| 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.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Reeks of authorial indulgence and editorial fail August 25, 2008
1 out of 7 found this review helpful
If you're a cheap paperback trashy novel type (i.e. philistine) go for it. If, on the other hand, you prefer character development, historical accuracy, discipline in regards to the author's created universe, and a plot with a smidge more sophisitication than a half-hour sitcom, then this is so not for you. As it was not for me.
I had been really exicted at the prospect of a novel set in Scotland during the 1945 uprising. I love historical fictions. This isn't one. It's pure authorial Mary Sue/Gary Stu. The author clearly lusts after the idea of a redheaded kilted highlander with all the sophistication a modern-day woman can dream of and uses the main character perspective to gush over the Hero, James (Jamie) Fraser.
He beats her, he beats his servants, he asks to be beaten to save others from beatings, he asks to be beaten to show how he bows to justice, and he idolizes his father who beat him to show him how much he truly loved him. Beatings equal love here. There's no way around that. And if you think that having the authorial voice come from Claire who was a time-traveller from a slightly more entlightened time (1945) does anything in the way of exposing abuse as being outmoded, you'd be wrong. Her hero, beating and beltings aside, still has gleaming red coppery strands of hair which outshine any tarnish of abuse.
I know any condemnation of the abuse plot devices (and it's there so so so often!) will beget dozens of belting-apologists to the forum so I'll make sure to substantiate my disdain for the novel in another way as well: the overall plot constructs are poor--haphazard, ill-fitting to justify suspension of disbelief and just silly. For instance, we go an entire book where one of the main premises of the second book is never ever mentioned. For the entire second novel we're asked to believe and hold as the novel's most constricting plot point that killing someone in 1945 could affect someone known in 1945. But this very possibility was never discussed in the past novel. In fact the very acts which the characters are prevented from doing as a result of this plot-point restriction are things which were all thought to have already occurred. But I guess perhaps fans pointed out some questions or they needed a new plot device for the second book or what have you and hey, it just sounded like a good idea. Basically--if you have any appreciation for what time-travelling paradoxes can be and like to see such things examined and used to great effect, then this isn't a book for you. It picks and chooses when to exert plot constrictions as a result of the universe/character recognition of possibilties. Hence--it smacks of authorial indulgence and editorial fail.
 Worth the (LOTS OF) Time August 24, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I just finished the entire series and it was engaging and entertaining throughout. Gabaldon does not disappoint throughout, with her writing style, combined with character development, history and story telling.
Make sure you have lots of time on your hands, because you'll want to stay up late, and read every one of the 6 books in the wonderful Outlander series.
Thank God the guy at Borders told me A Breath of Snow and Ashes was the last book of the series, or I wouldn't have had any idea!
Loved every minute August 7, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I first read this book when I was about sixteen and have been hooked ever since. I love the entire series. It's such a fresh idea that you can actually get SOME knowledge from a fiction book. Certrainly this a romance but it's SO much more. I read the entire series about once a year. For those of you who have criticims for this book, please head to your local bookstore and pick up something by Johanna Lindsey if you are looking for a boring romance.
Och, aye, I wasna expectin' it August 6, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I had no idea what to expect when I was given this book as a gift. I could hardly set it down once I started. Set in a romantic, historical environment, Claire's adventures are spell-binding as written by Diana Gabaldon, who has proven herself a master story-teller.
The story is always moving, and develops deliciously. There are some edge-of-your-seat nail-biting scenes where you absolutely will be glued to your chair (the witch hunt comes to mind). You'll find you can't wait to turn the next page. This is not chick-lit! It's not your corner drug store's corny paperback novel, either. Full of suspense and raw passion, these pages will transport you back to a time when men were men and life was dangerous.
This is historical fiction on an on an epic scale, as we follow the adventures of Claire and Jamie across the sweeping landscape of the Scottish Highlands. Claire is likable right away. As we're first introduced to Jamie, he has just enough brawny good looks for you to want him to take you in his arms, enough mystery to die to know his story, and enough scoundrel to make you wonder what he'll do next. All of the secondary characters have rich, full stories as well. From the majestic Colum MacKenzie to the unique MacRannoch, you will find yourself very attached to these characters.
Why did Geillie, in the mid-eighteenth century, bear the scar of a smallpox vaccination? Because of what she knew, did Colum set Claire up to be tried as a witch? When finally given the chance to return to her own time, what will Claire do? Such are the many questions that come to mind throughout this finely woven tale. Best of all, the ending is ripe with possibilities for a sequel. I canna wait to read the next book in the series!
Summary: almost every page reveals a fresh new adventure.
Very romantic August 3, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
At first I was skeptical. The premise seemed.. odd, but I got into it quickly. The book is incredibly romantic and the author obviously did a lot of research.
The book is long, but I didn't even notice. The characters are well-developed and so.. alive.
Highly recommended!!
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