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Outlander
(Outlander #1)
by
Claire Randall is leading a double life. She has a husband in one century, and a lover in another...
In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon—when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an "outlander"—in a ...more
In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon—when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an "outlander"—in a ...more
Kindle Edition, 866 pages
Published
October 26th 2004
by Dell
(first published June 1st 1991)
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Start your review of Outlander (Outlander, #1)

I gave up on this book because I was sustaining permanent damage from reading it and I was afraid I'd start hitting back. And it's a borrowed copy, so that wouldn't be cool.
In fairness, I should say there's a lot of good writing here. I really enjoyed the beginning chapters. They even kind of cracked me up, because I have friends who love genealogy and their husbands always get that look when they start talking about it and that's exactly how I imagined Claire looking when her husband Frank ...more
In fairness, I should say there's a lot of good writing here. I really enjoyed the beginning chapters. They even kind of cracked me up, because I have friends who love genealogy and their husbands always get that look when they start talking about it and that's exactly how I imagined Claire looking when her husband Frank ...more


Quick question: if this book has a quarter of a million ratings and still maintains an average rating of 4.13, why the hell are the most popular reviews the snarky, mean spirited, one or two star reviews? That doesn't match up at all with what I'd assume would be the case, which is that most people who read this book LOVED IT. Including me.
Please, people. If you enjoy a book, click "like" on the good reviews as well. That's what people see first when they look for reviews on Goodreads...the ...more

A special note to those who say my review stopped them from reading this book: No no no! Read it! I actually reread the whole series last summer and enjoyed it immensely. Just read it for what it is: ludicrous, well-written, humorous, delicious TRASH. Just don't expect it to be the most brilliant novel ever written and you'll be fine.
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. ...more
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. ...more

May 29, 2007
Kelly
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
all women, historical fiction lovers
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 ...more
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 ...more

Aug 05, 2011
HeatherJay
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
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 it on my list"!! Fast forward to 2009, I'm on my usual Saturday morning sojourn to Barnes and Noble and I come across ...more
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 it on my list"!! Fast forward to 2009, I'm on my usual Saturday morning sojourn to Barnes and Noble and I come across ...more

This book is my love, you all know this. It deserves an infinite amount of stars, too bad Goodreads only allows 5!
Check out my review on YouTube here:
http://youtu.be/FNfLLKhP-E8
Check out my review on YouTube here:
http://youtu.be/FNfLLKhP-E8

Mar 04, 2011
Emily May
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2011,
historical-fiction
I wanted to write a better review for this book to coincide with the release of the new TV series, where Jamie actually does look pretty hot...

Back when I read this as a wee lass (okay, like, three years ago), there weren't quite as many interesting interpretations of the novel going on. I remember reading a bunch of reviews that either sold it as sophisticated, well-researched historical fiction, or a trashy kilt-wearing romance full of sex, violence and violent sex. In my opinion, neither is ...more

Back when I read this as a wee lass (okay, like, three years ago), there weren't quite as many interesting interpretations of the novel going on. I remember reading a bunch of reviews that either sold it as sophisticated, well-researched historical fiction, or a trashy kilt-wearing romance full of sex, violence and violent sex. In my opinion, neither is ...more

(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
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

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
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

what the actual fuck

Here, I'm going to rewrite the scene that ruined this book for me.
Jamie, some Highlander from the 1740's: Claire, you didn't listen to what I said. You disobeyed me, your husband. You risked everyone's lives and I'm going to punish you for your misbehaviour. Yes, I know the evil man abused you and nearly raped you. But that was your own fault. I love you, I really do, and I don't enjoy this, but people expect me to give you the punishment you deserve.
Claire, an educated woman from the 1940's: ...more
Jamie, some Highlander from the 1740's: Claire, you didn't listen to what I said. You disobeyed me, your husband. You risked everyone's lives and I'm going to punish you for your misbehaviour. Yes, I know the evil man abused you and nearly raped you. But that was your own fault. I love you, I really do, and I don't enjoy this, but people expect me to give you the punishment you deserve.
Claire, an educated woman from the 1940's: ...more

Feb 09, 2008
Julianna
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fans of Scottish History, Romance or Time Travel
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 ...more
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 ...more

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


4.5 GREAT AWESOME COOL FANTASTIC BRILLIANTSTARS!
You can find the full review and more about this book on my blog!
I am going to part this review in two sections(parts) because I don't want to give spoilers away but also want to share some of the scenes I really enjoyed with people who have also read the book so we can discuss together.So the first part of the review will be SPOILER FREE and everyone can read it,and the second part will be filled with spoilers so if you haven't read the book
...more
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
...more

Feb 09, 2010
Kat Kennedy
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
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
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

Jul 17, 2012
Aestas Book Blog
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorites,
book-1-of-my-fav-series
Here are a bunch of pics from the TV show being filmed right now :D










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.

Dec 20, 2008
Felicia
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
highland-hunkfantasy,
fiction
Ok, so historical romance isn't really my thing. I read this book because I got tipsy after a concert and went to the bookstore and bought a ton of "Highland-hunk" romance novels on whim and Twittered about it, so I had to read them all. Ugh. So, I read 4 other books that were hideously bad, and then this one was highly recommended to me by many on Twitter/Facebook as the cream of the crop. I was dubious.
I have to say, this is a LOVELY book. I'm not CRAZY motivated to read the rest of the series ...more
I have to say, this is a LOVELY book. I'm not CRAZY motivated to read the rest of the series ...more

I figured I would love the book since I loved the first two seasons of the show. Although, I have many more books to go =)
I did get the beautiful bound (20th anniversary edition) of the book because it is beautiful! Here's a little picture of the book and some of my stuff around it to make it even more pretty. The book looks smaller in the picture than it is so I don't know. <-- images on your screen are smaller than they appear.

I love Jamie and Claire! I just want them to be together and ...more
I did get the beautiful bound (20th anniversary edition) of the book because it is beautiful! Here's a little picture of the book and some of my stuff around it to make it even more pretty. The book looks smaller in the picture than it is so I don't know. <-- images on your screen are smaller than they appear.

I love Jamie and Claire! I just want them to be together and ...more

Myriad, albeit smallish, problems with this one... but several surprising & multifaceted splendors as well!
This is an unexpected tome that merges speculative fantasy with true historical events. It does something remarkable in having a target audience that vacillates between YA & the nonFiction prone; in other words, if you are a READER, this one is for you (it's got something for Everyone!).
The sex gets racier and racier, but the adventure starts growing tepid. The antagonist is for ...more
This is an unexpected tome that merges speculative fantasy with true historical events. It does something remarkable in having a target audience that vacillates between YA & the nonFiction prone; in other words, if you are a READER, this one is for you (it's got something for Everyone!).
The sex gets racier and racier, but the adventure starts growing tepid. The antagonist is for ...more

In late 2015, I saw a book in Barnes and Noble (Written in my Own Heart's Blood) by Diana Gabaldon and thought "This sounds amazing." I picked it up (and it was nearly 1000 pages in harcover) and suddenly realized it was the most recent book in a series with books that were all practically a thousand pages long. I can't read a series book without doing it in order, so I put it back on the shelf and said "Another time."
Fast-Forward to 2016...
I sign up for the 2016 Reading challenge: 52 books in a ...more
Fast-Forward to 2016...
I sign up for the 2016 Reading challenge: 52 books in a ...more

Jul 14, 2012
Katinki
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
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 ...more
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 ...more

Feb 19, 2009
Danielle The Book Huntress (Back to the Books)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fans of highlander romance and historical fiction, people who think they don't like time travel
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' ...more
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' ...more

Nov 10, 2007
Alysha
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
reader's of Harlequinn Romances
Too bad here isn't a rating stronger than "didn't like" because I hated this book. In fact, I read the entire thing just so that someone couldn't talk me out of hating it by saying "Oh, it gets better at the end" or "you really needed to read the whole thing to appreciate it".
This book isn't about Scotland or time travel, it's about Jamie and Claire having sex in different locations and positions. Throw in a little wife beating, rape and repeated torture and you've got yourself a toned-down ...more
This book isn't about Scotland or time travel, it's about Jamie and Claire having sex in different locations and positions. Throw in a little wife beating, rape and repeated torture and you've got yourself a toned-down ...more

This book is featured on this week's Shabby Sunday @ https://readrantrockandroll.com/2017/...
Claire Randall is a nurse living in Scotland with Frank, her husband, just after the end of World War II. Frank is absorbed in studying his family tree and tracking one of his ancestors named “Black Jack” Randall. Claire has an interest in Botany and studies plants along with their healing factors.
One day, Claire comes across a stone circle called Craigh na Dun.
While there, she discovers a plant and ...more

Claire Randall is a nurse living in Scotland with Frank, her husband, just after the end of World War II. Frank is absorbed in studying his family tree and tracking one of his ancestors named “Black Jack” Randall. Claire has an interest in Botany and studies plants along with their healing factors.
One day, Claire comes across a stone circle called Craigh na Dun.

While there, she discovers a plant and ...more

Um YES. This is what I like.
It took a while to get into and read as I was having to do school work and holiday festivities at the same time, but it was definitely worth it!
If you like historical fiction, time travel, and/or romance, PICK THIS UP. You also get the beautiful and perfect specimen of Jamie.
It took a while to get into and read as I was having to do school work and holiday festivities at the same time, but it was definitely worth it!
If you like historical fiction, time travel, and/or romance, PICK THIS UP. You also get the beautiful and perfect specimen of Jamie.

This was a tough one to rate. Of the 630 pages, about 200 of them were not great, weird, too much, 1 to 2 stars. A couple of times I wondered why I was still reading and didn't want to go on.
But, the other 430 were very interesting and well written. The premise of the story is fascinating and left me pondering a lot of what ifs?. It was very deeply researched historical fiction and I am a fan of decent historical fiction. If the 200 pages or so that I didn't care for were edited out or ...more
But, the other 430 were very interesting and well written. The premise of the story is fascinating and left me pondering a lot of what ifs?. It was very deeply researched historical fiction and I am a fan of decent historical fiction. If the 200 pages or so that I didn't care for were edited out or ...more

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.
First off, I am not big on “Time-travel” books but this has been on my kindle forever and with the new TV series coming out in a month ...more
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*SPOILER* The beating scene and why it is just plain WRONG to try and justify it | 1645 | 3758 | Aug 22, 2019 06:06AM |
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