| Outlander | 
 enlarge | Author: Diana Gabaldon
Publisher: Delta
Category: Book
List Price: $15.00
Buy Used: $0.97
You Save: $14.03 (94%)
New (38) Used (84) Collectible (6) from $0.97
Avg. Customer Rating:  1367 reviews
Sales Rank: 9137
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 640
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.6
ISBN: 0385319959
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780385319959
ASIN: 0385319959
Publication Date: August 10, 1998
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Softcover. Some wear to the cover and pages. Some page corners are folded. Has some writing. Slight water damage. Ships the next business day, with tracking and delivery confirmation sent to your email.
|
| Customer Reviews:
 very good read June 23, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
It was a good book; the author did well at combining romance, adventure, science fiction, and even a little bit of religion. The characters were well developed and the story kept my attention throughout the grueling 600+ pages. Still, I think it was a bit drawn out, some parts unnecessary. Even some details, i.e. the man-raping, had me flinching and did very well at portraying a vivid image, one that I'd rather not imagine. But overall, a good book... I'm reading the rest of them.
Don't underestimate.... June 20, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I am joining the Outlander craze very late in the game. I had never heard of the series until Amazon recommended it to me as a similar title to Audrey Niffenegger 'The Time Travelers wife', which I loved!
Both have time-travel in common (and a main character named Claire), but other than that, the two are nothing alike. 'Outlander', Diana Gabaldon's first in a series of seven (the latest book will be released this year) is in the historical romance genre. For that reason, I was very skeptical before reading. Mills & Boon comparisons flashed in my mind as I browsed the various book covers. But I was wrong to have been so cynical, because after reading the first book, I am officially hooked.
The novel starts out in 1946. Twenty-seven year old Claire was a British nurse during WWII, now enjoying a second honey-moon in Scotland with her husband and history-enthusiast, Frank Randall. The couple are trying for a baby, as well as attempting to rekindle what the war interrupted. While out exploring a stone henge called Craig Na Dun, Claire finds herself mysteriously transported 200 years into the past - thrown into the middle of a battle between Scottish highlanders and the British army, led by Jonathan Randall, sixth grandparent to Claire's own Frank. The highlanders, intrigued by Claire's healing abilities, kidnap her and take her back with them to Castle Leoch (Loch Ness) where she is captive to the Mackenzie clan, specifically brothers Dougal and Column. In attempts to adapt to her new surroundings Claire finds herself forced into a marriage of convenience (and safety) with 23 year old Mackenzie nephew, Jamie Fraser. Together Claire and Jamie try to evade capture by Jonathan Randall, while dealing with clan politics that are suspicious of Claire and wary of Jamie's claim on the clan throne.
Much has been made of the romance in this historical romance. Many reviewers slanderously call the Jamie/Claire relationship an outlet for bored housewives to get their kicks. Fair enough, the romantic bits are pretty heavy and clearly aimed to please the ladies (a virginal male hero who enjoys... *ahem*, 'serving' his wife). But any other reviewers who delegate 'Outlander' to the Mills & Boon style of trashy romantic writing (as I originally did - for shame!) are much mistaken.
Gabaldon has written a book with three dimensional characters, with a hero and heroine whose roles are often seamlessly reversed and traded back and forth. Jamie and Claire they spend the book rescuing each other from various deadly situations. Granted, the damsel in distress plot devices and numerous sticky situations get a little much, but are never dull. Gabaldon's writing is fluid and some of the dialogue refreshingly witty and rhythmic.
A long book, 600 and a bit pages, it is never dull. Likewise, the action is not relentless and therefore monotonous. Gabaldon strikes the perfect balance - thanks in large part to the Jamie/Claire relationship evolution which allows the plot to slide into an easy calm in some places.
Many reviewers also complain a lot about Claire's lack of exploration into the time travel business. Fair criticism. She pretty much shrugs her shoulders at the whole 200 years in the past thing and gets on with Highland business. But in all honesty, she has the lovely Jamie Fraser to occupy herself with... no wonder the time travel takes back seat to the romance.
This is not your typical trashy historical romance. Outlander is smart, funny and enthralling from beginning to end. And addictive! Once you start you will be chomping at the bits to read the next in the series, and the one after that, and the one after that and.... well, let's just be grateful Gabaldon knows a good thing when she writes it.
 Couldna Put It Down! June 14, 2008
This was truly an amazing book. At first I thought it dragged a bit but once Claire was transported into 1750 Scotland, it was amazing. I couldn't put it down. Jaime was a true hero and you couldn't help but fall for him. There was so much drama and I was sad for the book to end. Don't let the size of the book fool you. it is a great read!. I
Outlander is awesome! June 13, 2008
I am not finished with the book yet, but I cannot out it down!!!!!! Love it and I look forward to the rest in the collection.
excellent historical romance! June 11, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
When wartime nurse Claire Randall goes on vacation in 1945 with her husband Frank to the Scottish highlands, she never dreams that she might walk through a stone circle and end up in the middle of a skirmish between English Redcoats and Scottish highlanders in 1743. Now, stranded and friendless, Claire must find her way amongst these people, fighting suspicion from both the Scotsmen who give her sanctuary and the English they hate, with but one true ally - a passionate and sincere young Scots outlaw named James Fraser.
What I can say about Outlander? I finished this last night and immediately made a post in my livejournal with lots of fangirlish squeeing going on. I'm trying very hard not to repeat that here, so I can make an intelligent review. To summarize it, though: Diana Gabaldon is amazing at her character building. I completely fell in love with Jamie, who is a very three-dimensional character, not just some generic Scottish highland romance hero. I was with Claire every step of her journey through time and the Highlands - including being PO'd at Jamie when she was. I hated the antagonist with every ounce of feeling I could muster, and loved Jamie's sister Jenny entirely.
Not only is Gabaldon a master at building characters, she presents Claire's fantastical story in such a way as to be entirely believable. I almost believe that if I were to go back to Inverness and Culloden, I would be able to find a circle of stones which could take me back to the Jacobite uprising - not that I would really want to find myself in that mess. I completely believed Claire's encounter with Nessie, and loved all the little historical details Gabaldon added to the book.
I cannot wait to race through the next 5 books in this series, and then on to the Lord John series (which is a companion series to Outlander - it takes place during the same time period, but with entirely different characters). Then I'll probably go back and re-read them again to catch all the details I missed the first time around. The book is some 850 pages long, and having gone through it in a week I know I missed a good deal of detail. I keep having to ask my mother (who introduced me to the series) about some bit or another, and have to refrain from begging her to tell me what happens later in the series!
|
|
|
