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And yet, this tale has hugely funny moments, eg Jamie's reaction when Claire has sugaring done. You forget that it those days depilation was not the norm for women.

I found Jamie and Claire to be believable characters with flaws and dark sides. Their story is one of constant struggle; to maintain their relationship despite their disparate backgrounds and expectations, to circumvent the expectations of their family, to overcome the harrowing realities of 18th century life, and to survive the inevitable climax of the story.

The long wait I had to read this book was well worth it. I have not hesitated to recommend this book, and its 3 siblings, to friends and acquaintances.


Mystery, Adventure and Time Travel...what more could I want?   May 10, 2001
The second book of the trilogy (the first book was Outlander) has Claire and Jamie Fraser in France attempting to thwart the efforts of Prince Charles to regain the throne, in an effort to avoid the slaughter that Claire knows will come at Culloden.

The book begins when Claire Randall, now a doctor living in America, has returned to Scotland after Frank's death. She has brought her daughter, Brianna, with her and hopes to find a way to tell her about her real father. First meeting Brianna, I'm not yet too fond of her. After all we have experienced with Claire and Jamie, Brianna comes as a bit of a disappointment. Hopefully in the next book, Voyager, Brianna will become more likeable.

It's 1968 and this is Claire's first visit back to Scotland since she and husband Frank visited 22 years before--the time when she walked through a Druid stone circle and into the middle of the 18th century.

Claire wants to learn if Jamie was successful in his quest to save his men (the men of Lollybroch) from the slaughter at Culloden where Prince Charles and the Highlanders met the English for the final battle of the war. It is during the telling of the story to her daughter of her time travel back to 18th century Scotland, that we the readers, experience the story of this second book in the trilogy.

Claire believes that Jamie died at the battle of Culloden and when she accidentally stumbles upon his grave in present day Scotland, she is confused as to why he would be buried so far from the battle field. That particular scene is most heart wrenching and Ms. Gabaldon, as we have come to know, has the ability to draw the reader into the emotions experienced by the heroine.

There is a new character introduced in this second book, Roger Wakefield, the adopted son of the local pastor of Inverness. Claire and Frank had met the pastor during their first stay in the small town. Roger, at that time, was a young boy. The pastor has recently died and Roger is in the process of closing up the pastor's house when Claire arrives in Scotland in 1968 and seeks Roger's help to discover what happened to the men of Lollybroch. Roger's connection to 18th century Scotland will surprise the reader in one of many of the twists and turns in this book.

I am totally immersed in this saga of historical Scotland, the timeless connection and passionate love of Claire and Jamie. This second in the series was as good, if not better, then the first. I simply can't wait to begin the third book, Voyager, to continue this wonderful story. It truly captures the imagination and those readers who love time travel, history, courage, daring and mystery will want to read this series of books.


A LOVE THAT TRANSCENDS TIME CONTINUES TO RIVET THE READER...   May 6, 2001
This is the second in a series of time travel, adventure/romance books by the author. There are four such novels published to date in what is hoped to be a series of six books. These novels have engaged readers everywhere, because of the author's masterful storytelling, as well as for the superlative use of historical detail which is woven into the tapestry in this most intriguing of stories.

While the core of the story is about a love that transcends time, it would be a disservice to label it a romance, as it is much more than that. It is a wonderful adventure story interspersed with actual historical events and authentic period detail. It is this attention to such matters by the skillful pen of the author that renders these books three dimensional and so enjoyable. They are positively addictive!

The love of the ages that binds these books is the love that twentieth century Claire Randall has for the eighteenth century Scottish highland warrior, James Fraser. Those of you who read the first book in the series, "Outlander", know that in 1945, Claire, an Englishwoman and combat nurse during World War II, is reunited with her husband, Frank, after the war. While on a second honeymoon in Scotland, she visits a strange, flat topped hill in the highlands of Scotland, where a forbidding stone circle draws her. Touching one of the stones, she is hurled through a vortex in time and finds herself in eighteenth century Scotland, where she meets a brave and brawny, red headed Scot, James Fraser, with whom she falls completely in love, body and soul. Finding herself thrust into the midst of clan warfare and intrigue, she and her beloved 'Jamie' have enough adventures to last a lifetime, which makes for a riveting story.

This book is a continuation of that story. It is told from the perspective of the twentieth century where Claire, who is now a doctor, has lived for the past twenty years. Upon the death of her twentieth century husband, Frank, Claire returns to Scotland with her grown, red headed daughter, Brianna. There, she discloses to Brianna the events of her secret past, as well as the truth of whom Brianna's biological father actually is and of the love that Claire bore him.

While in Scotland, however, Claire discovers something that will forever change her future, as well as her past. You see, for the past twenty years, Claire has believed that her beloved 'Jamie' died in the historic battle of Culloden. It was there that the Scottish highlanders bravely fought the English in a misguided attempt to restore Charles Stuart, their bonny Prince Charlie, to the English throne, only to be decimated and branded as Jacobite traitors. It was this very event that she and James Fraser had conspired to change only to fail. It was this failure that brought Claire and 'Jamie' to a crossroad that would force them to part and have Brianna become a denizen of the twentieth century.

This book continues the saga so deftly begun in "Outlander". It tells the story of what happened in the eighteenth century that ultimately caused Claire to leave the love of her life and return to the twentieth century. It recounts the plight of two star crossed lovers who make a desperate and valiant attempt to change the course of history. It regales the reader with the adventures they encounter along the way. It is a story that transports the reader from the turmoil of the Scottish highlands to the intrigue of the French Court.

Readers will be captivated by this amazing and compelling time travel saga.


Slow to start, but the finish is worth it!   April 14, 2001
As soon as I finished OUTLANDER, I raced out to buy DRAGONFLY IN AMBER. Although DRAGONFLY wasn't quite as good as OUTLANDER overall, it's well worth taking the time to read. (Hey, at 947 pages, it's a true time commitment!)

For the first half of the book, Jamie and Claire are in Paris. While this part drags a bit, there are some major plot points that you don't realize are important until the last half of the book, which takes place in Scotland. And the second half of the book RACES! You won't put it down--and you're sure to find yourself out shopping for VOYAGER!

A wonderful, classic romance!


FYI:Read-You WONT be disappointed!!   March 27, 2001
I'm still riding high from the first book, Outlander. As soon as I finished it I started on Dragonfly in Amber with more relish.

The characters are so memorable, strong and resilient. It's great that they can be continued and the transition is well done. The strong Red Jamie and the mystical Claire, the healer.

She doesn't spend too much time retelling and gives us enough glimpse of what happened during those missing years without boring you too much.

Enter Brianna, Jamie and Claire's only child, who is unaware of the true origins of her heritage.

Some of the events and scenes are little unbelievable. It seems that everybody wants Jamie the Warrior.

Their plight in Paris and political escapades are intriguing and we are enlightened about Claire's husband, Frank Randall's relative, Black Jack Randall. Gaps are filled in that weren't there in the first book. As soon as you finish this book, the cliffhanger will make you get the third installment ASAP!

All in all, you will highly enjoy the second installment of the series.