I am enthralled by Gabaldon's "short" stories...I think Lord John (and the other Greys...) are the best characters from her entire Outlander world. Better even than Claire (IMO)! Keep writing about 18th century men!! ( )

A good book of seven short stories, however, most story lengths were what most writers would call a short novel length. These great stories are about some of the characters we find in the 'Outlander' series in the early days and other characters that weren't the main protagonists in the main books but were mentioned and held a spark for our imaginations.

All were good, but I particularly enjoyed the story about Roger McKenzie's father in "A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows" which seemed to be one of the shorter stories. It's a glimpse into the WWII air efforts, spying, and time travel. I also enjoyed "Virgins" a story of early mercenary life for Jamie Fraser and his friend, Ian Murray.

The one story that surprised me was about John Gray and zombies in "A Plague of Zombies" an account of what happened to him in Jamaica. Other stories of John and of his brother Hal, also hold surprises. I recommend this book. ( )

I read most of the stories/novellas here in other collections, but there were three stories/novellas that were new to me: Virgins, A Fugitive Green, and Besieged. All three were swell, but the latter two were my favorites. Combined, the three I hadn't read yet are enough to make up their own book. D.G. doesn't really do "short."

After the last couple of Outlander books, I've wanted to read more about Lord John and his family, and this collection delivers the goods. I remember really enjoying A Plague of Zombies when I read it, and Besieged is a nice sequel to that story. It was great to read Minnie and Hal's story in A Fugitive Green, although it did feel rushed at the end.

The only story I felt lukewarm toward was The Space Between. That one just didn't grab me when I read it-I was never really interested in those characters.
Virgins was pretty good, but I'd rather read a Jamie story if Claire's in it too. The Custom of the Army is another fun Lord John adventure, and A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows was great, especially for fans of Roger.

Gabaldon fans should definitely check this out.
( )

A collection of seven short stories and novellas set in and around the Outlander and Lord John Grey novels. A delight for fans of the series as Gabaldon dives into the back stories of characters both major and minor. My personal favourite was the short story about Roger's parents during WWII. Easy to dip in and out of or to read straight through. Recommended for Outlander fans. ( )

Excellent ( )

A good mix of stories, even if I didn't enjoy two of the seven. ( )

Loved the anthology once I got past the beginning past the beginning pages. That was only because I was bored because it was stuff I already knew about. If you have never read the "Big Books" this gives you a wonderful insight into what you are in for. It briefly describes each of the books and what time period they cover. It is done in a way that does not provide any spoilers for the good stuff but, makes it informative enough that you want to tackle the series. When I got into the stories of the book I enjoyed it more. I loved that it explains how some of the characters from the big books met and how they came to interact with my most loved characters of the big books.

"Seven Stones to Stand or Fall" is a collection of novellas. They are listed below. Since I have previously heard all but one, I am not going to review them.

The Custom of the Army
The Space Between
A Plague of Zombies [Review below]
A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows
Virgins
A Fugitive Green
Beseiged
"A Plague of Zombies" took me a bit to get into then I couldn't stop until the end. For such a short story it had some twists and turns. I was surprised at the end as well. This was very good.

I am very thankful to the Hamilton Township Public Libary for having these available. I knew these novellas were around wondered how I'd ever find them. ( )

As with most anthologies, some stories were better than others. I will say this: I would've enjoyed this more if there were less stories focusing on John Grey. (I don't find him very interesting. I can do without reading about him just fine, thanks much though.) ( )

Seven Stones starts off with an extremely convoluted, confusing, and oddly cutesy introduction
featuring the resolutely silly "bulges."

The first back story offers the surprise of Lord John Grey accidentally shooting a man
and getting banished to Canada where he witnesses the incredible Scottish climb up
to the Citadel to set the stage for winning The Battle of Quebec. 5 Stars

Next comes a boring bulge,"The Space Between, followed by the annoying, improbable,
and equally boring "Plague of Zombies." 1 Star each.

The fourth relates what actually happened in the deaths of Roger's MacKenzie's parents.
Okay at 3 stars.

"Virgins" has a promising title which never resolves and results in confusion and an odd ending.
2 stars

"Fugitive Green" seeks missing mother with the first chapter giving the most inviting
of all the tales featuring Soeur Emmanuele, some slow-moving business contacts
for a mysterious father and covering for Jamie and The Stuarts.
Where were the O'Higginses when Esme went to visit her Mother?
4-5 stars

Last one was absurdly contrived except for the plants and glasshouses. 2 stars ( )

These seven stories answered a few questions I had when I read the main series. ( )

I have to admit that I prefer Diana's longer stories. These just didn't click with me. That isn't a fault of hers; her story telling was as impeccable as always. ( )

These novellas are fairly interesting if you already know Lord John. ( )

The Custom of the Army

67 points/100 (3.5 stars/5).

Lord John goes to Canada to serve as a witness in a court martial.

This is actually the best Lord John story I've read other than the Scottish Prisoner (and I loved that one so much because it had Jamie). This isn't some silly little detective story. There isn't a huge information dump at the end of it. He doesn't spend a difficult portion of this book mooning over Jamie. He has an uncomplicated relationship with someone, for once. It was just a decent read. Hallelujah.

This novella takes place before the events of the Scottish Prisoner. The events in this novella directly affect the events in that book, and I would actually consider this necessary to the reading of that book.

The Space Between

78 points/100 (4 stars/5).

Paul Rakoczy is experimenting, trying to figure out what he is. Joan is off to the convent but she has a secret - voices in her head tell her things, and they turn out to be true.

I really enjoyed reading this story, which should best be read after [b:Written in My Own Heart's Blood|11710373|Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander, #8)|Diana Gabaldon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1365173799s/11710373.jpg|16657990]. Joan is a neat character, and it adds a subset of magic we haven't yet seen even a hint of prior to this story. In addition, the Comte St. Germain was interesting once I figured out what he was even doing in this story. This also tied up a plot point from book two, [b:Dragonfly in Amber|5364|Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander, #2)|Diana Gabaldon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456114344s/5364.jpg|2866304], that was always left open. I wonder if Gabaldon has plans to do any more with this story, because it was certainly interesting. The way she leaves it open certainly suggests there is more to come with this.

A Plague of Zombies

55 points/100 (3 stars/5).

Lord John is sent in to Jamaica on official business - and ends up embroiled in a Zombie mystery.

I'm not certain how I can convey how little I wanted to read this story before I started it. Reading it actually did not change my mind. I just really didn't care one way or the other what happened. This takes place before the events that happen in [b:Voyager|10987|Voyager (Outlander, #3)|Diana Gabaldon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1483278195s/10987.jpg|1131570], so I didn't even get Lord John's reaction to meeting Claire from his own perspective. Gabaldon just wanted to write the story that happened in real life at this time, and used Lord John to do it. If you like the Lord John stories to date, you'll love this. I'm just done with him. At least there was very minimal Jamie mooning this time around.

A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows

92 points/100 (4.75 stars/5).

Roger's father, Jerry, disappeared during the War. Find out what happened to him.

I really, really, really liked this one. I read [b:Written in My Own Heart's Blood|11710373|Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander, #8)|Diana Gabaldon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1365173799s/11710373.jpg|16657990] prior to reading this, and this should be read after that, so I knew part of this story. However, I really hoped I got to see the end of that story. I got my wish. Damn, I was not expecting anything out of this story at all. I got so much more than I bargained for. Great story.

Virgins

76 points/100 (4 stars/5).

Just after escaping British hands the first time, Jamie goes to France and meets up with Ian who is part of a mercenary gang.

Another great story. I loved seeing Jamie and Ian together. You don't really get to see that in the Outlander series, due to various events. You know they're as close as brothers, but this is the only time you really get to see that. Jamie is healing still, both from his wounds and the loss of his father. They're sent on a really uninteresting mission. And they're both obsessed with the idea of getting laid. True brothers. I really liked reading this, though.

A Fugitive Green

80 points/100 (4.25 stars/5).

Minnie Watiswade's father is a spy, and she takes after him. Hal, Lord John's brother, is still suffering the loss of his wife. Here is how these two meet.

We got the basic gist of this story throughout the Lord John series, but here is the whole thing. Hell, I liked reading this novella. They were barely even characters in the series, both series. Constantly apart, easily tossed off to the side. This was their time to shine. I really enjoyed reading it. They're cute together, and they work well together. This reminds me much more of what I enjoy from Outlander more than I got from any other Lord John Grey story.

Besieged

58 points/100 (3 stars/5).

Lord John is in Jamaica when his stepfather comes to him asking him to get his mother and his cousin out of Havana before troops come to occupy the city.

Wasn't the worst Lord John Grey story of the bunch, but not the best, either. Just another story where Lord John goes around talking people, and then it all gets solved in the end by means of author magic. Gabaldon really doesn't play to her strengths with Lord John stories, which is a damn shame. I really like Lord John in Outlander, he is an amazing secondary character that gets squashed by very meh stories. ( )

This book was a series of short stories. Some I liked and some I didn't. I really could care less about Lord John, but apparently she likes the character and I am an odd one who doesn't really give a fig. ( )

I enjoyed this set of 7 short stories/novellas that go along with The Outlander series. Some of the characters were familiar, and some were new to me, although they may have been minor characters in the novels. This book is a good read for any Outlander fan. Some of the stories have been published before, some in print and some in e-book formats. Some are new, however. ( )

Diana Gabaldon's brain must be special; how else could she keep track of all the different time streams and characters in her Outlander series? This book contains seven pieces of short fiction (note I did not say short stories because most of these are novella length) and Jamie and Claire are seldom present in any of them. Lord John Grey does have a starring role in three of the pieces and his brother Hal also appears in one. So if this book can be said to feature anyone I guess it would be the Grey family. Most of the pieces are set in the eighteenth century but one takes place during World War II (for the most part). I know I will forget most of the details of these pieces but they were interesting especially to someone like me who has been reading the Outlander series for over 20 years. Do I have a favourite amongst the seven? I think I do and it is The Space Between which takes place in Paris in 1778. In it Michael Murray escorts Joan MacKimmie from Scotland to Paris where she is to become a nun. Michael is Young Ian Murray's older brother and Joan is the daughter of Laoghaire MacKenzie to whom Jamie was married when Claire disappeared from his life. So they are both part of the bigger Mackenzie clan. They aren't supposed to fall in love but things have a way of happening. ( )

Heerlijk om weer terug te zijn in de wereld van Outlander. Een van de zeven verhalen had ik al gelezen, die heb ik maar over geslagen. Maar van de rest heb ik echt genoten. De twee verhalen die ik het mooist vond zijn Een vluchtig groen en Als een blad op de wind ( )

A collection of Diana Gabaldon's novellas ( )

A rich collection of seven novellas and short stories by Diana Gabaldon, some of which had been released as stand-alone ebooks, others published in genre anthologies, and two completely new to readers. Though I had read three of these stories previously, I consumed this entire tome in its entirety with relish. I especially enjoyed 'A Fugitive Green,' delighting in the details of how Hal and Minnie became acquainted (Minnie is rather kick-ass for her time!). ( )

Seven Stones to Stand or Fall - Gabaldon -
Audio performance by multiple narrators
4 stars

I am a Diana Gabaldon addict. I’ve listened to every book more than once. I own many of them in paper and all of them as ebooks and audiobooks.. I read her blog. ( I haven’t watched the current mini- series, but then, I don’t watch any television.) There were only two stories in this collection that I had not read. The entries that I had read, I mostly owned already. So was it worth it to buy them again as part of a collection? Yes, it was. I’ve already admitted that I’m an addict.

The two stories that are original to this book (I think they have not been published elsewhere.) are close to 200 pages long and are equal to about 9 hours of listening time. More important, they were very good stories about characters that I like. I’m a happy customer.

From beginning to end the audiobook is a little over 24 hours long. There are four different voice artists, and Diana Gabaldon reading author’s notes herself. ( I do wish she hadn’t. Her voice sounds damaged from overuse and she read too fast. I enjoy her notes and comments very much, but they are better in written form.)

Now, my comments on the stories, briefly as possible:

The Custom of the Army - a Lord John Gray novella, audio performance by Jeff Woodman. I like this character.( I can do without intimate details of his love life.) Only Diana Gabaldon would begin a story with an electric eel party, followed by a duel, with a notorious anatomist serving as the attending physician. Her rendition of the Battle of Quebec is excellent historical fiction.

The Space Between- an Outlander novella, audio performance by Davina Porter. This story is an aside from A Breath of Snow and Ashes set in Paris in 1778. It’s a sweet story involving Jamie Fraser’s nephew and his step daughter.

A Plague of Zombies - a Lord John novella, audio performance by Jeff Woodman. Lord John is in Jamaica in 1761. Why not? And yes, there are zombies. Only Gabaldon can do this.

A Leaf on the Wind of All Hollows - Audio performance by Robert Ian MacKenzie - An Outlander story; it actually is a short story. Set WW2 and the early 18th century, this one solves the mystery of what actually happened to Roger Mackenzie’s father, from Jerry Mackenzie’s perspective. Roger’s part if the story is in Written in My Own Heart’s Blood. There is no end to how far this woman can spin a story.

Virgins - audio performance by Allan Scott-Douglas - a prequel to the first Outlander book. Jamie Fraser and his future brother-in-law, Ian Murray are fighting in France. This was probably my least favorite story in the book, but that may have been that I couldn’t adjust to the reader. It seemed like an overly convoluted story involving the marriage of a Jewish girl to a gentile.

A Fugitive Green - audio performance by Jeff Woodman. This is the story I needed to read. It begins in Paris in 1744 with a cameo appearance by Jamie Fraser and a hissing cockroach (again,only Gabaldon), but it’s really about Minerva Cunnegunda Wattiswade and her eventual marriage to Harold Patricius Gerard Blecker Grey, the Duke of Pardloe. I loved Minnie. Could we have an entire series about her?

Besieged - A Lord John Gray novella, audio performance by Jeff Woodman. Lord John has vanquished the zombies and he’s anxious to get out of Jamaica. Sadly, he must detour to Havana to evacuate his mother, his pregnant cousin and her children, before the British invade Cuba to take it from the Spanish. Naturally, he doesn’t avoid the invasion and finds himself involved with the British manipulation of a slave uprising. Not a cheerful story, but I like John’s mother, the Dowager Duchess of Pardloe. ( )

Have as Ebook only