Outlander by Diana Gabaldon Series: Outlander #1
Published by Dell on October 26, 2004
Pages: 882
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Davina Porter
Length: 32 hrs and 38 mins
Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
Amazon Audible
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NOW A STARZ ORIGINAL SERIES
Unrivaled storytelling. Unforgettable characters. Rich historical detail. These are the hallmarks of Diana Gabaldon’s work. Her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels have earned the praise of critics and captured the hearts of millions of fans. Here is the story that started it all, introducing two remarkable characters, Claire Beauchamp Randall and Jamie Fraser, in a spellbinding novel of passion and history that combines exhilarating adventure with a love story for the ages.
One of the top ten best-loved novels in America, as seen on PBS’s The Great American Read!
Scottish Highlands, 1945. Claire Randall, a former British combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding clans in the year of Our Lord . . . 1743.
Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of a world that threatens her life, and may shatter her heart. Marooned amid danger, passion, and violence, Claire learns her only chance of safety lies in Jamie Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior. What begins in compulsion becomes urgent need, and Claire finds herself torn between two very different men, in two irreconcilable lives.
Whew! That was a long one. It took me over 32 hours to listen to the audiobook. Outlander is a sweeping historical romance, but even with the excellent narration, I felt winded by the end.
I decided to read the book after binge watching the tv show. I always feel like the book is better than the movie; however, with the author herself as a consultant, it should come as no surprise that the tv show stays extremely true to the book’s plot. In fact, seeing the show first enhanced my enjoyment of the book and showed just how excellent the casting is.
The story has a little something for everyone: time travel, Scottish history, a love triangle, warriors, and a sadistic antagonist. The beginning of the book is rather slow, but it wasn’t long before I was swept away by Claire and Jaime’s unconventional love story, by the clans and customs of Scotland in 1743, and by the evil deeds of Captain Black Jack Randall. It’s an absolutely epic tale that is in turns heartbreaking and inspiring.
Recommended for fans of:
Clans
History
Medicinal Herbs
Feisty Heroines
About Diana Gabaldon
Diana Gabaldon is an American author, known for the Outlander series of novels. Her books merge multiple genres, featuring elements of historical fiction, romance, mystery, adventure and science fiction/fantasy. A television adaptation of the Outlander novels premiered on Starz in 2014. She currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with her husband, two big, fat dachshunds, 2.5 cats, a varying number of parakeets and a lot of uninvited wildlife. They have three adult children.
Nice post ✉️
Thanks so much!
I haven’t read this one yet and the size is partly why. That’s a lot of listening!