Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone

Outlander, Book 9

By: Diana Gabaldon

Narrated by: Davina Porter

Length: 49 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's Summary

Number one New York Times best-selling author Diana Gabaldon returns with the newest novel in the epic Outlander series.

The past may seem the safest place to be...but it is the most dangerous time to be alive....

Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall were torn apart by the Jacobite Rising in 1746, and it took them 20 years to find each other again. Now the American Revolution threatens to do the same.

It is 1779, and Claire and Jamie are at last reunited with their daughter, Brianna, her husband, Roger, and their children on Fraser’s Ridge. Having the family together is a dream the Frasers had thought impossible.

Yet, even in the North Carolina backcountry, the effects of war are being felt. Tensions in the Colonies are great, and local feelings run hot enough to boil Hell’s teakettle. Jamie knows loyalties among his tenants are split, and it won’t be long until the war is on his doorstep.

Brianna and Roger have their own worry: that the dangers that provoked their escape from the 20th century might catch up to them. Sometimes, they question whether risking the perils of the 1700s - among them disease, starvation, and an impending war - was indeed the safer choice for their family.

Not so far away, young William Ransom is still coming to terms with the discovery of his true father’s identity - and thus his own - and Lord John Grey has reconciliations to make, and dangers to meet...on his son’s behalf and his own.

Meanwhile, the Revolutionary War creeps ever closer to Fraser’s Ridge. And with the family finally together, Jamie and Claire have more at stake than ever before.  

©2021 Diana Gabaldon (P)2021 Recorded Books

We waited 7 years for this?..

After the ridiculously long wait, I expected better than this…. The storyline was lukewarm at best. The narration was pretty good, considering the 7 year gap, but, how hard is it to listen to what you’ve already done so you can make sure it matches this time around? Several characters were not the same in the beginning….Brianna, Mandy, Lord John, etc., but started to sound a little bit more like the previous books once she got further in. And now, after how many books, everyone is suddenly pronouncing Germain’s name the French way, adding to the feeling of incongruity.
This book just didn’t feel the same as the others…. It felt choppy and disjointed. Scenarios were introduced, then dropped or forgotten, which didn’t make a lot of sense. And time after time, Diana has blamed the slow progress of the book on her “historical research”, but there really wasn’t that much reference to historical events. I think she, like George RR Martin before her, was just too caught up in the tv show to bother with the book.
And the mistakes…..this always bugs me…how can an author not remember her own characters? Let me help you Diana…. Ian is “Wolf’s brother”, not “ He who walks with wolves” 🙄, and the last time Claire saw Joseph (Ulysses) was not at River Run, but at her own house when he accompanied Jocasta and Duncan on their way through to Canada….
Lots of loose ends, which is to be expected, since we all know there is one more book coming, however, are Davina Porter and I going to live long enough to be able to read it? I think the fan base is going to fall off dramatically if we’re forced to wait another 7 years for the conclusion. After reading this installment, it’s probably not even worth it. I mean, does anybody even care anymore if we get the last Game of Thrones book?

Not as good as expected

Having loved every single book in the series, I did not foresee the turn this book would take. Unfortunately, it seems as if Diana Gabaldon has had some kind of religious awakening, and it oozes out of half the chapters of this book. God this, the Bible that, and saints and all kinds of religious paraphernalia to boot.

As someone who is rather anti-religious, I was willing to suffer through some of this for a good story or three, and getting closer to the characters. Unfortunately, that was not what I found. The stories closely resembled ones in earlier books, and the only real character development was William taking a tiny step towards adult responsibilities.

I never anticipated being so disappointed in this book, and feel that some of it must be my fault. But surely the editors could have cut down somewhat on the repetitions and asked for more character development?

Not the best of the series

I was happy to revisit this lovely characters. For me the best part is alway Jaime and Claire interaction. I also loved Bree and Willie chapters, but I was disappointed in the story overall. No character growth, abandoned plot lines, forced scenarios and ridiculous coincidences. The story was all over the place.

I really wanted to love it. I am going to re-read the book in a few days to see if my opinion changes, but for now just I am just underwhelmed.

Thank you!

I have been eagerly waiting for the book I preordered the first day it was possible. In the meantime, I listened again to the last few chapters of A Breath of Snow and Ashes. I check shortly after midnight but it finally dropped in at 2:30 AM. The first two chapters immediately closed the gap and reassured me I was back in Fraser’s Ridge with my friends.

Not my favorite of the series.

I love the characters, but feel this book holds waaay too many flashbacks/recaps and explanations of thoughts - there really isn't as much plot to it as previous books, yet it is insanely long! 2/3 of it could have been cut and it would've been much more enjoyable for me and had me looking forward to the last book in the series. This left me wishing this had been the last one.

Very disappointing

I agree with the reader Eirin from Norway, there is way too much emphasis on religion. If I had wanted to read a religious based book I would have. Instead, a time-travel/love story that is supposed to be historical fiction is steeped in Catholic and Protestant religion - and is extremely prejudiced about anyone not practicing some form of Christianity. It was also written in a very choppy form with regurgitated stories, little plot development and too much time spent on miscellaneous characters. As a huge fan of the Outlander book series and television series, I am hugely disappointed in this phoned-in, 9th installment that is part catechism, part re-telling of the prior wonderful 8 books. I would not recommend this book to anyone and will tell my family and friends they can feel free to take a pass on this one.

Disappointed

This was the first book of the Outlander series that has left me disappointed. I have waited, re-read, and re-listened to the first 8 books in preparation for this book. It was full of repetition, very little character development and several mistakes made by Diana about her character's history.
This felt like I was reading numerous, incomplete stories with side characters I didn't care to hear about.
There were also so many story lines that seemed to have just gotten lost in the book. I did not know there was going to be a 10th book so I was so disappointed in so many things left unfinished and an major cliffhanger.
There were times in this book I had to force myself to not fast forward through sections. I hope Diana goes back to her previous storytelling in the next book, told for her faithful readers, not written to catch up all the television series newcomers. I hope I can try to read this book again and like it more, otherwise I can't see me caring to wait for the next 7 years for book 10. And that makes me sad.

Recap of all the other books!

If you are a fan, you will be disappointed. Anything new could have been covered in a couple of hours. Then some of the stories seemed rushed, I don't get it! The rest were flashbacks, and explanation of when this and that. I waited for such a long time for this and planned and scheduled myself for this book. I'm dissatisfied, nothing like all the other books, Perhaps the next one wont take as long and it wont be filled with the past.

It ends on a cliffhanger.

I have just finished this book. I really loved it, but I wasn’t surprised by that. If anyone wants to know. I read this book at speeds varying from 2.6% speed and 3.1 speed. Divina Porter is a fantastic narrator as always. I love that the story picked up up where book 8 ended. I also love that we got to see characters from some of the older books and see their stories wrap up. I will warn everyone though it does in on a cliffhanger. That was hard, but I can always wait for book 10.
What I love about this series is that the characters remain consistent and interesting. Well done Diana and Davina! I thoroughly enjoyed it and am excited for book 10. It was worth the almost 7.5 year wait.
PS, for those of you who are curious, I finished the book in 17 hours and 12 minutes.

Not as cohesive as the other books

The story feels rushed. To many new situations and characters that were not resolved or dealt with, and old characters almost ignored. Dottie and Denny, barely mentioned. Agnes baby and marriage ignored. Bree's pregnancy was barely mentioned before she had the baby. This book felt like is was ghost-written by someone who didn't fully grasp all the storyines.

Enjoyed it

Probably my least favourite of the series but still really enjoyed it. Not as gripping as previous installments and lacking in character development for many, some fleshing out would have been nice, but I loved the tender moments. Enjoying seeing the couple growing older together. Looking forward to seeing where they end up after the ending here, time will tell. Not necessarily the most thrilling experience with Claire, Jamie & co, but I for one would happily listen again and enjoyed being back at the ridge all the same.

I don't know what to say...

Having read and listened to all of the books in the Outlander series, two times over, it was fabulous to finally find out how this installment would unfold.

Used to the fast pace writing and action, interspersed with slower chapters of daily life, that Diana Gabaldon is normally expert at, I found myself slightly bored with this book half way in, of course I persevered til the end as I love the characters.

There was not enough action or drama this time, and considering the war was about to break, I can't figure out why this book and the next were not dedicated to life during the war years. Nothing of real note really happened in this book and any action scenes seemed to be cut short and were disappointing. It seems to have been used as a vehicle for setting the scene for the much anticipated final book.

Davina Porter, as ever, did a fantastic job in the narrating of this book, if there are awards for narration she needs to win.

I know I will have to wait years for the affirmed final book and I really, really, hope it's a great finale.

The first book in the series I had to wait for.

I like this book very much. Finished and started again directly, just to enjoy the story, the details, the writing and, not least, Davina Porter's excellent reading