"Excellent time travel historical tale"
Though officially war has not been declared, blood has
fallen in Massachusetts Bay. On Fraser's Ridge, North
Carolina Jamie Fraser already knows the outcome of the
Revolutionary War because his spouse Claire told him having
journeyed from the future to his past knowing the details
about the Revolutionary War because she read about it in the
American history books. Tension is high so Colonial Governor Tryon asks Jamie,
leader of those residing along Fraser Ridge, to help keep
the peace there. He is not sure how to respond because Jamie
knows that those who support the monarchy will either die or
flee in exile yet Jamie still hopes he can avoid bloodshed.
There is also the matter of knowing that three plus years
from now The Wilmington Gazette December 1776 reports that
Jamie and his family died in a fire. Jamie knows that the
devil is in the details, but how can a mortal change history
even if the events have not yet occurred. Now in 1773 he
must take sides knowing that soon people he cares about will
die. The latest Gabaldon time travel historical tale is a superb
entry because of the dilemmas facing the hero who knows the
outcome of the upcoming war and is aware of the deaths of
himself and his beloved family yet must make difficult
choices. For instance, perhaps he should relocate elsewhere
so that the Frasers and others are nowhere near the mid
December 1776 inferno, but that also means neglecting his
responsibilities. Jamie, Claire, and the others are at their
best when knowing what is coming, but sometimes an ethical
person must choose a losing perhaps deadly position. Ms.
Gabaldon is at her epic best with this powerful saga. The
paragraphs above fail to even hint at the vast deep look at
North Carolina on the verge of war because it is impossible
to describe the scope of this work in a few paragraphs. Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted February 19, 2006
|
