Pillars of the Earth: Tom Builder and Jamie Fraser

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read Pillars of the Earth!!!

Watched Pillars of the Earth on Starz last night. I never miss it. I think it's fantastic. I think they're sticking with the storyline so well. (Then again it's been 1.5 years since I've read the book and my memory is not what it used to be. I could be blissfully ignorant here.)

Last night as I was watching Tom Builder (sobbbbb!) and his son, John... I couldn't help but think of Jamie and young Willy at Helwater. The storylines have similarities:  they both are living in close quarters with sons who don't know they are their fathers. Both men love these boys and want the best for them and love them enough to live the lie. It's truly heartbreaking.

In addition.. a few interesting things: 

Both men are with women who are outsiders... and thought of as witches because of it.

Both men are responsible for many people - be they friends or employees - and have the weight of the world on their shoulders. Both men choose to meet this challenge head-on and welcome it.

Both men have to do back-breaking work in order to survive and provide for those around them.

Both men have a remarkable amount of honor. And as their audience, we're always aware of it.

I could go on and on....

Blame Diana

Just heard "Way Down Now" by World Party on my iPod... and thought of how I'm feeling in this state of PURGATORY while I wait for the next Outlander novel. And I had to laugh. We're all in the same boat, sassenachs. That's what makes it bearable; I know I'm not alone.

Blame Diana; I do. ;)

She took us by the hand
Hell was the promised land 

I'm way down now
I'm way down now

I'm lying by the road
Because she cut off all my clothes
I'm way down now
Way down now

Won't you show me something true today?
C'mon and show me anything but this...

Inside my future eye
What I see just makes me cry
I'm way down now
I'm way down now

The clocks will all run backwards
All the sheep will have two heads
And Thursday night and Friday
Will be on Tuesday night instead

And I know I'm not alone...
And I know I'm not alone...

And I know I'm not alone!

Anything but this...

Diana, What Have you Done to me?!

So I have been fruitlessly trying to read "other" books lately... to no avail. I knew it would happen eventually. I knew - when I was somewhere around The Fiery Cross or A Breath of Snow and Ashes - that I would eventually be "finished" the Outlander books that have been written to date. I knew, and yet, I didn't know. I didn't understand what life would be when didn't have a "new to me" Outlander novel ready at the bedside table.

I was hoping for something like the Outlander series - adventure, romance, with excellent writing (I'll settle for "good") - that keeps you on your toes. Right now I'm trying Dangerous Highlander by Donna Grant. Meh. The story is interesting enough... and there is some Diana-esque Scots speak thrown in for good measure.. like "dinna", "nae" and even "cockstand" ... But it just doesna compare.  Words like "rod" just make me giggle... no matter how hot the subject matter.

So here's my question: While nothing can compare to Diana, have you read any books that came close?

Outlander Chat Tonight

Outlander chat at 9PM Eastern. We MAY have a special guest tonight; still working on it.  Two words: Third Sister

A Transitional Period

Not much posting going on around here the past few days because I have been diligently trying to create a new and improved blog design that will be fantastico. 

COMMA HOWEVER

I just had to make mention of the interesting debate Tracey and I had the other day. (When are they ever NOT interesting when Jamie Fraser is involved?)

I finished listening to Outlander on audio last week... and can't get something out of my mind. All throughout the third sister's hilarity - and my design efforts of the weekend - I have been bothered by Jamie telling Murtagh to tell Claire that he wanted her to leave.

He told MURTAGH to give her such delicate news? That was a low point for Jamie. And please don't say "Carol he was just kidnapped, raped and almost hanged, of COURSE it was a low point." I get all of that. But to tell Claire to go back to where she came from was bad enough. To do it through MURTAGH - or ANYONE else for that matter... ugh. Just...not what I've come to expect from James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser.

One thing I kept telling Tracey was that I was so thoroughly impressed by Claire's non-wavering attitude about the whole thing. Never once did she crumble... or question Jamie's love for her... or think to herself "oh god! He wants me to leave?? Seriously?! But I thought he loved me! Can we not get past this? Does he not love me anymore? And how the hell would I get back at this point? Oh my GOD HE WANTS ME TO LEAVE!!" as I would have absolutely done - don't even doubt it for a minute. I would have flipped out in my head and rocked back and forth while sucking my thumb under a pew in the church at 2AM while watching the host on the alter. But not Claire. She's just all "Yeah - right - whatever, Jamie... I'll be back later and we'll see about that fever now shall we, hmmm? OK...Righty O...that's it... you rest now...kthxbye!"

Seriously. Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser is one bad-ass-mo-fo. If I could, I'd buy her a wallet like Jules' in Pulp Fiction. (That little comment is for Tracey because she loves herself some Pulp Fiction.)

PS - Y'all. It's time for a video, is it not? I'm thinking Tracey and I must Skype....STAT!

The Third Sister Finishes Outlander!

Just got this from my sister, Jill, who just finished Outlander and couldn't figure out how to leave a comment in the comments section. (Don't ask.) Enjoy!!

OK, so I decided to just give you my comments and you can post them if you like.  It will be so much easier.  Here goes:

1.  I don't consider myself a slow reader.  I'm an efficient reader.  Besides, it took me awhile to get used to all those dinnas and cannas and dunnas and ye's etc.  I was half way through the book before I realized "ken" meant "know".

2.  Yes, I meant Jenny.  Ellen is my pregnant grade partner with twin boys and I was reading about a woman with 2 fathers of her baby, I got confused.

3.  The page before the preview said, "And look for the NEXT installment of the acclaimed Outlander series.... Read on for a preview..."  I do what I'm told.

4.  Tell Karen it's actually the other way around.  How have I been able to hold out this long with my sisters being so addicted.  I've considered an intervention.

5.  Tracey, don't line up for any Academy award.  I knew in Carol's kitchen that I was in for a lot more violence.  How did I know?  FROM YOUR REACTION!

6.  Carol, don't profess to know whose name I call out in my sleep.  Just last night I took Jamie, I mean Howie, to our hot spring, I mean hot tub, but my breasts wouldn't float.

7.  No, I'm not a changeling, but that was a REALLY good movie years ago! 

8.  Now, I was a bit disappointed in my hero, Jamie, towards the end.  How many times did he come riding in on his white horse to save Claire?  My fictional heroes need to continue that no matter what happens.  But when he's dying he starts giving up and wants her to go back home.  Boohoo so you've been beaten, flogged, done up the ass, hand smashed and nailed to a table, blah blah blah.  Man up and be my hero without needing opium to do it!!  Reminds me a bit of Edward when he wussed out while Bella was pregnant.  Did I hit a nerve??

9.  After regaining consciousness at the suggestion of Jared Padelecki being Jamie, (great picture btw!  Carol, can you get me a poster of that pic for the ceiling above my bed?)  Anyway, Jared will always be my Sam Winchester and no one else.  Besides, he doesn't have red hair.  In my opinion, we haven't seen Jamie yet.  He should be a total unknown.

10.  Thank you for the opportunity to get all that off my chest.  Third sister, signing out.

Echo Excerpt in Outlander: WTF???

So my sister, Jill, just finished Outlander. (Give a collective cheer because she's only been reading it for about 6 months or so. And this WITH a trip to Italy, no less. LOTS of plane time... but I digress.)

And THIS is what I just get in my email box:

I finished the book.  I started reading the excerpt from the next book.  Who the heck is having a baby with 2 fathers????  And where is Ellen cause it keeps saying Ian.  And where are they????

Now... I'm not really sure WHY she's asking about Ellen. Does she mean Jenny? Ugh - whatevs. Anyway - whoever signed off on putting an Echo excerpt at the end of ANYTHING OTHER THAN A BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES should have a SERIOUS talking-to by his or her boss.

(Please tell me it wasn't Diana. DOH!)

Outlander Chat Tonight

Outlander Chat - 9:00PM Eastern - TONIGHT!

Black Jack Randall is the Devil

Spoiler Alert: Dinna read unless you have read Dragonfly in Amber.

After a particularly busy weekend that involved a wedding, weekend guests and an invitation to a party at a local yacht club (dahhhling) - I finally got a quiet moment to sit down and blog this AM. Only problem - I'm having a really hard time. Why? Because I just got through the horrendous stretch of Jamie being kidnapped, tortured, raped, seasick and finally horrendously dazed and confused at the abbey. How do you banter about that? It was not easy to read - even a second time. Oh no it wasn't. And I knew it wouldn't be. As I've said so many times before in this series, I felt like Jesus at the Garden of Olives; Lord, please let this cup pass over me...

Here's the thing. As hard as it was to read all of that (well, listen to all of that) I keep thinking about Dragonfly. I keep wondering how Claire could have had a problem in the least with Jamie wanting to kill Jack Randall after all the things he did to Jamie - Frank or no Frank. But at the same time - I wonder how Jamie could have not have fallen at Claire's feet and begged for forgiveness at the country home in France when she had lost Faith and almost died. After everything SHE has been through - saving his life at the abbey - she deserved more than she got. Yes, yes, he told her how much he loved her and was so sad and blah blah blah - but come on now. I don't even see where conversation was needed. Only "Claire. I. Was. Wrong."

Now - do you see what a perplexing paradox this is for me?! I'm annoyed at HER for stopping him from killing Jack Randall - and I'm annoyed at HIM for not kissing her ass enough over him almost killing Jack Randall! Holy hell - I've confused the crap out of myself!

I will leave you with this thought, sassenachs: I'm headed to the sulfur spring. I feel like it's a fantastic dessert I have earned after long hours of hard work slaying dragons.

Let the swimming begin...

We Interrupt this Outlander Blog...

...to talk for a moment about The Pillars of the Earth, which I finally watched last night.

YOW. SA!!!  I could not BELIEVE how much of that book I forgot. There are so many storylines - and all I really remembered was Tom Builder and Ellen. Holy COW! 

I have to say - I truly enjoyed it. I really liked Rufus Sewell as Tom Builder - even though I pictured him completely differently (Kevin McKidd from the second he was mentioned, actually). I was a little confused at Ellen. I expected the character to be played in a much more sultry and seductive way. The actress - Natalia Worner - was very good (holy crap when she peed on the table I thought I'd die) but just not what I was expecting. And hello? Did someone forget the scene in the woods between Tom Builder and Ellen??? How could they omit that? I am wondering if it will be a flashback.

Hayley Atwell - aka Aliena - was awesome. Perfect casting.

Donald Sutherland - her father, Bartholomew - equally as riveting. But then, when is Donald Sutherland not awesome? (I can hear Tracey saying "He's the father of Jack Bower! Of COURSE he's riveting!")

I am looking forward to - yikes - tomorrow already?! I can't believe how much of the book they shoved into one two hour episode!

Biggest actor surprise of the night? Matthew MacFadyen - Prior Phillip - aka MR DARCY in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE!!! You could have knocked me over with a feather when I put that together in my brain (with a little help from IMDB, of course!)