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Outlander (Outlander #1)

by Diana Gabaldon (Goodreads Author)

4.08 of 5 stars 4.08 · rating details · 196,898 ratings · 13,732 reviews

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon--when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach--an "outlander"--in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.

Hurled back...more

Mass Market Paperback, 870 pages

Published July 26th 2005 by Dell (first published June 1st 1991)

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May 29, 2007 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: all women, historical fiction lovers

Shelves: fiction, romantical, owned, mawwiageiswhatbringsustogethertoday

Yes! I read this. I admit it! You caught me! Not only that... I loved it. It is a double sin I will likely have to one day repent for by reading piles of Dostoyevsky while I tear out my hair. In any case. Right, once again into the breach to defend myself!

This book is incredibly long. It's just a fact. All of them are. But they go by so incredibly fast. By the time I got to the third one? I read it in three days. The pages just keep turning. I read at double speed I was so engrossed in the story...more

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Jul 13, 2007 Eric rated it 1 of 5 stars

I gave this book a really awful and visceral yet irreverent review and people got all hurty. Sorry, gentle readers. So here's a revised review - still bad, but with fewer sharp corners and internet ugliness.

I really disliked this book. As I think about all the books I've read, this one is at the very bottom, or maybe tied for last with a sci-fi paperback I found abandoned under a desk in 9th grade, about synthetically reincarnated twin midget space whores and some kind of cat people.

I bought O...more I gave this book a really awful and visceral yet irreverent review and people got all hurty. Sorry, gentle readers. So here's a revised review - still bad, but with fewer sharp corners and internet ugliness.

I really disliked this book. As I think about all the books I've read, this one is at the very bottom, or maybe tied for last with a sci-fi paperback I found abandoned under a desk in 9th grade, about synthetically reincarnated twin midget space whores and some kind of cat people.

I bought Outlander thinking, "Scotland. Time travel. Awesome." But it was not to be. What did it was the adolescent writing style. Actually it was the adolescent mindset behind the writing style, one which we as the readers are asked to share and indulge in, to wear like an uncomfortable and stupid-looking hat that we're supposed to pretend is neither. It made me angry with its badness.

On the upside, it finally cured me of a disease I used to have - a compulsion to finish any book I started. Because I mean you never know, right? Now I can safely let bad ones go and preserve precious hours of my life.

Anyway, the love scenes, as I mentioned in my previous review, were where the writing/mindset problems were laid most bare. Love scenes are not easy to do well, which is presumably partly why all the classy movie directors of yore panned away as the two lovers met, letting us fill in the blanks with our imaginations. This author didn't do that. Cheap, cheezy, overdone, unsubtle, and awful are the words that come to mind. The eyes roll. The breath goes "pwhauuugh."

One could almost picture a teenager carefully penciling each impassioned line in her spiral notebook, an airbrushed unicorn adorning its purple cover. "I'm going to be a writer someday. I'll show them all," she thought to herself as she read and reread each lovingly-crafted scene about a thing she had never done but had heard about, in a story she'd never share with anyone.

But where it veered from the adolescent into the disturbing was in a horrific gay rape/torture scene towards the end, with a nailed hand, lubricants, whimpering, and overtones of childhood incest. WTF?! A spot of light summer reading, the shop lady said! To top it all off, the rapee had to recount the story to his friends afterwards in an awful phonetic Scottish accent. If I remember correctly, his words were, "Aye, he used me hard. An' I could nae but respond to his touch." Aaaand... SCENE!

I destroyed my copy in such a way that it could not be fished out of the trash by some unsuspecting bargain hunter. I could not do that to them and could not do it to you, gentle readers. Go forth, armed with the good reviews and the bad.(less)

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Feb 26, 2010 Holly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: stuff-only-women-will-read, historical-fiction, fantasy

How To Commit Adultery Without Being a Cheap Slutty Whore: A Q&A by Diana Gabaldon

Q: I love my husband but I'm feeling kind of restless. But adultery is wrong. So what do I do?
A: Easy! Go back in time!

Q: What do you mean, Ms. Gabaldon?
A: If you go back in time, your husband hasn't been born yet. So you can have wild and crazy S&M sex with impunity.

Q: But won't I still be married to him?
A: Aren't you listening? He hasn't been BORN yet. So you aren't married! But if you are really being su...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 1 of 5 stars

Recommended to Elizabeth by: Helen

Shelves: scottish, reviewed, hem-steppers-and-bodice-rippers, 2011

I'm not sure what I was smoking the first time I read this book but I
suspect it was crack.

Why? you ask.

Such a good question! Because I cannot believe that at any time in my life did I enjoy eight hundred pages of this shit. And that's what it is. Shit. I thought it was well researched shit but that doesn't change its base nature, it just adds adjectives.

It's the characters. They're well developed. I really believe that Jamie and Claire are real people, except that at some point one or both of th...more

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Jun 29, 2007 Lisa rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: trashy_trashy

Contains SPOILERS ---
I was lying in a hospital bed with my leg broken, and once the library trolley came for a round of 'books, anyone?', my hand was in the air in no time.
Too late did the librarian notice the foreign literature on my bedside table and with a distraught expression try to recover 'Outlander';I said firmly: 'Oh no, Madam, I'll read that.'. Just enough time left for her to make up with a tome of controversial French literature on the genocide in Ruanda...
But as I'd said: my first...more Contains SPOILERS ---
I was lying in a hospital bed with my leg broken, and once the library trolley came for a round of 'books, anyone?', my hand was in the air in no time.
Too late did the librarian notice the foreign literature on my bedside table and with a distraught expression try to recover 'Outlander';I said firmly: 'Oh no, Madam, I'll read that.'. Just enough time left for her to make up with a tome of controversial French literature on the genocide in Ruanda...
But as I'd said: my first mission was 'Outlander'.
Anyway, it could not be that bad, since I'd seen it sold by the local bookclub before.
Ah yes, it could. After some forty pages, my jaw dropped in disbelief, after some hundred pages the case was as good as closed. But then, to tell the truth, Ms Gabaldon's warped morals kept me going.
Because this brave woman has achieved what I never thought could be done: she has fabricated some catholically correct porn.
Let me point that out:
Claire, pretty much a Mary Jane (on the first few pages her lovely -we know it is, curly and unruly, though she claims it is 'not'- hair is described at length, and - did you know she can heal people? Oh yes, and - Did you know she has a spitfire personality, but everybody likes her in spite of that, well not the women, but then, they're either jealous or uptight or both...?) is by some zing of the time-space continuum catapulted back to the Scotland of yore, without her husband (goodlooking, sensitive, a savant), but never mind, she finds some replacement in her husband's *evil* ancestor (looks just like him), who's just as much into Claire, but unfortunately lacks the morals to please and guts to take it up with Ms. Spitfire.
This proves to be helpful in forgetting husband#1, handy, since soon Claire arouses the ardour of a young, proud and good-looking Scotsman, Jamie, who, if a bit on the simple side, is as true as gold, not to mention built like....well yes... and just one twist of fate later, they find themselves exchanging vows.
Note: The *good* never have extra-marital sex in this book, that's for the evil and sluggish.
Surprise upon surprise, actually Jamie is a virgin on their wedding night, but with a few leads, quickly gets into his role: 'Matrimony turns into a sacrament what would otherwise be a sin', or so it goes.
In the following, this sacrament is bestowed upon darling Claire with unnerving frequency, about every two pages, but it only gets really colourful if preceded by conjugal beating - Claire did something bad, Claire has to be punished, yes, she herself aknowledges this in the end, or attempts of strangers (or *evil* husband) to rape her.
Yes, and of course, after Jamie has de facto been raped and tortured by *evil* husband. He's so desolate. Evil husband forced Jamie into actually enjoying the experience. This is not right, Jamie is straight, Jamie is disgusted by himself. But Claire does some sexual healing and re-enactment and 'pouf'! To top this off, in the end Claire learns from a monk that de facto both her marriages are considered valid by the church, since the one with Jamie precedes the one back in the 20th century.
Most distasteful because of the 'wifebeating' episode and the fact that homosexuality is shown as an evil trait adherent to the *evil* guy (some young kid with a bible hung himself because of this, strange enough, female victims of rape are not half as suicidal in this book).
So we repeat:
-No sex without marriage.
-Woman has to obey man. Otherwise she gets into trouble, and he has to punish her.
-Homosexuals among the evil only.
Any questions? had there been the possibility to bestow 0 stars on this concoction..., ah well.(less)

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Apr 29, 2012 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 5 of 5 stars

Update- 4/29/12- I'm having serious Outlander withdrawals, whenever this happens, I find myself searching for novels like this (not just time-travel, or historical romance, or rich with details, but the excellent writing as well) and always come up short. There is nothing out there like this and it is sad.

Re-read finished 1-16-12 (still the best damn book out there)

You can read my review as a guest reviewer here...

http://lupdilup-hotlistens.blogspot.c...

or below...

The Outlander series audioboo...more

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May 28, 2008 RandomAnthony rated it 3 of 5 stars

(Ok, first off, there are going to be minor spoilers/hints in this review…read at your own risk, although I’ll try not to reveal too much.)

Outlander is a damn good book. Sure, the book has a blue fake leather cover, costs four bucks, and screams “spinning rack at the airport bookstore”. I approached the text with suspicion but found myself invested in the language and storyline within the first hundred pages. Here’s why:

TEN GOOD THINGS ABOUT OUTLANDER

1. The characterizations of Jamie and Claire,...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, time-travel, 2011

"Oh Hello. Who are you, where did you come from and what on earth are you sitting on?"

"Hi there. Um, I'm Stephanie, I came from The United States, 2011, and I'm sitting on a time mower. I "borrowed" it from my friend Kemper, he was pretty tanked on the corn liquor and semi buried in taco wrappers...I don't think he'll notice. Who are you and when are we?"

"Claire, I came from 1945, Brittan. But from what I can tell we are in mid evil Scotland. It took me more than a minute to figure that out, day...more

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Sep 15, 2008 Julie (Mom2lnb) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Scottish History, Romance or Time Travel

Shelves: desert-island-keepers, read-2007, time-travel-romance, historical-fiction, historical-romance

Reviewed for www.thcreviews.com

I've read that Outlander was originally marketed as a romance novel because the publisher didn't know what else to do with it, but this book is no ordinary romance novel. It doesn't follow any typical romance formula and is a real genre bender that doesn't fit neatly into any one category. Outlander has a swoon-worthy hero and dozens of truly romantic scenes that should be sufficient to satisfy even the most discriminating romance reader, while it's time travel asp...more Reviewed for www.thcreviews.com

I've read that Outlander was originally marketed as a romance novel because the publisher didn't know what else to do with it, but this book is no ordinary romance novel. It doesn't follow any typical romance formula and is a real genre bender that doesn't fit neatly into any one category. Outlander has a swoon-worthy hero and dozens of truly romantic scenes that should be sufficient to satisfy even the most discriminating romance reader, while it's time travel aspect and a few references to witches and fairies should be of interest to readers of fantasy and paranormal stories. At it's heart though Outlander is a historical novel rife with details of 18th century life in the Scottish Highlands both inside and outside a castle or large estate. It also recounts some of the events leading up to the Jacobite Pretender's Uprising of 1745. Diana Gabaldon is an amazing writer who delves deep into her character's lives and the history surrounding them, painting an extraordinary picture that truly transports the reader to another time and place.

Claire is an incredibly strong heroine, who can sometimes be a bit brash and sassy, but deep down she is a kind and caring person at heart. She adapts amazingly well to a new time and place, much better than most people ever would if faced with the dilemma she was. Claire is a very intelligent woman who uses every ounce of knowledge at her disposal to reverse her predicament, while helping others, especially with their medical needs, and bringing a much needed modern perspective to ancient methods. She somehow finds the courage to made difficult choices in an era when choices were sometimes few or non-existent, especially for women, and to do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done. Claire is stubborn and persistent even in the face of nearly impossible odds. Best of all she is a pillar of strength to her beloved Jamie as much as he is to her, and she has a powerful underlying passion that matches his own for her.

Jamie, in my opinion, is the best romantic hero ever to be penned by an author. He exhibits both physical and mental strength, as well as a strength of character, that go above and beyond any ordinary romantic hero. His word is his honor, and his commitment to that honor is moving beyond words. If only there were more men in reality who could be so easily trusted and taken at their word. Jamie shows a deep respect, not just for Claire, but for all the women with whom he comes in contact, a true gentleman in every sense of the word. On the outside, Jamie is tough as nails, enduring more physical pain than any one person should ever be expected to, while on the inside, he is kind, gentle and sensitive, often instinctively knowing things that others don't. He is thoroughly intelligent and well-educated and often beautifully poetic in his speech. He is lighthearted and self-deprecating, never taking himself too seriously. I loved the way he was always teasing Claire. Jamie is simply a wonderful character, a man who loves selflessly and with his whole being.

There is much to enjoy about this book. Together, Jamie and Claire make a formidable couple, and it is obvious from the outset that they are soulmates. Their absolute trust in each other, basically from the moment they meet, is in and of itself, romance at it's finest. There are no contrived misunderstandings between them, only naked honesty, which brings an openness and vulnerability to both characters that is breathtaking. I love the way the author creates a beautiful friendship between these two characters before they end up at the altar and of course then become lovers. What's even better though is how that friendship continues to blossom and grow deeper and deeper even after they are married. The intimacy level of these two characters is something I rarely see in a novel, and most of it has little or nothing to do with sexual interludes. During the times when Jamie and Claire were apart even for short periods of time, I simply couldn't wait for them to be reunited, as the two of them together absolutely electrify the pages. All the secondary characters are extremely well-crafted and surprisingly well fleshed out, even those who play only minor parts. The setting is beautifully rendered as well, almost becoming a character unto itself. The time travel aspect adds an extended element of intrigue, and Ms. Gabaldon has certainly taken the time to think through the ramifications of such a feat if it were indeed possible. Every scene simply adds to the richness of detail in the book, and there is nothing that I felt was excess. The author's care in seamlessly weaving all of the elements together is evident all throughout the book.

While there are many things to love about this story, there were a few events that bothered me just a bit. There was a scene in which Jamie beats Claire with his sword belt for disobedience. The scene in and of itself actually did not bother me much, because I fully understood his reasons for doing so and he later took a vow never to do it again. What did bother me was his admission that he enjoyed it. The admission was made in a fairly lighthearted manner. In light of that, I suppose it might have been meant as humorous, but perhaps it was too subtle for me to fully appreciate. Even so, I might not have thought much of it except for the fact that the villain in this story is a brutal sadist. For that reason, I found myself a bit annoyed at having the hero of the story exhibit even a hint of such a tendency. There were also a couple of scenes of what I would term rather intense and rough lovemaking, one of which began with Jamie behaving in a dominant manner, and neither of which were quite to my taste. They just seemed a bit out of character for Jamie, who up to this point, and following, was always a gentle and considerate though passionate lover. I will allow though for the fact that Jamie apologized for the first incident and admitted equality after the second. Finally, there was a scene in which Jamie related a prior incident with a secondary character in his youth, which by today's standards would have been nothing short of an act of child molestation against him, but which was treated rather casually by all involved. I wanted to reconcile this in a historical perspective, but as hard as I tried, I simply couldn't. I also feel compelled to warn sensitive readers that there is an incidence of brutal sexual violence near the end of the book. It is not played out in real-time, but instead is related a bit at a time through dialog and implication, but still is immensely palpable in the intensity of it's aftereffects on the psyche of the character who was the victim. I'm not usually overly squeamish about such things, but I have to admit to having some difficulty reading these passages. More than once, they brought tears to my eyes.

In spite of the things I have mentioned though, Outlander is still by far one of the best books I have ever read. I have to give Ms. Gabaldon extra points for all of her attention to details. It is a joy to read such an intelligently-written and meticulously-researched novel that is so rich in detail. It went far beyond my expectations for a debut novel for any author. It even sparked my interest in learning more about the time and place that is depicted in it. Outlander is the type of book that is so engrossing and compelling that it makes one want to read straight through without ever putting it down, though it's epic length makes that somewhat unfeasible. This was my second reading of the book, and it certainly won't be my last. It has a earned a permanent place on my keeper shelf along with it's sequels Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, and A Breath of Snow and Ashes all of which continue Jamie and Claire's story.(less)

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Mar 03, 2013 Leslie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, historic, romance

This series changed my life. I cannot even begin to go into the details of how much I fell in love with the main characters: Claire Beauchamp and Jamie Fraser. The love story between these two beautifully written characters actually transcends time and logic. Their devotion, respect and soul-reaching love was one of beauty and even awe inspiring. Theirs is a long and beautiful historic journey together reaching limits and boundaries of both heartwarming depth and gut-wrenching tragedy. Not to be...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, historical-fiction-romance, hot-highlanders, time-travel

James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, you're digging your way into this little heart of mine, you hot brave, sexy Highlander.

together_apart_by_captivated2-d3eqji9-1-c

I enjoyed this book quite a lot, even though there were a few things that didn't sit quite right with me, i.e the beating, the full account of Jamie's ordeal at the prison and Claire who I liked at the start, but ended up annoying me towards the end by her own foolishness. Alas, I took it in my stride and ended up enjoying the ride.

Jamie is wonderful, brave and has a...more

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Feb 21, 2012 ♠ Sharon is an emotional book junkie ♠ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, read-in-2012, emotional-angsty-books, kindle-freebies

reviewed edited 2/12/12 at bottom of review

Outlander is the story of Claire who is from 1945 but accidentally travels back in time over 200 years and dumped right in the middle of a small skirmish between the English and the Scots. Lucky for her, she is saved by the Scots where she uses her nursing skills to tend to the wounds of a young, good looking Scot named Jamie.

Like mostly everyone else, I have put this book off due to the size, from people saying that the language is hard to understand a...more

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Oct 10, 2007 Chelsea rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, fiction, timetravel, historicalfiction, cheesyromance, toswap, 2007

Man, after the pitch I've heard about this book from basically every (female) reader I've ever met, I was expecting something that was NOT THIS. Fairly offensive, needlessly graphic, and smutty in that skeevy way, rather than the hot way. At one point, Jamie punishes Claire for disobeying him by literally spanking her - which was treated as perfectly understandable, and was quickly dismissed. I know that I cringed throughout the entire thing, and found it hard to believe that any relatively mode...more

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Aug 07, 2012 HeatherJay rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, alphas-cavemen-yummy

I remember my friend in college ( 1992ish ) coming out of her room holding a book to her chest and saying " YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK". She said it was a time travel romance book set in post world war II Scotland and mid 18th century Scotland.
Being as I was a 24 year old stoner and a 5th year college student, Lord of the Rings was more up my alley and I told her I'd "put in on my list"!! Fast forward to 2009, I'm on my usual Saturday morning sojourn to Barnes and Noble and I come across "Outla...more

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Aug 04, 2007 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: alltimefavourites, reviewed

The genius here is that historical fiction merges with science fiction, to produce a kind of double whammy of the historical.

The novel is set, initially, in 1946 Scotland, where a couple take a second honeymoon after the Second World War. Whilst not a huge presence in the piece, WW2 is something that feeds into the motivations of Claire, the protagonist, and informs the story. Through magic, science, coma, act of God or who knows what else, Claire Randall finds herself in mid eighteenth century...more The genius here is that historical fiction merges with science fiction, to produce a kind of double whammy of the historical.

The novel is set, initially, in 1946 Scotland, where a couple take a second honeymoon after the Second World War. Whilst not a huge presence in the piece, WW2 is something that feeds into the motivations of Claire, the protagonist, and informs the story. Through magic, science, coma, act of God or who knows what else, Claire Randall finds herself in mid eighteenth century Scotland. She meets the fearsome ancestor of her husband, English officer, Jack Randall, and finds herself put in danger through his suspicions that she is a spy. Given refuge by the MacKenzie clan, she embarks upon numerous journeys of self discovery, and a journey of impossible love.

The romantic lead of the piece is Jamie Fraser. Strong, young, witty, and a little innocent, he is everything that Claire's husband in 1946 is not. The love between Jamie and Claire is beautifully paced, and the main focus of the novel. It is different to most romantic fiction I have read in that throughout their affair, they face the world together, growing as a couple. When the time comes for one to turn the other away, it doesn't feel like it is simply a necessary part of the formula, or a plot device, but rather an organic development of character.

It is the characters that make this novel what it is. Each with their own personality, story to tell and multiple motivations, they are crafted with precision. It is, of course, Jamie and Claire who shine through. I recently wrote an essay on George Orwell, and read a piece of criticism which quoted him as saying that first person novels do not work, because they focus too much on the individual and not on a greater span of humanity. Rather than going into how Orwell failed to achieve an avoidance of focus on the individual, I will simply say that Gabaldon proves him wrong in Cross Stitch. Claire is the first person narrator, and so we see a world unfamiliar to us through her equally unfamiliar eyes. This grants us easier access to the more alien aspects of the society she finds herself in. But we are not restricted to Claire's perspective. Multiple times throughout the novel, stories are recounted to Claire by other characters, part told in dialogue, part by Claire's narrative, switching almost imperceptibly into a third person narrator.

Something that shows Gabaldon's skill as a storyteller particularly well is the way that history is integrated. I feel that the sign of a weak historical author is one who says 'this is how this was in this particular century, and this is how that was' (which is how I felt when I tried to read novels by Robert Harris and Phillippa Gregory, but that's a matter for another day). Gabaldon does not tell her reader about history, she shows them. Rather than history ruling the story, it becomes a texture of the setting, making the novel even more of a joy to read.

Something I love about this novel is Gabaldon's treatment of what may be seen as taboo subjects. If not so much now in some cases, certainly in 1991 when this novel was originally published. There are issues of rape, husbands beating wives, hysteria, mental illness, abortion, homosexuality. Some are explored in depth, some skimmed over. But all are treated as part of life: they are treated honestly, and not made to look any better for the sake of the reader. In some respects, this is extremely brave of Gabaldon. There are points where readers could be lost for it, but there is a truth in these scenes that cannot ever really be presented in any medium other than the novel, and it is scenes like this that we sorely need, if we are ever going to gain anything from reading novels.

Cross Stitch is by no means great literature, nor will it ever find its way into the canon, but it is entertaining storytelling at its best.(less)

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May 21, 2012 Tara rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: past-and-present-collide, highlanders, in-revolt, historical-fiction

SUCKED!!

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Feb 21, 2012 Mimi Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

5++++++ stars

Anyone who's known me longer than 5 minutes knows this is my favorite book. I've always said I'll never write a review about it. I gave in, but I won't be able to write anything dispassionate about it, nor write about it reasonably, so I'll just say what I love about it...

I love Jamie, Claire, Inverness, Castle Leoch, Jamie, Dougal and Colum, the wedding, Jamie, the humour, the childhood stories, Jamie, Lallybroch, Jenny, Jamie, Ian, the kids, JAMIE!, the desriptions, the ending...A...more

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Nov 03, 2007 Latharia rated it 1 of 5 stars

I read the first 300 or so pages of the book. The first 200 had me hooked...and then the sex scenes started. I've got nothing against a sex scene or two ... but the main characters were having sex all the freaking time. And when it escalated to include violence, including a scene that I can only describe as rape (she says no, he forces her to have sex anyway), I closed the book & decided not to read anymore. I enjoy historical fiction ... just not this type of it, I suppose.

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Jun 16, 2012 Sandi *~The Pirate Wench~* rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I first read Outlander way back in 1991 when it first came out in hardcover. As of this date I couldnt remember much of what I had read (plot wise),but what I do remember is that I couldnt put it down. I took it everywhere just to get in one more chapter. I also remember it made me laugh,cry,and ponder on some of the "going-on's" of the time it was set in,and of course unforgettable characters. I've been meaning to do a re-read for some time now to find out if I felt the same and did it have the...more I first read Outlander way back in 1991 when it first came out in hardcover. As of this date I couldnt remember much of what I had read (plot wise),but what I do remember is that I couldnt put it down. I took it everywhere just to get in one more chapter. I also remember it made me laugh,cry,and ponder on some of the "going-on's" of the time it was set in,and of course unforgettable characters. I've been meaning to do a re-read for some time now to find out if I felt the same and did it have the same "magic" as the first time,did it deserve a 5 star second time around? So when invited to do a "buddy-read" it was the best chance to do so again. So this review is on my thoughts of my re-read,and what I liked or disliked from then to now( as my memory get's jogged) There are those who either love this book or hate it,or even read the first book but wont bother to carry on with the series due to alot of "historical detail." I think this contribuated to my memory loss from back then..maybe it was too much for me? maybe I wasnt in the frame of mind for "detail" and just wanted the romance? Well Im certainly glad I gave it another go,as our tastes do change after the years. Doing a 3 week tour of Scotland,its history,castles,a few years back it made me love all the details/history of the story so much more as well as understand the time period the story was set in which I had missed in my first reading, and as well I had much different emotions this time in on the characters as well to certain "scenes." So.. what about some of the most talked about scenes between Jamie and Claire?
I did feel some of those scenes could have been done differently,but also felt they were "historicaly-correct" for the time with which the characters lived in,and to the "rules" of the Clan and customs.How did I feel this time about the characters? Well, hands down Jamie remains the most romantic hero (flaws and all) in my book. Claire on the other hand I had less of a liking for,but still won me over in the long run. What made this re-read the most enjoyable, was the time and effort goodreads friend Jill put into it. Not only with pictures,some brief historical notes, questions posted for each chapter,she personally answered each and everyone that responded and was involved in the read. So 5+ stars goes to Jill and a big thank you! And for my experince doing this re-read Outlander still and probably will always remain a 5 star read and stay on my "keeper shelf" for many years to come.(less)

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Jun 29, 2012 Jessi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sexy-times, scotland, six-stars-your-a-superstar, yeah-i-d-hit-that-boycrushes, dont-make-any-friggen-plans

First and foremost, a huge appreciation to the person who designed this cover,blue cover nice thistle.
But let me explain my thumbs up for the cover design, I have a filthy mouth and people are sometimes horrified at what I say and the fact that I have a small child.

If you have ever watched HBO's Deadwood with the cussing and the taking the lords name in vain its a lot like that,but with perfect hygene. So it helps no one(me) when on top of the vile swears I am seen reading a trashy novel.
I read...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Kristen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, time-travel, favorite-hero, 5-star, aar-top-100, favorite-books, favorite-couple, diana-gabaldon, angsty-emotional, action-packed, abuse-and-or-rape-issues, authentic-and-realistic, continuing-story, disturbing, exhausting-read, fabulous-characters, great-dialogue, great-writing, highlanders, highly-recommended, historical-fiction, mild-to-medium-steam, romantic, scrumptious-hero, strong-willed-heroine, thought-provoking, touch-of-paranormal, violent

Epic 5 Stars

After finally reading Outlander, I now understand why this book is controversial. I personally loved it, well most of it anyway, and would recommended it to most people I know. However, will I be reading the sequels? Nope. I haven't the desire to emotionally go to the places I know the author will take her readers (I know basically what happens in each book. That's good enough for me).

Outlander was a hard book for me to read at times. There were parts that made me uncomfortable, hear...more

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Aug 28, 2007 Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: british-history, completely-original-fiction, historical-fiction, fantasy, all-time-favorites, war

People kept telling me how good the Outlander series was, and I kept putting off reading them because they're time travel romances. Time travel romances are always completely cheesy aren't they?

Well, I finally broke down and read "Outlander," and quickly discovered it's one of the most original novels out there. I was happy to see that Barnes & Noble recently moved them out of the "romance" section because they are way more involved than your typical girl-meets-boy.

Claire, the World War II...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Megan Baxter rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was working in a bookstore when this book first started to be hugely popular. I have had friends who loved it practically swoon when they heard I hadn't read it. I've heard other people dismiss it out of hand. So, eventually, in absolutely no hurry, I had to check it out myself.

And the verdict? Meh. It's okay. Parts of it are interesting, but other parts (particularly the ones that are supposed to be suspenseful) are far too repetitive, and the narrative dwells on sexual violence in far more d...more I was working in a bookstore when this book first started to be hugely popular. I have had friends who loved it practically swoon when they heard I hadn't read it. I've heard other people dismiss it out of hand. So, eventually, in absolutely no hurry, I had to check it out myself.

And the verdict? Meh. It's okay. Parts of it are interesting, but other parts (particularly the ones that are supposed to be suspenseful) are far too repetitive, and the narrative dwells on sexual violence in far more detail than I have any interesting in reading.

It is mostly a light romance, and I did enjoy that Gabaldon did not go down the route of having Claire fleeing from an unhappy marriage. But you know what I enjoyed most about the book? The moments when not much of dramatic significance was happening. Or at least those moments when peril-to-life-and-limb was not the focus of attention.

The moments of jockeying for power, of the running of a castle or an estate, the quieter moments - those were the ones I enjoyed. I thought the characters were well drawn and intelligent at those moments, and I wished the book were a) shorter or b) had more of those.

Because every time the author worried that there wasn't enough tension, someone got captured by the goddamned English. I can't even count the number of times this happened. Find some other way of creating tension, or have it happen once or twice, and cut your narrative in half. Because around the time we got to the seventh or eighth capture, I was so fed up. (view spoiler) Over and over and over and over. And then, at the end, after the most horrific events, it gets recounted. Once. Then twice. Then thrice. And I think even a fourth time, in increasingly horrific detail, and this starts to feel like torture porn.

While I'm glad the author wanted real consequences, as opposed to the lightweight vague threats most romance novels have, I don't need to hear about it in such loving detail. I just don't.

And what was with the Geillis subplot? It seemed like there was something interesting there, but which the author decided to keep to herself instead of sharing. Without any kind of payoff, why include it? She's obviously a complex character, but we got so little in return for so many hints.

So, yeah. The political intrigue stuff was interesting, the quiet moments of life were good, the capture by the English was overused, and the detail of sexual violence far, far too complete.(less)

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Feb 10, 2010 Kat Kennedy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-romance-romance, kat-s-book-reviews

Outlander is not a book for everyone. I'll put that right out there. If you think you can stomach extreme sexual violence as well as themes of sadism then go ahead. If you can understand good characters doing things in their historical context that would be seen as abuse now, then give it a try.

You won't be disappointed.

Gabaldon has finely crafted a novel that is radically different to the stereotype. This is no average love story. Her research is extensive and flawless; bringing to life a world...more

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Jan 07, 2009 Carrie rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: someone who likes anything from historical fiction to romance to time travel to adventure.

Shelves: favorites

I first read this book 3 years ago, and have devoured the 6 books in the series (so far) since. Since it's been a year since the last one came out, and I had recently OD'ed on YA lit, I decided to go back to the first book. I remembered why this is my favorite series. Even though I remembered the larger plot points, and know all the future plot points, I still couldn't put this down on it's second reading. I found myself falling in love with the characters all over again, and since Gabaldon writ...more I first read this book 3 years ago, and have devoured the 6 books in the series (so far) since. Since it's been a year since the last one came out, and I had recently OD'ed on YA lit, I decided to go back to the first book. I remembered why this is my favorite series. Even though I remembered the larger plot points, and know all the future plot points, I still couldn't put this down on it's second reading. I found myself falling in love with the characters all over again, and since Gabaldon writes such detailed stories, I had forgotten the details and was on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next. I shed tears again and laugh out loud again.

Claire is an English woman in her late 20's, on a vacation in Scotland with her husband after WWII. Both had been involved in the war and were getting reacquainted after years apart. During the trip, Claire stumples into a mystical stone circle that carries her away to the same spot in Scotland, only it's 1743. She immediatly stumbles into a fight brewing between some English soldiers and some Scottish Highlanders. Claire gets involved, and is immediatly a suspect to both sides, being English and wearing clothing a lot less modest than what was worn in the 1700s. The Scottish men take her for now, and she helps nurse one of them - Jamie - after he's injured in the fight with the English.

The book goes on from there, detailing life in Scotland at that period, and the many adventures Jamie and Claire find themselves in. While some chain bookstores tend to shelve this in the Romance section, it is far from your regular bodice-ripper. Yes, there are some sex scenes, but they usually leave much to the imagination, and tend ot be more intellectual and emotional than graphic. Yes, there is the time-travel, which causes some to lump this with Sci-fi, but it's not a huge part of the book, with the exception of Claire's travels. I would most likely label it historical fiction, if I had to label it anything. Gabaldon does a LOT of research on every book she writes. Each book in the series tends to take her about 3 years to write, she says. Part of it is her writing - she's very verbose. (At one point, I believe she planned this series to be 5 books, then 7, and recently she stated on her website that she's currently writing book 7 and might have to stretch it to 8!) But part of the 3 years is due tot he extensive research she puts in to make sure what she is writing is true to the time period.

Simply put, I love these books.(less)

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Oct 05, 2009 Shannon (Giraffe Days) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, time-travel, 2007

It is 1945 and Claire Randall (nee Beauchamp) is enjoying her second honeymoon in Scotland with her husband Frank, a historian interested in tracing his family tree back to Jonathan Wolverton Randall, a Captain in the English army during the Jacobite period. They've been apart for almost all their 8 years of marriage, she working as a nurse, he working for MI5, during the war.

While exploring the countryside around Inverness she revisits a circle of stones on a hill and is transported back in tim...more

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Sep 27, 2010 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of highlander romance and historical fiction, people who think they don't like time travel

Shelves: epic-saga-type-romance, owned-copy, virgin-hero, adultery, time-travel, older-woman-younger-man, dhasg-spell-it-out, scottish, 18th-century, hero-to-die-for, tortured-hero, abused, favorites, best-of-2010, desert-island-keepers, accidental-bigamy, forced-bride, sigh-worthy-hero, capable-heroine, heroine-i-adore, medical-profession, warrior, nursed-back-to-health

Okay, there are tons of reviews on this book, and I can't add too much to the review ether that hasn't already been said. But, I promised to write a review for every book I read, so I'll do this in an different kind of way. How about a Q&A session about this book?

Question and Answer Session With Danielle Regarding Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

1. So, you finally read it. How does it feel to read this 850 page magnum opus?

I feel a profound sense of accomplishment. I'm glad that I 'womaned-up' an...more

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Mar 18, 2010 Aimee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, own-it, absolute-faves, addictive-like-literary-heroine, historical-romance, holy-hotness-hall-of-fame-hero, i-need-a-cold-shower, made-me-cry, made-me-laugh-out-loud, not-for-the-squeamish, violence-is-golden

Oh. My. Goodness. Where do I start? First off, this is a very ambitious read. It's very intimidating, not only in it's length, but in it's content. Frankly, I'm plum worn out. I mean emotionally and spiritually exhausted after reading this book. And I'm sitting here now, looking back, wondering where those 800+ pages went. Because I swear I just started this book and now it's over. Even when SO much has happened in between. And I'm here craving more, even knowing I'm too exhausted to even try to...more Oh. My. Goodness. Where do I start? First off, this is a very ambitious read. It's very intimidating, not only in it's length, but in it's content. Frankly, I'm plum worn out. I mean emotionally and spiritually exhausted after reading this book. And I'm sitting here now, looking back, wondering where those 800+ pages went. Because I swear I just started this book and now it's over. Even when SO much has happened in between. And I'm here craving more, even knowing I'm too exhausted to even try to take another one of these on! I would say it left me speechless, except for the fact that I can't stop rambling on about it.

Now, as far as a synopsis, I don't think I could even come close to doing it justice, so I won't even try. I'll just describe what grabbed me most.....

It was written in 1st person from Claire Randall's POV. Many people think you lose something by restricting yourself to the one POV. But I think it added to this particular book. Not to mention that there are some parts where I don't think I could handle Jamie's POV. It's a considerably dark story and there are some very disturbing events that take place. It can be rather disconcerting. And to think that experiencing that through HIS eyes would be too much, I think.

There are a few slow parts throughout to journey, but it is filled with some great detail and imagery. It's a lot of work taking it all in. But it's worth it. You can almost picture the highland countryside with every minute detail. And everything word she wrote seems to be to a purpose, even you don't realize it at the time. There is no event that doesn't lend to the progression of the plot.

Emotionally, it was heart-warming and soul-wrenching by turns. At one point I'm snuggled up with the warm fuzzies, feeling the tenderness that Claire and Jamie have for one another. And then at others, you might have rent my soul from my very being and it would have the same effect. There is a conversation toward the end between them that may as well have ripped my heart out. I had to put the book down and walk away for a few hours to try to recover from the emotional tide that nearly swept me under. And even then, I was haunted by the revelations that were made. At that point, I didn't know how to feel. Or who I pittied more? Was it Jamie, for what he's been through? Or Claire for her silent suffering? OR the reader for having to experience it right alongside them? Either way, tears were inevitable.

Luckily, a few things were able to be smoothed over a bit, if not resolved toward the end. And it ended with a bit of hope. And that, my friends, is what I would call one hell of a ride! And one that I plan to continue. Dragonfly in Amber will soon be in my collection. But, I have a feeling I will need to read something light and fluffy to bring me down from this emotional rollercoaster. (less)

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Jan 24, 2008 Claire Greene rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: ANYONE

I'm not going to give a synopsis or anything, but I will say that this is one of the best series I have EVER read. And I read a lot. Tons. So to say that really means something. Don't let the romance label put you off, this series is difficult to define. The historical content is accurate and amazing, the characters are amazingly real and complicated, the storylines interesting and unexpected - really, I just can't say enough great things about this series. I have re-read the whole series at lea...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Katinki rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: silly-little-highlander-romances

This is actually a very difficult book for me to rate. Certain aspects of it were very good. Others, I didn't care for at all. I suppose I can say that as a whole I liked it "okay". Somewhere between a 2 and a 3, but I'm going to round down due to the seriousness of my dislikes.

What worked for me:
- Attention to detail (more on that below, however). It was very easy for me to visualize scenes and actions.
- In general, the premise for the novel was interesting. And some parts of it were very e...more

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About Diana Gabaldon

Diana Jean Gabaldon Watkins grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona and is of Mexican-American and English descent. She has earned three degrees: a B.S. in Zoology, a M.S. in Marine Biology, and a Ph.D in Ecology.

She currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona .

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