The Entire Outlander Book Series: Ranked

Photo Courtesy of Book Publisher: Penguin Random House

8. The Fiery Cross

What I loved:

InThe Fiery Cross, we finally get Young Ian back on Fraser’s Ridge with his family. True to form, his timing is impeccable. He saunters back into their lives just as a wild boar is about to attack Jamie and Roger. Something I have alway appreciated from Jamie is his perseverance. He wanted more than anything to have his grandchildren baptized and daughter married by a Catholic priest, and no one was going to prevent that from happening. Not even the English army. Finding out that Brianna’s son Jemmy might have time trailing abilities added new possibilities the family can leave before the war starts.

What I didn’t like:

In case you didn’t notice, over 180 pages were dedicated to the Gathering at Mount Helicon. Did it necessarily need to be that long? Absolutely not. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of important stuff happened to move the war closer to the Frasier. I don’t think it was worthy of spending over 18 percent of your book on it. I could’ve completely done without Jocasta and Duncan’s wedding and the subsequent murder. This subplot did nothing to enhance the main story, and I found it more annoying than anything. Did Jamie’s Aunt ever actually added anything to the book series other than a familial tie? The last event that did me in was Rogers hanging. This man has endured so much since time traveling to the past, and he keeps getting put through the proverbial meat grinder. God bless him, he keeps coming back for more.