birds (Booktober)

The Bourbon Kings (Booktober)

Cop of the Year (Booktober)

Nefertiti (Booktober)

Timeline (Booktober)

The Murder at the Vicarage (Booktober)

Persuasion (Booktober)

The Longest Ride (Booktober)

Midnight Sun (Booktober)

Percy Jackson & the Olympians (Booktober)

The Chronicles of Narnia (Booktober)

Atlantis (Booktober)

Origin (Booktober)

Quo Vadis (Booktober)

Death on the Nile (Booktober)

The Little White Horse (Booktober)

The Sign of Four (Booktober)

Harry Potter #2 (Booktober)

Troublemaker (Booktober)

The Lord of the Rings (Booktober)

Tome Thursday: Lord John and the Succubus

Hello everyone!

When in doubt, go with something you know.

Or in this case, someone.

I've been playing catch-up with some of my other books and haven't been able to finish them yet because of some personal reasons, but thankfully there's always some old faithfuls to lean back on, and tonight's one is no exception.

I mean, when I tell you it has Lord John in it, you'll probably agree with me that you should have seen this one coming.

Lord John Grey is one of those characters that just really, really grows on you, and this isn't just because of David Berry's stellar performance in the Outlander series (I'm still over here in the fanclub camp that's begging for a Lord John spin-off!).

He's just the kind of person you can't help but love, no matter what, honestly!

So here we go. What does he think about succubi, we wonder? Read on for Lord John Grey and the Succubus.

Tome Thursday: A Fugitive Green

Hello everyone!

After the mini-break this Tuesday (because I spent most of the day with my family just enjoying myself, really), I'm BACK with another blog post!

And of course I'm back with a Diana Gabaldon book.

Novella, actually.

Honestly, I've been going through her Seven Stones to Stand or Fall collection and enjoying the heck out of it, which is probably why I don't mind talking about the individual stories from there really.

It's just one of those books you sort of have to take a look at when you can.

Even though it doesn't really feature our favourite Frasers, it DOES bring us a plethora of other supporting characters, not to mention we get to check in with some who we haven't seen since who knows which main book.

Besides, it's good to just immerse yourself in a different story every once in a while, after all.

So without further ado, let's jump right into it, and see what it is that A Fugitive Green has in store for us, shall we?

Outlander: Never My Love

"I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I? I took the one less-traveled by.

And that has made all the difference."

Hello everyone!

After roughly three months we have reached the beginning of what may be the longest Droughtlander yet, considering there's no word on when the cast and crew will be able to begin production on season 6. But never fear, we know there IS a season 6 incoming, so that should cheer us all up!

In the meantime, we have to chew our way through a rather sensitive topic for the finale itself.

Outlander has never shied away from difficult themes and handling topics and titles that would make a number of other shows balk, but the thing is, talking about it is GOOD.

It's the being quiet that hurts in the long run.

Of course I will also say that there is a certain theme of repetition to Outlander as well, and I'm kind of hoping this doesn't happen any more in the books either, because really, can we get something else, please?

Understandably, people are divided into good and bad, especially when viewed on television shows, but honestly would it be so bad to showcase some good as opposed to the bad, at that?

Never My Love, the season five finale, is up.

Tome Thursday: A Plague of Zombies

Hello everyone!

I couldn't help myself this week.

I know this story is technically a novella and, really, in comparison to what Diana Gabaldon usually writes it might be the length of one chapter from the massive books, but ...

It's Lord John.

It's ALWAYS Lord John!

This character is one of those you just want to read about for ever and ever, and with David Berry's outstanding performance in the television series, you get the added pleasure of a stunning visual on top of that, too.

Plus, it's more from the realm of Outlander, which is always a good thing, considering.

And the bonus from this entire escapade is that, precisely because the story is so short, you can read it in one sitting, you need about half an hour's peace, and the end result is that you'll giggle your way through the thirty minutes.

So let's take a look at A Plague of Zombies, shall we?

Outlander: Journeycake

"I hope I'm wrong, but ... I feel a storm coming."

Hello everyone!

We are back for the second to last time before Droughtlander begins again, because this coming Saturday is the finale of season five - and it's promising to be one explosive episode, judging by the one preceding it.

Why do I say that, you ask?

Well, read on.

If you thought that things couldn't get any more dramatic on a show that basically takes the word drama and reinvents it a thousand different times, you were most definitely wrong. And because sprinkles of the book itself found their way into the script, you can rest assured it was one big chunk to bite through.

All season long, Outlander has had this thing where it gained momentum specifically when book scenes were included in the show proper, and nowhere does it show more clearly than in episode eleven.

Not only do we get a very brief glance back to season three and Claire in Edinburgh, but we get to see Jamie eat peanut butter. Our lives are now pretty much complete, so let's check out Journeycake, shall we?

Tome Thursday: Virgins

Hello everyone!

Yes, I'm on a sort of Outlander binge, and not just with the television show.

I've been re-reading the books (although in random order since I went with The Fiery Cross, then doubled back to Outlander, and now I'm chewing through Dragonfly in Amber while contemplating starting Voyager instead) and of course the series includes the massive chonks as well as the shorter novellas, and Lord John Grey stories.

I'm telling you, people: you have not lived until you've witnessed the chaos that is Grey's life on a daily basis. I HIGHLY recommend that series.

I still have to review them all on here, and I swear I will!

Meanwhile, I sat down to a prequel yesterday.

I'd known that Diana Gabaldon had written a sort of story-before-the-story covering Jamie's time in France, or part of it at least, and I'd been dying to read it for a while now but never got the chance.

Of course we're in quarantine now, so what else is there to do but catch up?

And you're definitely catching up with Virgins.

Outlander: Mercy Shall Follow Me

"You can't make someone love you."

Hello everyone!

With only two more episodes left in the season, it's becoming clear that there will be a bunch of plotlines jammed into them, as presented on episode ten of Outlander's season five this past Sunday.

I'm not exactly complaining - the books are vast, and while a lot of stuff has to be dropped by necessity, there are things that, also by necessity, have to be snuck in.

To be clear, however, I will say that I disliked the Bonnet storyline in the books themselves.

This has absolutely nothing to do with how the show portrayed him (brilliantly, might I add, Ed Speleers is AMAZING in the role!) or how they went about with the entire thing, but mostly just that I wasn't overly fond of the whole she-bang in the novels, which means I could have done without in the show, and not really batted an eye.

So I'm actually happy with how the episode went, in terms of its conclusion! It's just that it was a 'meh' for me, as a whole, and therefore I'll freely admit to fast-forwarding through some.

Mercy Shall Follow Me kind of allows for it.

Saturday Snippet: Lord John Grey

xx

*video not mine

Outlander: Monsters and Heroes

"Lord, have mercy."

Hello everyone!

Back at it on Fraser's Ridge this week, we discover a great many things, such as locking doors might not have been a big thing back in the 18th century wilderness but it sure does help when your in-laws live just up the hill, babies, especially those that aren't firstborns come at a very high speed, and above all else, you need to watch where you're going.

I feel like that's a theme that's generally repeated today as well whenever you're in the woods, or at the very least it is where I live.

Granted, they usually explain you have to be wary about other little critters that could potentially give you some sort of disease. Snakes, as a rule, aren't that much of a danger here, but still ...

Meeting one in the middle of nothing would be scary even in the 21st century!

I'm trying to imagine the whole scene in my head and I'm failing miserably.

Meanwhile, you're probably wondering whether I've lost it. What's this about snakes, you say?

Well, wonder no longer, clan, though you probably already know.

On this week's Outlander, Monsters and Heroes, we get to meet a slithery kind of monster.

Outlander: Famous Last Words

"You are alive. You are whole. All is well."

Hello everyone!

This week, we are back at it in the wilderness of North Carolina, 18th century, with our favourite clan of Frasers and Mackenzies.

Starz knew what they were doing when they had a mini-break between the previous episode, The Ballad of Roger Mac, and the one that aired this weekend, because the anticipation and anxiety built and crested over the weekend we were bereft of the storyline, and I think some viewership might have even spiked.

If you recall, we were literally left hanging by the time it was all over for the Regulators and their ilk, and everyone and their mother wanted to throttle Graham McTavish's new character whenever he showed his face on screen.

You gotta love the man. He has such a talent, and adding a wig onto his bald pate was incredibly amusing given we're all so used to Dougal and the shiny orb of a head.

But I digress.

We basically all know what happened before. Now, we need to figure out what happens AFTER.

Outlander, and Famous Last Words, here we go.