Outlander
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Getting through it
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Whitnie
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rated it 4 stars
May 23, 2012 12:37PM
So I have tried to read this book three times. My mother-in-law says it is one of the best series she has ever read and we have very similar tastes in books, music, movies, you name it. However I just can not get into this book. I give every book at least 100 pages to grab me, I figure that is a being fair, and this book I gave almost 200 pages. Can any one tell me when it gets better? Is it really worth pushing through? She says it gets better after the first book, but is it worth getting through the first book?
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Whitnie wrote: "So I have tried to read this book three times. My mother-in-law says it is one of the best series she has ever read and we have very similar tastes in books, music, movies, you name it. However I..."I haven't read the others in the series, but I will tell you I had a hard time getting through this one. I typically read romance, and there isn't nearly as much historical description even in historical romances.
That being said, I think the description gave the book so much life. If you can read more than one book at a time, I suggest alternating every other chapter with another book.
I think it was definitely worth the read; now I just need to find the time to read the rest of them!
Thanks Angie. I might try to read it in conjunction with another book, that could be helpful. I had not thought of that. Good luck getting to the rest of them!
No problem. I've had to do it a few times. My friends and I read very different books, but when we get desperate to discuss, we'll do a trade off. LOLIt took me months to get through 'I Know This Much Is True' by Wally Lamb, and while I loved the book, it just wasn't my normal genre. I couldn't force myself to sit down and read it in large chunks. I had to space it out for myself.
Good luck!
I "read" this book on audio cd's driving to and from work... For me, listening really works for a book that I might otherwise have trouble getting into. I have a 6-cd changer in my car and really like very long books for on the road...
The second half is a lot better than the first half... We just did this book for my book club and people seemed to have a romantic attachment to this book: liked it when they were young, so it's more of a "comfort" book, than a literary-genius book.
While I can agree with a lot of the criticisms I read of these books, I found them absolutely can't-put-them-down gripping. Devoured each one in a matter of 2-3 days. Then went back and did it all again some months later. And when not reading them, can think about them and feel that I miss the characters. But that's me. And other books that people rave about leave me scratching my head. Bottom line is - why make yourself if you're not enjoying it? There's plenty of other great stuff to read that might do it for you better.
I have read the first five books in this series, and each book takes me about a month because I'm in college and am busy plus I usually read two to three books at the same time. Your mother-in-law says it gets better after the first book...I'm not so sure. They are all relatively good, but I think the first is my fave (so far anyway). Good luck getting through it.
It gets better when you take it out back to a small fire and burn it.
I actually picked up "A Breath of Snow and Ashes" first and read it not knowing it was book 5 in a series. I picked up fairly early on that it was not the first book, but the book grabbed me enough to want to buy and then read all of the ones that came before it. Outlander picks up when Jamie and Claire really begin their attraction/relationship. That is several hundred pages in (if I recall correctly). I would pick up where you left off and give it a couple hundred more pages. If Claire and Jamie do not grab you and you cannot find yourself interested in the Scottish uprising of 1745, then you will probably never care for the book(s).
Bridget wrote: "It gets better when you take it out back to a small fire and burn it."I am just curious as to what made you hate this book so much. Everyone has their preferences and there are many books out there that others love and I did not care for, but even joking about burning books makes me shiver.
The whole series are my favourite books of all time. Aside from the improbability of all the events Jamie and Claire and the many strong secondary characters go through in the books, the storytelling and the writing is excellent. On my personal rating scale they get a 9/10 and most books I read rarely get a 5-6/10. They are in a class of their own as far as I'm concerned.Talking about burning books certainly strikes a note of horror with booklovers Bridget, no matter how facetious your remark.
Glad to know I'm not the only one having a hard time getting into this book. As the recommendation came from several friends, and as I have purchased most of the other books in this series at yard sales and used book stores, I'll plow through...But here on page 245, I'm getting a little frustrated with how easy-to-put-down-and-get-distracted-by-other-things it is. I love reading a book that's so gripping I consider calling out of work to read it (Team of Rivals, anyone?) but this...isn't it. I'm hoping as the action picks up, I'll be a little more sucked in.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the subsequent 2 after that! I even purchased the "Outlandish Companion" which promised (and delivered) to give more insight to the author's imagination. I also purchased the next 4 in the series and I cannot wait to dive into them. So to those who find it difficult to get through, trust me-it's well worth the perseverance!!
I own the Companion too!
I've read her books, and they're okay....she does get bogged down sometimes in minutiae that I find tedious. I did like them a lot better after they got to the New World, but just because I like the time period.
I think the first book is the best. I flew through the first one in no time. It does take a little stick-to-it-tiveness early on, but not long after Claire and Jaime meet, it gets really good and is VERY difficult to put down. I do admit, though, that I had a very hard time with the rest of the series. I plodded through each book after that, even skipping around a lot just to make it through BREATH OF SNOW AND ASHES. And, even though I bought the last one when it FIRST came out, I have yet to read even page one of it......
It's just become TOOOOOOO much......
Bridget wrote: "It gets better when you take it out back to a small fire and burn it."This is not funny. Book-burning is NOT a laughing matter. If you don't like a book, explain why or just stay quiet.
I doubt she was serious, and has most likely never burned a book in her life. She's been booed enough, don't you think? :)
I'm looking forward to getting back into the series, with "Drums of Autumn." Everyone has their opinion/choices when making their reading selection. I have to say that I totally admire this woman for the amount of work that went into each novel. The historical accuracy and the imagination is absolutely mind-boggling. I am looking forward to the latest one in the series due out in 2013. Her 'stick-tuitiveness' is one that needs to be admired and appreciated. I'm afraid of reading the final novel in this series....I don't want it to end! I've been known to 'bumm' around for a few days after a particularly good book, despite the 300 or so in my to-be-read pile!! :-) PS: NOBODY should ever joke around about burning books!! There are many people who are not able to read, whether by ignorance or by force and even as a joke, as innocent as it may seem at the time, is not one to be taken lightly! Okay, I'm off my soap box for now.
Dystopian wrote: "I doubt she was serious, and has most likely never burned a book in her life. She's been booed enough, don't you think? :)"
No, I don't. I'm a library technician and my family survived WWII in Europe and the Nazis - trust me, book burning is NEVER anything to joke about.
Teresa wrote: "Dystopian wrote: "I doubt she was serious, and has most likely never burned a book in her life. She's been booed enough, don't you think? :)"
No, I don't. I'm a library technician and my famil..."
It's just beginning to seem a little dog-piley to me, and I'm not comfortable with that, no matter what the reason.
Well, I got through it. Worth the read, but probably not making a top 100 list. I hate not finishing what I start, so I'll read the rest and hope I begin to find them more captivating. Happy reading, everyone!
I loved the first book. The second and third book I loved enough to want to go back and read the whole series all over again! But I finally stopped reading after they came to the New World. I just wanted them to reach their happily-ever-after and be done with it.
I have read all the the books in this series, and I'll admit, some of them were harder to get into than others (I really had a hard time with A Breath of Snow and Ashes and Fiery Cross), but I LOVE the series and wouldn't have missed reading any of them.
This series is not for everyone. I really enjoyed the the first book, but the second took me a week, and that is a really long time for me. I have the third, and will read that some time this year, but I don't know when. Not sure I will bother getting any more, depends on how I go with the third.
The first time I tried to read Outlander, I only got through maybe 50 pages. I liked it, but the size of the book just overwhelmed me, I guess. I tried it again about a year ago and this time I was hooked, and I finished it in 2 days. I liked it so much that I went out and bought the rest of the series, but I am having the same issue as before and stuck on Dragonfly about 50 pages in. I fully intend to finish the series, but I will not put a time limit on myself. The books are rich in detail and therefore somewhat heavy reads and they should be enjoyed! So don't give up!
gertt wrote: "Julie wrote: "I really had a hard time with A Breath of Snow and Ashes and Fiery Cross, but I LOVE the series..."I had a hard time with the Firey Cross also, but I have to say, overall, in the en..."
I totally agree. If you "Hate" the book, just give it a low rating and be done with it. Not everyone's tastes are the same and someone else may love it.
I loved this book. It's a favorite of mine. But the beginning of is definitely really slow. The first time I read it, I had to read it in bits and pieces. It really is a couple hundred pages in before the romance really picks up. I've read the first three or four, and if I remember correctly, most of her books are this way. She starts off each book with lengthy "set up" time.
I'm to the point now where it's been so long since I've read Outlander that I'll have to read it again before I start the rest of the series. (Which I do really want to read.) Mostly for... ***SPOILER AHEAD***
The woman Claire saw who had a similar marking on her body! Not just that, but that certainly intrigued me! Five or six years later, and I haven't forgotten it yet!
I really struggled with book 2 the first time i read the series - it wasn't until my 2nd/3rd re-reads that I realized how important it was to everything that happened...
I skimmed through much of her discriptions about herbs and roots and her time at the castle and looked for words that said "Jaime." it picks up there, then I skimmed the ending and only read Jaime parts. Now, if I could just motivate myself to read "drums in autumn." I heard that Voyager takes off where Outlander left off, so I might just start there.
Thanks for your advice.
Try the audible version (audible.com). That is how I chose to "read" the Outlander series and it is one of my favourite of all time. Listening to books on my iPod has made mundane household tasks and yard work so much more enjoyable for me.
I actually have 3 copies of Outlander (one is the 20th anniversary edition) plus the entire set to date. I simply cannot get enough of this series of books. Skimming over the parts because they don't have Jamie's name in them means you are missing really great stuff.Good news for those of you who don't enjoy Ms. Gabaldon's writing: there are shelves and shelves of books out there begging to be read:)
I, however, will keep re-reading this series for many years to come.
The originally question was how to push through Outlander, after abandoning the book three times. I see no harm in "fast forwarding" to see what all the hype about a certain book is all about. It might lead to rewinding later. Sorry to all you purists.
Mamademia wrote: "The originally question was how to push through Outlander, after abandoning the book three times. I see no harm in "fast forwarding" to see what all the hype about a certain book is all about. It ..."I'm a fast forwarder sometimes as well. Sometimes the description is just too detailed for my interest, but if I enjoy the story I'll skim until I reach the dialogue again. I don't see the harm in skimming.
It's your book to read however you want!
I've rotated her books too, read one, then read one or two easier reads. I LOVE her characters, but sometimes a storyline can really get a little too descriptive, but this series made me become a "reader" again.
Whitnie wrote: "So I have tried to read this book three times. My mother-in-law says it is one of the best series she has ever read and we have very similar tastes in books, music, movies, you name it. However I..."I feel like it took me approx 150 pages to really get hooked but once I made it there I loved it. I has remained one of my favorite books since then.
I got caught right away in the mystery of it all. I think its one of those books - it either hooks you deep, or you just don't fall in love with it. I have friends that can't get into the Lord of the Rings books, which I've adored since 6th grade. Maybe try listening to it on tape?
I think it was around 300 pages in where she meets Jamie and crew, that is where it picks up. Yeah, I was wondering the same thing when I first read this book 4 years back. I few people in a book club suggested it and all loved it, so I stuck to it. I thought it was a little boring at first also but still interesting so stuck with it. Once I got past the meeting point of Jamie and Claire, I couldn't put it down and read it through... so yes it gets better.
I flew through it! Once I started I could not put it down! Cried under a salon's dryer when it ended. Grabbed my tote and started book two right after. I was hooked.
Joan wrote: "The whole series are my favourite books of all time. Aside from the improbability of all the events Jamie and Claire and the many strong secondary characters go through in the books, the storytelli..."I totally agree!
These comments are making me feel much better! I love reading and can fly through a book. However, it took me a while to get in to Outlander. I loved the idea, but she is so detailed at times that it slows the pace of the plot. I did read the next two books in the series, but had to stop after that. I'll be curious to see what happens with the rumored movie version of this series.
Oh, goodness. A really good movie - or even a old-style mini-series :-) would be wonderful. I've given up holding my breath. They've been talking movie since the early days of the series. I think what throws most first-timers about this book is that this is not a typical "romance", and if that is what they are expecting, it can seem quite a slog in places, particularly if someone is not really a history buff or into that particular time and place. In fact I've heard DG talk about how the publisher didn't really know where to put her books, or how to categorize them early on. Now of course, it doesn't matter so much because she has name recognition.
When I bought the book, I had no clue what I was in for! LOL And actually I didn't start it right away. I was reading some other things, plus I was a bit dubious about the time-travel stuff. I'd read other books that tried to mix the two (Time travel and historical romance) and the attempt seemed rather awkward &/or silly to me. But I like long books anyway, and when I finally did read it, I just fell in love with it! When it ended, I felt as if I'd been rudely jerked back through the stones myself! Boo hoo hoo!
You know, Debi, maybe this is the kind of series that would do well on HBO--sort of like Game of Thrones. And you're right. If a reader is thinking it's a straight romance, they will be very surprised!
Definitely would be a good candidate for HBO or the like. My gosh, it could go on forever! Now there's a happy thought! LOL
Whitnie wrote: "So I have tried to read this book three times. My mother-in-law says it is one of the best series she has ever read and we have very similar tastes in books, music, movies, you name it. However I..."Funny....that is what my sister said, and I LOVED it!! It was imaginative and well descripted, I had no problem envisioning the characters in it. I loved what began as an affair -- one might call it -- since the protagonist was a married woman, but only in another time (like a time machine issue), and how she and her new love (Jamie, who I really liked, too!) find a whole new life, with the clan, and the deceptiveness of some of the kin in the clan, it was a fabulous read I thought, too!
Whitnie wrote: "So I have tried to read this book three times. My mother-in-law says it is one of the best series she has ever read and we have very similar tastes in books, music, movies, you name it. However I..."If you could just get pass the first part with Frank...keep going until Clair goes through the stones. Let me tell you, the action will sweep you off your feet. The emotion it pulls, it's just wow, what happens to Jamie will have you in tears. Can't say too much more, keep reading, its so worth it.
I too had a hard time getting through this book. I stuck with the book as it had such a large following and it was a review book for me.I am believer in the saying that every book is not for everybody, but every book is for someone. And this one was just not for me. I really wanted to like the book as I am reader of historical fiction, romance, and scifi. And yes maybe if this was an audio book I might have liked more.
This book has been categorized as historical fiction, historical romance, military history, and an adventure tale. While I found the story full of history, battle details, sex, violence, betrayal, loyalty, love, revenge, tradition, and romance, none of these elements held my interest in the story. The story went on a little too long and became repetitive in parts. We learn early on that Captain Randall is out to get Jaime Frasier at any cost, but the story seemed to repeat the same capture and escape scene several times too many. Claire has her moments to shine in the story, but came up short on more than one occasion. There were some nice touches in the story, such as when Claire figures that a vaccination mark on another woman means that she is also a time traveler. Jaime falling in love with Claire was touching but these highs were too few and far between for me.
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