Getting through it

[Angel]

Bridget wrote: "It gets better when you take it out back to a small fire and burn it."

Hahaha! That's kind of how I feel about it lol

[Dee]

Lucy - in the most recent book or the original one? in the original claire is 27 and Jamie 23...in MOBY, they are early 60's/late 50's

[Elizabeth]

I probably shouldn't say this, but I have thought for a while that DG should have stopped after book one. I know it was her first "experimental" novel, so to speak. But I have always thought that it was the best one. And maybe it is the romantic in me that wanted it to end there - when they were young and happy together and had their whole lives ahead of them. Not that getting older is bad (God knows I am, lol), and I realize that through all of their trials they are still in love and happy together, but I think the story has been dragged out long enough.

Plus, opening DIA after reading OL and finding out about their 20-year separation is something I have never gotten over. I guess I'm just not ready to re-read that again.

Now I must go. I think I hear the angry voices of die-hard Outlander fans coming for me with torches and pitchforks. :)

[Dee]

that's why I tell people you can safely leave off at book 1 and never wonder what happened; but those of us who are gluttons for punishment can keep on reading

[Elizabeth]

gertt wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I probably shouldn't say this, but I have thought for a while that DG should have stopped after book one. I know it was her first "experimental" novel, so to speak. But I have alw..."

When I read the series up to ABOSAA several years ago, I found it to be exactly what I love in books. Romance (but not just that), history, lots of well-developed characters, interesting settings, phenomenal descriptions of practically everything, etc. This is why I am so puzzled as to my lack of interest while re-reading the first book (which I have always thought was the best).

I am very disappointed, because I had planned on re-reading the series up to MOBY this winter and now I just do not think I have it in me. :(

And thank you for not tarring and featherine me. :)

[Dee]

i don't know about you but I always struggle with re-reading ebcause I remember so much that it just takes the enjoyment out of it - like i'm not reading it fresh - I will admit that listening to the audiobooks were a whole new experience and I heard many things that I had glazed over the first time I read

[Elizabeth]

I have heard from several people that re-kilting them by listening to the audio books is a fantastic way to do it. May have to try it.....

[Katie]

I loved Outlander when I first read it. I ate up the whole series (at least all of the books that were out at the time) in the course of two weeks. I think that a huge portion of that I was studying abroad in Scotland at the time and I read part of the series on a bus trip to Culloden. But I really struggled with the last book, An Echo in the Bone. I now have Written in my Own Heart's Blood from the library and it is the second time I have checked it out (the first time there was still a waiting list and I felt bad holding on to it when I wasn't reading it) and I am only on page 90. I think there are just two many story lines for me and it was too much time in between books because I find myself forgetting what was going on and who was who and I am not sure where to go back to and find out the answers. I have no interest in rereading the series, there are way to many books on my to read list. Has anyone found that Written in My Own Hearts Blood is similar to the others in that it takes 100 or so pages to really get into it?

[Mary]

Katie wrote: "I loved Outlander when I first read it. I ate up the whole series (at least all of the books that were out at the time) in the course of two weeks. I think that a huge portion of that I was studyin..."

Echo in the Bone was too disjointed for me. In MOBY, I think Gabaldon cleans it up and it was a good book IMO.

[Dee]

gertt wrote: "Dee wrote: "i don't know about you but I always struggle with re-reading ebcause I remember so much that it just takes the enjoyment out of it - like i'm not reading it fresh - I will admit that li..."

did I piss you off that much! haha! I know you can unblock but I don't know how!!

[Eileen]

I have loved all of the Outlander novels, and I am not really into romance at all. However, I listened to the audio books and Davina Porter, the narrator, is outstanding, probably the best female narrator out there. It took me about 10 months to get through the first 8 books, then I read the Lord John books for the next mont or so. Then I decided to just start back at the beginning again. Plus I do have paper copies of the books.

I guess I've become a bit of an addict about them.

[Mrsbooks]

So many people love the detail in this series, and I do, but only to a point. In every Outlander book I find things I wish weren't in there. There tend to be "extra's" that aren't necessary to the over all plot or theme of where the book is going. I wouldn't need that filler. I actually think I would enjoy it more without it.

For instance in MOBY (view spoiler)[ when Jamie hurts his back and is stuck at that cabin with that lady and her children (hide spoiler)] I found that whole situation to be boring and useless to the plot. It could have been summed up.

But again, for all I know, that woman and her family might have a major role in the series in a few more thousand pages to come lol.

[Dee]

i would agree wtih you, but there have been those little things that come back and you are like...oh from bk 1

[Becky ♡The Bookworm♡]

gertt wrote: "Mrsbooks wrote: "But again, for all I know, that woman and her family might have a major role in the series in a few more thousand pages to come lol.
..."

And that is exactly what has happened mo..."

Yep! I've started speculating over every new character and conversation, wondering if we're meeting another time traveler, or a relative to someone in the future, or some other weirdness. It's kind of fun, actually.

Do NOT read the following spoiler unless you're FINISHED with book 3. You'll be sorry and hate me with a purple kilted passion.

In Voyager: (view spoiler)[I thought the whole thing with the bones in Joe Abernathy's office was just unnecessary hocus pocus. I.e., Claire holding the woman's skull, feeling the weird heat, discussing the cause of death, etc. Then I got to the end of the book and freaked! It was a favorite OMG moment! (hide spoiler)]

[Becky ♡The Bookworm♡]

gertt wrote: "That's why I have to laugh when people who don't like this series claim it's 'predictable'."

Me, too. There might be a "general" predictability about some obvious things, I think every book has that to some degree, but I've never been able to predict the exact "how it happens" in DG's books. When she starts to connect dots and button things up, it's nothing like I imagined.

There are layers upon layers to pull back and discuss. I know not everyone wants that kind of depth, but I love that in a book.

[Elizabeth]

That is why I loved these books when I first read them. I loved the intricate detail and the surprises that would sometimes come several books later. That was why I had decided to do a re-read before I started on Echo and Moby. There is no way I would remember all the characters and events, since it has been at least five years since I finished ABOSAA.

Sigh. Maybe I need to forget Outlander (heresy, I know) for a while and focus on some other books. Then maybe a few months from now, I can pick them up again and get back into them. Or maybe at some point I need to realize that re-reading the whole Outlander series is just not in the cards for me.

[Free]

I am currently reading voyager. I am about half way and has taken three months to get there. I read outlander last year and dragonfly in Amber right after. Some books are just harder to get thru. Some books don't really intrest us. I read outlander because a aquiantance recommended it, i wasn't very interested at first Claire on her own didn't hold my attention but once Jamie was introduced and the story picked up I loved it and read the second book quickly. And was very happy with the story. But was not motivated to pick up the third book right away. Until I could wait no longer and wanted to know what happened. Recently I have found that while I love certain stories and characters how certain books are written stops me from enjoying the book but when listening to the book that style works better. Especially with classic. I have loved to read all my life and have been known to devour books as a child if I didn't like it I would t read it. Recently I am trying to read outside of my intrest and I'm finding it difficult to read and devour books even ones I like. I try to not make reading a chore because that's not enjoyable but I have found ways to work around it as well like listening to a book while doing chores. Which actually make chores more enjoyable. I also track what I read on goodreads which I love and is great. And if I have no desire to pick up that book that I left half way I just move it to a get back to list. Which helps keep track for me and if I never get back to it well then it just wasn't meant to be. Hope this helps.