Reviews for Symmetry

The average rating for Symmetry based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-04-18 00:00:00 Martin Bonsen This collection of 3 stories (one short story and 2 novellas) is a must-have for all Lord John fans. It took me some time to figure out how these stories should be placed in relation to the 2 Lord John novels, so here is the order to save you trouble: Lord John and the Hellfire Club (short story) Lord John and the Private Matter (novel) Lord John and the Succubus (novella) Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade (novel) Lord John and the Haunted Soldier (novella) The Custom of the Country (novella printed in Warriors) Overall, the collection is a nice addition to the series. "Hellfire Club" is negligible, mostly because it is so short (about 30 pages). The ending of it is however mentioned in the 1st Lord John novel. "Succubus" is my favorite story. It has a little bit of mysticism in it and introduces a character of Austrian officer Stephan Von Namtzen, another Gabaldon favorite of mine (possibly gay, naturally). "Haunted Solder" explores Grey's relationship with his De Vane half-brother and of course, there is a military intrigue.

Review # 2 was written on 2019-01-12 00:00:00 dusty mcintye I rarely read short stories so my rating probably reflects my impatience at the brevity of these tales. I've just finished Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2) and picked up this Lord Grey book while waiting for Voyager (Outlander #3) to be available at my library. Gabaldon tantalisingly drops the name 'Jamie Fraser' in each of the three stories and that itself was enough to keep me reading. Hellfire Club: After an acquaintance is murdered, an event whch John Grey witnesses, he finds himself inexplicably drawn into the ill-reputed Hellfire Club where he discovers secrets he'd never imagined. 3★ Succubus: During a assignment as Liaison Officer to a regiment in Germany, John finds himself in a bewildering drama, murder and intrigue as ranks fall prey to fear of a succubus. The succubus is a demon spirit who hunts men as they dream, taking the form of a human woman in order to seduce the men and taking their seed and their lives. After one soldier's ravaged body is found, rumours abound through the ranks and John is embroiled in an effort to find the assailant and quell the men's fears. I found this to be thoroughly engrossing and at times amusing. European folkore, superstition, life of men in the troop's in 1750s, the Prussian nobility; this was quite the pick of the three stories. 4.5★ The Haunted Soldier: A much more personal drama for John as he is called to an Inquiry over the explosion of a cannon he was in charge of which resulted in a man's death. But all is not as it seems as John discovers there is real evidence of actual treason behind the accident. As he struggles to solve the mystery, John sees a long-dead lieutenant rumoured to appear only at specific times. His investigations lead him to a woman shunned by her family and it seems he is being trailed by a man who has no face. 3.75★ I would be interested in reading more of Lord John albeit in a full novel form. For the book in it's entirety: 4★