Review: Outlander

Outlander (Outlander series - Book 1) by Diana Gabaldon

(E-book from the Library)

Synopsis:

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 Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of our Lord...1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire's destiny in soon inextricably intertwined with Clan MacKenzie and the forbidden Castle Leoch. She is catapulted without warning into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life ...and shatter her heart. For here, James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

Thoughts:

I would have to say this is one of the best books I've ever read. I really liked it a lot. Diana Gabaldon was really on to something when she started the Outlander series. I'm sure she was unaware of what a huge success it would be. I had heard things around about this book for a long time, but my review schedule is tight and I was reluctant to start a book that it might take me awhile to finish. When I finally got the chance to read it, I was hooked from the first page. I'm of Scottish decent and it's always interesting for me to read novels set in Scotland. Some of them are very accurate and some are not. Outlander was very authentic and Diana Gabaldon most have done excessive research. I was really impressed.

Claire Randall is a very strong woman. She is assertive and she isn't completely at a loss when she figures out that she has traveled through time and ended up 200 years in the past. She keeps her wits about her as she is thrown into a relationship with the Clan McKenzie. Being a nurse during the war prepared the character for some of the challenges she has to face in the novel. I just really identified with her struggle between what she knew, with Frank and what she could have with Jamie. I thought the her character development was very well done.

One of the things that really liked about Jamie's character was his vulnerability. He is a warrior. He's used to being on the battlefield and fighting for his life. He's very masculine and certainly what anyone would call a man's man. But, yet he allows himself to fall in love with Claire. To totally gives himself over to the passion he feels for her and for what they could have together. His emotions are strong and he doesn't stuff them down like most male characters. I thought his character was refreshing and full of the spirit of a real highlander. "Fight hard, love hard," as my grandfather would say.

The Outlander series is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I found a very well done fan-made book trailer for the first part of Outlander. Check this out! I love the music as well.

I could not give this novel anything other than 5 out of 5 apples! I couldn't recommend it more to those who have not read this series. It's excellent!