The Custom of the Army

An Outlander Novella

By: Diana Gabaldon

Narrated by: Jeff Woodman

London, 1759. After a high-society electric-eel party leads to a duel that ends badly, Lord John Grey feels the need to lie low for a while. Conveniently, before starting his new commission in His Majesty’s army, Lord John receives an urgent summons. An old friend from the military, Charlie Carruthers, is facing court-martial in Canada, and has called upon Lord John to serve as his character witness.

Grey voyages to the New World - a land rife with savages (many of them on his own side) and cleft by war - where he soon finds that he must defend not only his friend’s life but his own.

©2010 Diana Gabaldon (P)2012 Recorded Books

wonderful story

This fills in a lot of blank spots from the regular series. How John Cinnamon came into existence.

Love this series!

The smaller works give good background and fills out the larger (insanely larger : ) story. When you really get addicted to this series- and you will- you don't want to leave this world so these works help you hold on a little longer. Say no to reality and stay in the prolific, phenomenal mind of Gabaldon!

Good but short

The story tied up a few loose ends in the Lord John series. Definitely not the direction I expected the story to go.

Fills in Several Blanks

The first 15 minutes alone of this short novella are worth reading. Gabaldon's ability to start her stories with a bang is one of her greatest skills. The beginning to this story rivals the first 15 minutes of The Scottish Prisoner.

Jeff Woodman has become the voice of Lord John to me. So much so that this is the single character in the Outlander series that I wish someone other than Davina Porter would narrate. And since I think the Porter and Outlander combination is pretty close to perfection, that is saying a lot.

A lot happens in a very short period of time in this piece. And by the time it is finished, a few more questions are answered and blanks are filled in about the Lord John character, his history and how he became the man he is in the Outlander series. I highly recommend it.

Great story with noble characters

Another wonderful Lord John story. The more I listen the more I appreciate Diana Gabaldon's mastery of the written word and the humanity inside all her characters. Most especially the Gray famiy. It may be short, especially for Ms Gabaldon but the story is fully formed and gives a little more insight into just what Lord John was up to while Jamie was otherwise engaged at Hellwater. Looking forward to the next story.