Outlander

When was the last time you couldn't put a book down? The last time you actually had to hide it from yourself to get other things done? The last time you found yourself reading with one hand over your mouth, leaning so close to the book you felt (hoped) you might fall in? If it's been awhile, then Diana Gabaldon's Outlander is for you! I got absolutely hooked on this series through this free download from the Kindle. I would never classify myself as a romance reader; I normally find them boring and ridiculously formulaic, each cookie-cutter bodice-ripper no different from the last. Imagine my surprise when, halfway through this riveting novel, I discovered it WAS a romance! I can't begin to summarize the novel without making it sound less than it is, but I can tell you some of the things I loved about it. The characters are extraordinary, so well-developed you can almost see and hear them in your mind as you read. The protagonist, Claire, is a particular favorite of mine. She is feisty, smart, imperfect and incredibly real. Jamie, her counterpart, is the best male lead character in a romance I think I've ever read! He's neither absurd nor unbelievable; he just is. The interactions between different characters in the novel are so authentic, you'll find yourself wanting to hug them, weep for them, and celebrate with them (or, in one case, kill them painfully and slowly). The setting is almost a character in itself. Gabaldon takes the typical image of Scotland and turns it on its ear, replacing it with a wonderfully real depiction of a harsh and beautiful world of the past. Her work seems to have been very well-researched. While I am no scholar of history myself, I do know a little bit about it and found that she never twisted the truth or took artistic license to make the time work for her story. Gabaldon does not shy away from anything, mind you. This is part of what makes her novel so addictive. Every romantic, violent, or embarassingly human scene is boldly written without censure. I believe this is what sets her apart from other authors; she WILL go there. It's never a shock tactic, and sometimes she evens takes you places you really don't want to go. This is what takes her story from great to incredible. She is unafraid of what anyone might think of her work, and lets the story basically unroll itself, no matter how uncomfortable it might get. That is why, to me, it feels more real than any other novel I've ever read. It is not a mere imitation of human life with the icky parts omitted. I warn you, if you pick this one up, be prepared to buy the next and the next after that...and so forth. You will not be able to resist! I highly recommend this one to adults looking for an entirely new, absorbing read to really blow them away.

What can I say to anyone who's read a Diana Gabaldon book? This woman has 'the gift,' (and I am also a 'paid' writer/part-time editor, so don't write many customer reviews on books unless they're REALLY, Really good OR, REALLY, Really bad)! I have to admit that although I'd heard of Diana from my sister who's read her books, it wasn't until we watched the (Starz) televised version of her first novel, Outlander, that I sought out her novels. All of Gabaldon's novels are a unique mixture of genres; Romance (but do NOT let this turn you off guys as there is plenty of 'manly action,' and testosterone in the male characters via clan conflicts, revolutions, and plenty of broadsword and dirk, hand-to-hand fighting), History - including U.K. in post world II, and later, US and U.K. in 1960s and 70s, AND, even Scotland, France, & more in the 1740s and, 1760s, because it's also somewhat Sci-Fi due to time travel! I am not typically a big Science Fiction or time travel fan, but Diana has found a most uncommon and pretty fascinating way to weave all of these topics together in such a way that it is quite believable and very entertaining. Her stories are also an inspiration because she had never been to the U.K., Scotland, or France, before writing her first few novels (and to think I was worrying about my current writing project because it covers several time periods and mostly takes place in another major city in the U.S. that I've not really seen firsthand - D.G. has definitely helped to alleviate my fear with this). As a college Professor, Gabaldon, certainly zeros in on research and it shows in the intricate and factual details about pretty much everything she writes about - I love that while being completely entertained, I'm also always learning something new while reading her books! I think that since I saw the TV series (Season One last Fall), I was totally ready to submerge myself into these books and, while I'm on novel number four now, Outlander may always be my favorite - it being my first. This first book begins with the main female character, Claire, and her fairly new husband, Frank, taking a much needed get-a-way to a quaint town in Scotland right after World War II. Claire, who worked through the war as a nurse, and Frank, an officer, hardly saw each other during that time between 1939 and 1945. Anyway, their little second honeymoon doesn't end up being the catalyst for bringing them closer together but instead, on a trip to an ancient circle of stones, Claire is transported back in time through one of the stones smack dab in the middle of a skirmish between the Scots and British soldiers. It takes her a while to realize she's not in the middle of some filming crew doing a historical movie or documentary, but REALLY, 'in' the 1740s! The story just gets better and better as Claire is rescued by a band of Scots from a villainous Red Coat who is about to have his way with her, and, just happens to look just like her husband, Frank, BECAUSE, he is Frank's Great, Great, (however many 'greats') Grandfather. The Scottish clan who swoops her out of harm's way doesn't quite know whether they can trust her since she's English or, as they say, an "Outlander," or a Sassenach. As the story progresses and Claire constantly tries to think of ways to get back to the circle of stones and, her own time frame (and husband), she inadvertently finds herself falling for one of the young Scots, Jamie Fraser and well, by this point, you won't be able to put the book down (or, stop watching the series). Does Claire fall for the handsome young Scottish warrior with a heart and soul as big as he is, or does she find her way back to the stones and her own time and, Frank? You'll want to know so I'll not include any spoilers from this point. I will say, that my husband, is not much for "period romances," but after he watched the first two episodes, he was hooked - like I said, plenty of 'action,' all around if Diana Gabaldon is behind the story. Season 2 of Outlander starts April 4th here in the U.S. and we've already set it to record. In the meantime, you can go to Starz web site and find out how to catch up with Season 1 - which is playing now I believe as a precursor to the upcoming season. I'll also be reading on through novel number four ( Drums of Autumn). There are four more novel waiting after this as Diana has written a total of eight novels in this series - and to think this incredibly gifted author started writing Outlander, "Just to see if I could write an entire book." Uhm, Ms. Gabaldon, I'm pretty sure we can say a resounding "YES" to that!

With over 13,000 reviews on Amazon, it hardly seems likely that Ms. Galbadon needs my 2 cents. But, Outlander heralds one of the largest turning events in the history of book publishing. Consider this: not only was the book so incredibly popular and loved that it launched its own subgenre (kilt pron), it was also a harbinger of the move towards more intelligent writing in the romance genre and the concept of cross-genre marketing. Yes, it's a bit of a bodice-ripper at heart, but thank goodness the original publisher gave it a little more respect and gave it more mysterious cover. I first read Outlander right after it came out, when someone who claimed to know and love me gave it to me. They knew I liked books, and they had heard it was very popular, so somehow I ended up with a copy. What on earth do you get for someone who loves Isaac Asimov, Chaucer, and John Steinbeck? Apparently, "Outlander." (heavy sigh) At some point, I ran out of reading material and picked it up and gave it chance. It had time travel in it, which I guess might have been confusing. I have read a few Gothic romances and bodice rippers in the past, after I'd finished the backs of all the cereal boxes and was at a complete loss, so it's not like I was losing my mass market cherry. It wasn't bad. It was even enjoyable. It was even pretty well written. I couldn't complain. I enjoyed it, admitted to it, and left it there. I not only didn't read the sequels, I didn't even know they existed. Twenty years passes. I decided to give it another read just recently to see if my memory served right that it was an unusually good example of the romance genre. With the TV show coming out and many of my book loving friends enjoying the resurgence in popularity, and having the $1.99 it cost me on Kindle, I thought I'd see if it stood up after all this time. You don't need me for a recap, so I'll skip that part. It's a fun, laid-back kind of read. It's not life-changing. The history angle is rather engaging and I wish there had been more of it. I love time travel stories, and I wish there had been more focus on that. The sexy bits were okay if you like that sort of thing. The violent scenes were a bit too violent and creepy for me, but I guess the author had to make a point. The cultural comparisons were kind of interesting. The plot and subplots were sort of developed, and I wished I'd gotten more out of them. But I've got to admit, and I hate to say it, but I really got sick of Jamie Fraser. Every little detail about his childhood and the pages spent on them wore me down. Just TMI. I suppose we had to fully understand how wonderful Jamie was in order to give the protagonist a pass for being an adulteress. But, you know, if that means I have to skim over pages and page and pages of Jamie's stories, and stories about Jamie, and accolades of Jamie and his wonderful deeds in order to accept the protagonists situation, then I'd rather not be bothered. It's a well-written, relatively engaging book, purely entertainment. But the author spends so much time apolobizing and justifying her characters that it really kills the flow. Yes, Claire is sleeping with a man who is not her (original) husband. We get it. She's stuck 200 years in the past, and quite frankly it looks like the best option. So, we have to spend way too many pages in order to justify why this is okay by making Jamie just a little too good to be true. It's like having a drunk girlfriend hanging off of you , slobbering about how great the guy who won't leave his wife is. Along with that, she spends a lot of time justifying that the bad guy just happens to be gay. That's not the point, subtext tells us. The problem isn't that he's gay, the problem is that he's an unrepentant sadist (and an incestuous one, at that). In fact, she introduces a perfectly nice gay fellow just to show she doesn't mean to seem homophobic. Of course, she has to qualify that via the opinions of these barbaric primitives of the past. I can't see myself reading the sequels. I've had enough Jamie Fraser for one lifetime.

I love this book series so much, that I’ve been dying for an opportunity to read it again. However, since I’ve been so busy reading all the other books on my TBR Pile, my curiosity wasn’t piqued enough to pick up the novel again until the premiere of STARZ’s cable series, adapted from Diana Gabaldon’s best-selling novel, this fall. As I watched the cable network’s adaptation, I began to question certain small things in the episodes as to whether they happened in the book. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to read Outlander again for the first time in two years. The Good…: The world Diana Gabaldon creates in her Outlander series is so rich, that I want to savor every little detail. From the characters’ clothing to Claire’s medical applications, it’s hard not to get sucked into 1743 Scotland along with Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser. Aside from the way of life during this time period, Gabaldon has created an interesting array of characters that keep you on your toes. At the heart of the story is Claire. She’s a former trauma nurse who served during World War II, and is on a second honeymoon with her husband Frank Randall in the Scottish Highlands, when Claire unexpectedly finds herself traveling back through time 200 years into the past. While there she meets the other man in her life, James Fraser. It’s hard to see which man Claire should end up with initially since they’re both kind and loving, but as the story progresses you begin to wonder how she can ever leave Jamie. “You’re mine, mo duinne. Mine alone, now and forever. Mine, whether ye will it or no. Aye, I mean to use ye hard, my Sassenach,” he whispered. “I want to own you, to possess you, body and soul. I mean to make ye call me ‘Master,’ Sassenach. I mean to make you mine.” – Jamie Jamie’s family, friends, and foes also add color to this magical story. His uncles Colum and Dougal are incredibly mysterious. Sometimes they seem like uncles anyone might have in their family, yet other times they seem like they may be enemies parading as friends. Trying to figure out their motivations add an element of mystery as Jamie and Claire begin to navigate the complicated politics of this time. That in Scotland itself, and within the clan system in the Scottish Highlands. As for enemies, Jamie and Claire seem to find them around every corner. The main villain in this story is “Black Jack” Randall, Claire’s husband Frank’s six-times great-grandfather. This British officer is a horrible, horrible person, and the fact he’s the spitting image of Frank carries complications of its own. For Claire, it means she miscalculates the horrors “Black Jack” is willing to inflict on others. For me as a reader, it means I find myself for hating Frank by association. I keep having to remind myself that they aren’t the same person. The Bad…: Since Outlander is set in the 18th century, many things that happen to the women in this story are fitting within the time period. When reading this novel, you must remember this fact, and that what the women go through was pretty common and accepted. However, it’s not only the women that run into a bit of violence in the book. Jamie, in particular, is a victim of violence that is quite graphic. So if you are a bit squeamish, you may want to skim those scenes. Then again, those events have lasting repercussions throughout the series, so… maybe not. “I gave you justice, it said, as I was taught it. And I gave you mercy , too, so far as I could. While I could not spare you pain and humiliation, I make you a gift of my own pains and humiliations, that yours might be easier to bear. ” – Jamie Another aspect of the story that may give readers pause is how homosexuality is viewed in the book by the characters. This viewpoint was also common for that time, so if you are a bit sensitive to LGBTQ issues, you may want to fortify yourself. One of the characters in the book is homosexual, and happens to be in the precarious situation of being in the British military. In the 18th century, not only would he lose his position and be ruined if his sexuality came to light, but he would also be imprisoned. This aspect to the character gives a certain light to his actions in the story which I won’t divulge due to spoilers. Sorry! Do I Recommend? YES! YES! YES! Outlander isn’t a world-wide best-selling novel for no reason. It’s a fantastical tale of romance that withstands time and space. It’s a mystery about a woman far from home who doesn’t know how she got where she is, or how to get back. It’s a paranormal romance of a woman in love with two different men separated by 200 years. It’s a historical fiction story set in 18th century Scotland during the Jacobite movement in the time of the clans, and witch trials. It’s and adventure story about a young man who acted rashly and nearly lost his life in lieu of his freedom. A wanted man who years to return home to his family, and be the man he was meant to be. This story has something for everyone, and will not disappoint. To date there are eight books (and counting) in the series, so now is the time to jump in and see what all the buzz is about. Since this novel is amazing, hard to put down, and somehow managed to be even more wonderful the second time around, I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

This was an impressive, thoroughly thought out novel although it was unusual and a little unsettling. It showed the effects of meticulous historical research but also broke new ground -- but every one of the author's decisions seemed correct as I got further into it. I'd already been exposed to the first two episodes of the TV version, so I wasn't surprised it had time travel. I also had some idea of the plot: a WW II British nurse accidentally triggers a time portal in a Stonehenge-like monument in Scotland while she's on vacation with her husband shortly after the war ended. She passes through to the 18th century and soon encounters people from that time period -- including her husband's ancestor, "Black Jack" Randall, a British Army Captain, who immediately shows he's the villain of the piece, captures her, and pulls her away from the monument so she can't go back -- even assuming she knows how to make it work in reverse. Through most of the book, he's chasing her and the other main character. We gradually learn a lot about 18th century Scotland on the eve of the Second Rising, when "Bonnie Prince Charlie" tries to unseat King George II of England and rule the UK. (He was eventually crushed in the Battle of Culloden in 1745). Lots of that would be so well known to contemporary people that if the book had been a "straight" historical novel, the author wouldn't have had the excuse to teach us so much. We learn about medical practices, beliefs in witchcraft and fairies, sex roles and the easy attitude towards violence. Most readers will be less surprised by the "old fashioned" attitudes towards marriage and sexuality. The book is a complex book, although it's an easy read (although not short!) Its complexity only unfolds gradually along with the tale. Of course it has to face the science fiction dilemma of to what extent history can be changed by a time traveler without causing herself to wink out of existence because she accidentally stopped one of her ancestors from being married to the right person (or whatever). It doesn't truly answer this unanswerable question but it's much more sophisticated in its approach to it than the videos. More prosaically, if you're already in love (and married) in your own time and you find yourself feeling attracted to someone in the time to which you've travelled, is this adultery? Infidelity? In this book, Claire Beauchamp, the main character, comes to have a passionate relationship with Jamie Fraser, a minor nobleman who is pursued by Capt. Randall and obliged to marry her for non-romantic reasons consistent with the period. She feels guilty, having left a husband behind, and I wondered what she'd do if and when she got back to the 20th century. But their "unsettling" relationship plays all too believably, maybe a little too earthy with explicit sex compared to courtly romances like those of Miss Austen. Claire is forced to recognize that the rights women had (even) in 1945, much less today, were practically all nonexistent in 1743. One of the "unsettling" passages has Jamie beat her for disobedience (she deserved it, exposing them to pursuit as a result of ignoring his instructions), and next day, the other clansmen make ribald jokes about it. Another unsettling passage has Jamie tell her how Capt. Randall tortured him when he was captured for a second time. I realized that there was some heavy duty psychological drama going on, maybe even "post-traumatic stress disorder". The book is written in American English; I think the author is American, although she seems to have a grasp of Scottish brogue and a smattering of Gaelic as well so the local color is good enough to pass muster, at least for someone whose only prior exposure to Scotland was through "Bob Son of Battle" in childhood. In a helpful author's afterword she admits to not having visited Scotland until after writing this first volume, so it's all library research. But the research is thorough! Some of the events are a little hard to swallow in a complex plot with many narrow escapes, but the time travel isn't one of those. The book is good entertainment and also teaches you a lot about olde time Scotland.

I’ll admit, I hadn’t heard of these books until I heard everyone talking about the new show. When the wedding episode aired, my entire Facebook feed was filled with excited posts about it. Curiosity got me and after discovering I had Starz on my cable I went and watched the first episode. I was hooked and promptly watched all of the episodes, each one better than the last! I fell in love with these characters and figured if the show was that good then the book was probably even better so I knew I had to read it! When I learned that the midseason hiatus would last until April I thought what better way to pass the time than to read the books? Well I finally just finished Outlander and I have to say, it was everything I hoped it would be and I fell even more in love with these characters and this epic story and epic love throughout the course of the book! I’m an avid reader of romance novels, but historical romance was not a genre I’d ever considered, and if I had never seen the show I probably never would have given it a try. Which would have truly been a shame because I would have missed out on this great adventure! Normally I prefer reading the book before I watch a movie or TV adaptation, but in this case I’m glad I did because it gave me a frame of reference and I could clearly picture the locales and the characters as I read. And I can just imagine the brilliant performances we’re going to get to see as the 2nd half of the series unfolds. But back to the book. I loved the concept of time travel and I love how resourceful and strong Claire is when faced with the prospect of having to live in the 1700s. She could definitely hold her own and I loved that she continually stood up for herself and for what she thought was right, often risking her neck in the process, but she didn’t let these foreign times get the best of her. I loved the development of her relationship with Jamie, first as friends, then as reluctant lovers after they are forced together in marriage and finally as soul mates who are clearly meant to be together. Of course the both of them are incredibly stubborn and strong willed so their relationship is not without its fair share of arguments and disagreements but I like how they learn to navigate each other and work together as a partnership. Jamie was a wonderfully written alpha male who like I said was very stubborn and strong willed, but he was also playful and caring and loving. There were many different sides to him and it didn’t take much to fall in love with him! Here are just a few of my favorite quotes from Jamie to Claire that show his alpha and softer sides: “Ye need not be scairt of me,” he said softly. “Nor of anyone here, so long as I am with ye.” “Aye, I mean to use ye hard, my Sassenach,” he whispered. “I want to own you, to possess you, body and soul.” “Oh, aye, Sassenach,” he answered a bit ruefully. “I am your master… and you’re mine. Seems I canna possess your soul without losing my own.” “I wanted ye from the first I saw ye – but I loved ye when you wept in my arms and let me comfort you, that first time at Leoch.” All the while that this beautiful love story unfolds, there is also an epic story going on as the Scots are at war with the British and danger awaits at every turn. Claire is dealing with trying to conceal her true story while trying to fit into this foreign time (with witch hunts a common occurrence and just by virtue of her being an Englishwoman mysteriously appearing in the Scottish Highlands, this often proves to be difficult) and Jamie is trying to keep a low profile due to being a wanted man. And with a sadistic man after them both, the action never lets up. There are many humorous moments and equally as many heart breaking and difficult moments. This book really had it all and I am so glad that I read it. I look forward to watching the second half of the season when it returns and in the meantime I look forward to continuing their journey in the other books in the series!

What a compelling and riveting book. I found Outlander a hard book to put down. Of course, I had to since it is 642 pages. Even though I read very fast, I obviously could not read this one in one setting. This is not the first time I have read this book, but I am certainly that glad I made the decision to read it a second time. Ms. Gabaldon's writing is so fluid and smooth, and it brings the highlands to life with her vivid description of the landscape. Talk about using all five senses in one's writing--this author is a master at this. For anyone who has not read this incredible book, here is a short synopsis. Claire Randall, a nurse just returned from the battlefields of World War II, is on holiday with her husband Frank, when she stumbles across Craigh na Dun and travels back to 1745. Claire barely escapes from Black Jack Randall, her husband's many time distant grandfather. A group of highlanders rescue her from his clutches. She meets Jamie Fraser and her odyssey to discovering a love that will span distance and time, begins. Claire is feisty, stubborn and very resilient in the face of overwhelming and shocking happenings in her life. I wondered what I would do if faces with the realization that I had traveled back to 1745? I am not sure I could have handled it with Claire's aplomb. I was astonished at the ease in which she adapts to her new surroundings. When happenchance forces to wed Jamie to avoid being taken by Captain Randall, I was a bit taken aback by her easy acceptance of her plight. That is the only criticism I have for the story. She obviously loved Frank; that is clear in the start of the book. I feel that she should have been plagued with more regret and grief over his loss. I know it was critical for her to adapt, but internally, I would like to have seen a bit more struggle. Jamie, on the other hand, is the ultimate alpha hero, strong and fierce, brave and determined, yet with a touch of innocence as well. He is over four years younger than Claire and has managed to remain a virgin at the age of three and twenty. Ms. Gabaldon handles his de-flowering with delicacy on Claire's part when she learns of his innocence. There are a great many tender, yet highly emotionally-charged love scenes throughout the book. While very heavy on the passion that the two feel for each other, the author is able to do this with very little explicit detail. It takes a masterful hand to pull this off, still getting the reader, at least me, fully enmeshed with the characters to the point it as if I were living in their heads. I love it when an author can do this. It allows me to form my own romantic conclusions. To say the least, I absolutely loved this amazing book from start to finish and am now ready to move on to the next one, Dragonfly in Amber. Now I originally read this book in 2004 and voraciously read the first four. I grew quite angry when I read Echo in the Bone because it ended on such a cliff-hanger, then I had to wait for several years for Written in My Own Heart's Blood, but it was worth the wait. That one brought back all the reasons why I loved this series. I do want to mention that I also listened to the audio book as I read and that truly enriched my reading pleasure. Davinia Porter does an incredible job of bringing all the myriad of characters in the saga to life. Each character's voice is so unique and easy to identify. It takes a true master to do that. I highly recommend listening as you read this book. If you love Scottish historical romance/adventure stories with intensely passionate and well-developed characters, and a book full of wonderful and fascinating tidbits of history, then you will want to read Outlander. Perhaps, if you have already read these books, you will decide to re-read this amazing series as I am doing. Happy reading!

After some thought, I've given Outlander 3 1/2 stars. Normally I would've rounded that up to four stars for the sake of leaving some room for aspects of the novel which were only a hindrance to my enjoyment, personally. However, I am reluctant to do so in the case of Outlander because I'm sure that what bothered me will also bother many other readers. There's nothing outrightly wrong with Outlander in the way it is written, save for a little cheesiness now and again which is easy to overlook when taken over by its fast-paced, action-filled plot. And it has definitely got one of those! After the first few chapters, which are deceivingly slow, the story line is filled with action sequences, escapes, fight scenes, mortal danger, etc. There is no doubt that Gabaldon is a master storyteller, and that her main character Claire is a lively narrator. But Outlander is, at heart, a love story. It never pretends to be anything else, and a good love story coupled with a good plot and plenty of excitement in the form of life-threatening situations is usually a good recipe for a wonderful read. And sometimes it worked in Outlander, but at other times, it failed miserably, repulsing the reader instead of compelling them. The main problem lies in the character of Jamie Fraser, the romantic hero of Outlander, if you will. He is one of the biggest reasons why I think that this book was only meant for certain readers. If you fall in love with Jamie like Claire did, then you will undoubtedly love the rest of the novel, and from what I've heard, most Outlander fans would give their right leg for James Fraser to be real. But I was not one of them, and as a result struggled through the novel without much hope of redeeming him in my eyes. That's where I believe the real dividing line is. Depending on who you are-- and consequently how much you like Jamie's character-- you will either love this book or hate it. And to give you an idea of which category you will fall into before buying the book: [MINOR SPOILER WARNING] there is a scene where the "romantic hero" Jamie beats the heroine viciously with a leather strap, and the heroine forgives him about two pages later. I know that in those times, it was not uncommon for a man to beat his wife, but her forgiveness of him just made me lose all respect for her. And more to the point, Jamie says that he enjoyed beating her, which I'm sure is not the mark of a sane human being, either now or then. The main antagonist, Jonathan "Black Jack" Randall is also a sadist, maybe in a more extreme sense, but I kept feeling that at least he was always portrayed as such, whereas Jamie was touted as this warm, kind individual who just occasionally enjoys beating helpless women. Ugh. [END SPOILER] Again, if you have no problem with that, and are just as willing to forgive Jamie for what Gabaldon seems to think is a small indiscretion, then you will probably emerge an Outlander fan, but if you are like me, you will end up not caring what happens to the main characters. And that's never good. There are a number of other characters that most will like, of course. Claire's first husband Frank, though only appearing briefly, was possibly my favorite (kind, handsome and a historian?) and there is a witch named Geilie Duncan who is an altogether fascinating character, not to mention a kindly Franciscan who is everything a proper priest should be. In opposition, the villains of Outlander are amazingly villainous, particularly the aforementioned Jack Randall (although the descriptions of his villainous "actions" are not for the fainthearted or the weak-stomached, another group of people who would do well to stay away from this book). His resounding evil makes the plot enjoyably tense and fraught with danger, as it should with an antagonist that knows no bounds to his cruelty. The main character Claire (who experiences most of this tenseness and fear) is sometimes vivacious, human, and her situation is rightfully intriguing. Somtimes. Mostly she has a very, very irritating way of arguing with almost everyone and being amazingly pigheaded and childish. She hardly gives Frank a second thought, which also makes her shallow in my opinion. Out of sight, out of mind, huh, Claire? Again, just my point of view. So perhaps I shouldn't say that I hated Outlander. I will say that I would have loved it, in fact, had it not been for the one glaring exception of Jamie Fraser. However, as it is, I could not truly enjoy Outlander when its idolized male lead was someone I could not respect or even like.

📝 DESCRIPCIÓN Si estás buscando una historia que te transporte a épocas pasadas y te haga soñar con aventuras apasionadas, no busques más, porque "Outlander" es el libro perfecto para ti. Nos hemos quedado absolutamente enamorados de esta novela que ha despertado emociones en lo más profundo de nuestro ser. 💵 PRECIO El precio de "Outlander" es más que justificado considerando el mundo de ensueño y emociones que te espera entre sus páginas. Es una inversión que te brindará horas de lectura inolvidables y te dejará anhelando más. 🧾 ESPECIFICACIONES "Outlander" es una novela escrita en inglés. Nos sumerge en una trama épica que combina romance, historia y viajes en el tiempo. Cada página está llena de personajes cautivadores y escenarios vívidos que te harán sentir como si estuvieras viviendo la historia en primera persona. 🟢 PROS Una historia apasionante que te transportará a través del tiempo y te hará soñar despierto. Personajes profundamente desarrollados que te robarán el corazón y te harán emocionarte con cada página. Un lenguaje evocador y poético que te envolverá y te hará vivir la historia de manera intensa. 🔴 CONTRAS Algunos lectores pueden encontrar que la extensión del libro es larga, pero cada página vale la pena y te sumerge aún más en la trama. VALORACIÓN "Outlander" es una novela que nos ha cautivado por completo. Su historia apasionante, personajes entrañables y la manera en que combina elementos de romance y viajes en el tiempo la convierten en una lectura absolutamente envolvente. Cada página nos ha dejado deseando más y más, sin poder resistirnos a los encantos y misterios que se despliegan ante nuestros ojos. ✅ CONCLUSIÓN Si estás buscando un libro que te haga suspirar, emocionarte y perder la noción del tiempo, "Outlander" es la elección perfecta. Sumérgete en esta fascinante historia y déjate llevar por sus páginas llenas de pasión, romance y aventura. Te garantizo que quedarás atrapado en su encanto y enamorado de cada palabra escrita. ¡Prepárate para un viaje inolvidable a través del tiempo y el amor! ✳️ Espero que mi comentario te haya podido servir de ayuda. ¡Sumérgete en el mundo mágico de "Outlander" y déjate llevar por su encanto sin igual! 📚💖

Good story but da book was hard to read letters were very small

Excelente libro

1ヶ月足らずで読破しました。とにかく面白い！！ 高校の英語の授業が難しくて大変でしたが、この本に出会ってあのとき頑張って良かったなと（笑）思えるくらい原作ならではの表現（ジェイミーをlike a big cat、the large, warm objectという！）を楽しみました。 読むのがつらいほど苦しい場面の描写もありますが、これくらい面白い本が教材だったら、もっと英語が上達していたと思うほど！（無理か…笑） ドラマも楽しく観ていますが、本の中のジェイミーとクレアはまた別の意味でとっても素敵です。 感謝や愛や憎悪、暴力や行為だけで手にしようとするもの、本当に欲しいものを手に入れられない葛藤、傷を癒し見えない心の傷も癒そうと、本質的に本能的に人を救おうとするクレアと彼女を守ろうとするジェイミー。 久しぶりに本を読みながら、泣いたり声を出して笑ったりして、心打たれました。 数年前に英国王室のベビー誕生の際、ジョージかジェームズかが予想され賭けもされていましたが、この本を読んで、ジェームズはありえない、その名をつけられないだろうというのがわかるようになりました。 ハイランダーズ（ラグビーのチーム）もますます好きになり、すっかりスコットランドに夢中です。 まだ完結していないのと、まだ1巻目しか読んでいないので、ゆっくり楽しみながら読み進めたいと思います^ ^

Avant d'attaquer la série, j'ai voulu tâter du roman en V.O. et autant le dire : c'est une heureuse surprise. ça faisait longtemps que je n'avais pas autant apprécié un roman historique mâtiné de science-fiction. Ecrit dans un anglais très accessible mais d'un bon niveau, il vous entraîne de l'Ecosse de 1946 à celle de 1743 pour suivre les aventures de Claire Beauchamp, une jeune infirmière qui se retrouve propulsée dans le temps à son corps défendant. Séparée brutalement de Frank Randall, son mari du XXe siècle, elle va croiser les ancêtres de celui-ci et... trouver l'amour, deux siècles plus tôt ! Partagée entre deux époques, Claire est obligée de faire des choix difficiles : doit-elle revenir ou pas? Ses connaissances médicales ne risquent-elles pas de la faire passer pour une sorcière ? D'autant qu'elle connaît l'avenir, et donc le sort que les Anglais ne vont pas tarder à réserver aux Ecossais pour imposer leur loi dans les Highlands ; et sa présence ne risque-t-elle pas aussi de bouleverser l'avenir, et de compromettre la descendance de Black Jack Randall, l'ancêtre de son mari de 1946? Alors, oui, ça prend 800 pages mais ça se lit très facilement et l'histoire est vraiment accrocheuse. Les descriptions, les attitudes des personnages sont vraisemblables et collent à l'époque. Je recommande vivement et j'ai hâte de passer au tome 2...