{"id":3899,"date":"2013-07-11T20:28:40","date_gmt":"2013-07-12T01:28:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/?p=3899"},"modified":"2024-08-09T09:47:58","modified_gmt":"2024-08-09T13:47:58","slug":"lord-john-and-the-brotherhood-of-the-blade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/3899","title":{"rendered":"Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade<\/a><\/em> (2007) Diana Gabaldon<\/a><\/p>\n

\"lord-john-brotherhood-blade\"<\/a>This novel falls between the novellas Lord John and the Succubus<\/em> and Lord John and the Haunted Soldier<\/em>. Which makes for slightly complicated reading if you want to read in order, since the two novellas are in the same book.<\/p>\n

There are two story arcs here: Lord John’s mother is getting remarried, which brings a new brother into the family: Percy Wrainwright, who Lord John had met at the infamous Lavender House. He’s General Stanley’s stepson, and General Stanley has been looking to buy him a commission. Of course Melton’s regiment is one under consideration.<\/p>\n

Commissions were normally purchased, and many officers had never seen a soldier nor held a weapon prior to taking up their office.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That’s a somewhat important thing to remember about the British military at that time. As is this:<\/p>\n

(R)aising, equipping, and maintaining a regiment is an expensive business.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yes, not only could nobility purchase their places in the military, but there were private regiments.<\/p>\n

From a modern perspective, it’s a fascinating concept.<\/p>\n

The second story arc is delving into the death of Lord John (and Hal)’s father. It seems that his mother’s remarriage has brought the matter up once again, both with John and Hal, and also with someone who seems to have knowledge of the matter.<\/p>\n

(W)hat was galling him was not that Hal had never mentioned the wager, but the fact that his brother had never told him openly that he believed their father had not been a traitor.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Of the two, I preferred the mystery of Lord John’s father.<\/p>\n

One of the things I particularly like about these stories are the glimpses into a world that is, in so many ways, foreign to me. The military is one example, but there are many other things, such as Lord John and Melton coming upon a body lying in the snow outside White’s.<\/p>\n

“Let me look; perhaps–” Hal stopped to touch the man, but was prevented by a shout from the doorway.<\/p>\n

“Don’t touch him! Not yet!” An excited young man issued from the club and seized Hal’s arm. “We haven’t put it in the book yet!”<\/p>\n

“What, the betting book?” Hal demanded.<\/p>\n

“Yes–Rogers says he’s dead, and I say he’s not. Two guineas on it! Will you join the wager with me Melton?”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That is a hell of a thing.<\/p>\n

But, there are also lots of bits that highly amused me.<\/p>\n

“Sir Richard is a most accomplished diplomat,” she replied with complacence. “He has a great facility for not knowing thigs that it is expedient not to know.”
\n…
\nSir Richard Joffery was indeed a good diplomat–but no little degree of hi success was the result of his wife’s social connections and her ability to ferret out things that it was expedient to know.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There was an interesting bit about dogs, and how dachshunds were bred to fight badgers. I was aware of this, having grown up with dachshunds, although the last one my father had failed on many levels–he was afraid of enclosed spaces. Quite an embarrassment to his ancestors I’m sure.<\/p>\n

I’ll note one thing that struck me particularly, in that this idea actually came up in conversation yesterday.<\/p>\n

“While there is anyone alive with a claim upon my protection, my life is not my own.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yeah. I belong to that camp.<\/p>\n

So here was another story I again enjoyed re-reading.
\nRating: 8\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n

Published by Bantam Dell<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade (2007) Diana Gabaldon This novel falls between the novellas Lord John and the Succubus and Lord John and the Haunted Soldier. Which makes for slightly complicated reading if you want to read in order, since the two novellas are in the same book. There are two story […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[12,30,33,8,148,56],"tags":[74,556,75],"class_list":["post-3899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-8-10","category-british","category-historical","category-mystery","category-queer","category-sexual-content","tag-diana-gabaldon","tag-georgian-era","tag-lord-john"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/piQkW-10T","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9495,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/9495","url_meta":{"origin":3899,"position":0},"title":"Lord John and the Hand of Devils","author":"Michelle","date":"November 29, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Lord John and the Hand of Devils (2007) Diana Gabaldon This is not a novel. This is three novellas: \u201cLord John and the Hellfire Club\u201d is set in London in 1757. \u201cLord John and the Succubus\u201d is set in Germany in 1758. \u201cLord John and the Haunted Soldier\u201d is set\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "9\/10"","block_context":{"text":"9\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/9-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Lord-John-Hand-Devils-e1511010256466.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3335,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/3335","url_meta":{"origin":3899,"position":1},"title":"Lord John and the Hand of Devils","author":"Michelle","date":"December 2, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Lord John and the Hand of Devils (2007) Diana Gabaldon This is a collection of three Lord John novellas: \"Lord John and the Hellfire Club,\" \"Lord John and the Succubus,\" and \"Lord John and the Haunted Soldier.\" The first two stories follow in time after the novel, Lord John and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "9\/10"","block_context":{"text":"9\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/9-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lord John and the Hand of the Devils","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/lord-john-hand-devils.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3896,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/3896","url_meta":{"origin":3899,"position":2},"title":"Lord John and the Hand of Devils","author":"Michelle","date":"July 9, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Lord John and the Hand of Devils (2007) Diana Gabaldon Another re-read. I enjoyed these the first time around, and I'm enjoying them just as much the second time around. This is NOT a novel, this is, instead, three novellas. Because, apparently, this is as close to a short story\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"lord-john-hand-devils","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/lord-john-hand-devils-185x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5231,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/5231","url_meta":{"origin":3899,"position":3},"title":"Lord John and the Hand of Devils","author":"Michelle","date":"April 26, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Lord John and the Hand of Devils (2007) Diana Gabaldon This is a collection of three stories--novellas, really rather than short stories: Lord John and the Hellfire Club, Lord John and the Succubus, and Lord John and the Haunted Soldier. \"Lord John and the Hellfire Club\" Set in London in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lord-John-Hand-Devils","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Lord-John-Hand-Devils.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3342,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/3342","url_meta":{"origin":3899,"position":4},"title":"The Custom of the Army","author":"Michelle","date":"December 3, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"The Custom of the Army (2012) Diana Gabaldon This is a Lord John novella. During an electric eel party, Lord John ends up in a duel (he's not entirely sure how). When he opponent dies, Lord John is sent by his commander (also his brother) to Canada, where his presence\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Custom of the Army","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/custom-army.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3319,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/3319","url_meta":{"origin":3899,"position":5},"title":"Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade","author":"Michelle","date":"November 30, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade (2007) Diana Gabaldon I am really enjoying this series, and REALLY like Lord John. Lord John's mother is getting remarried. Hal and John choose to meet with General Sir George Stanley, so Hal can make sure he'll be acceptable for their mother,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "9\/10"","block_context":{"text":"9\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/9-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/lord-john-brotherhood-blade.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3899"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3899\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}