Outlander Series discussion

I couldn't find a topic for this book, so decided to start a new one.
I was saving the book for the New Year, and I just can't put it down. After two "slow-paced-books" (DOA and FC) DG got her speed back again. I am loving it. I love all the personal intrigue, all the new relationships that keep popping up in surprising ways. After not speaking much for two books, we finally can get into Jamie's mind and know what he feels.
What do you think?

I loved Breath of Snow and Ashes. It was an awesome book. Some of the best things happened in that one.

Where are you at in it?

I've just started this book. I struggled through the middle part of Fiery Cross (too much war talk), but this one is starting out well. I'm only at about 12% reading it on my Kindle. These books are SO long, I usually read a couple of shorter/lighter books while I'm reading them. I'm glad to hear this one is good.

ETA: This is what I love about Goodreads......good people who like to read and talk about the same books I do!

I loved Breath of Snow and Ashes too. I really enjoyed hearing more from Jamie's point of view and also from Ian's point of view. I love Ian, he adds so much to this story.

ABOSAA is one of my favorites! There are so many emotional events in this book. Leslie, I love Ian too. He is one of my favorite characters, besides Jamie and Claire of course.

You thought DOA was slow-paced? OMG. I thought it was extremely suspenseful and frustrating because of poor Roger's predicaments!!!! I couldn't put it down. :-)

Amy, I was REALLY frustrated for Roger too. At times I even thought, "Oh come on, DG! Give the guy a break!"

There are 2 things that I have tried over and over and can't find very interesting: opera and descriptions of war in literature. DOA was nice for the historical descriptions, but there was too much war for my taste.

DOA was slow paced. That gathering at the beginning took almost a fifth of the book (or so it seemed!!). There were some awesome parts (Bree and Jamie's first meeting, and Claire and Jamie at the stable).

ABOSAA is fascinating. I am at the part right after Lizzie's wedding. There has been no war yet, but the emotions are building up. I love the way that DG is telling the story of the Revolutionary War from a different perspective. Jamie is not so sure about betraying the King and uniting himself with a bunch of anarchists. Living in the mountains and far away from the big towns makes it hard to understand the concept of Freedom that the americans are fighting for. I think if it were not for what Claire, Bree and Roger tell him, Jamie wouldn't join in the side of the americans.

Latinlandish: I think you may confusing DOA with The Fiery Cross. If I remember right, that is the one with the long gathering at the beginning and hard for me to get through too

I guess so. You are right. OOOps, sorry! Yeah, that gathering was way too long, it was sooo long I though it went on for over two books!

ABOSAA is something else. I have started last week and I am trying to slow down to make it last longer. It is so good, that I think it will take the place of Voyager as second best.

It's my second favorite. Your going to have to tell me when you read the dramatic part. And trust me you will know what part I am talking about after you read it. You will experience so many emotions!

OmG... I hope it is not bad.... I don't think I can take it.
I hope Jamie doesn't screw up. He has been so good, so happy with his role as a leader of his community. I like how he is so much more communicative with Claire.

I think he didn't buy totally yet the idea of fighting on the side of United States.

One thing that I realized and I kind of think it is wrong: the money that the Camerons built their fortune in reality does not belong to them. A lot of people suffered to raise that money and it belongs to the people of Scotland.

Jamie, screw up? He could never do that in my eyes!
I feel the same way about the gold.

Leslie wrote: "I loved Breath of Snow and Ashes too. I really enjoyed hearing more from Jamie's point of view and also from Ian's point of view. I love Ian, he adds so much to this story."
I couldn't have said it better, Leslie! I believe one of DG's greatest gifts is allowing us to actually 'listen' to Jamie's humble, simple, yet intelligent and heartbreakingly EARNEST thought processes. And isn't Ian the most perfect foil for "Mr. Perfect"?!

It really is a fantastic book and worthy of DG. I actually got her to sign mine when I bought it. Can't wait for the next one!

I am about 1/3 through the book, and it is taking me a long time to read this one. I keep waiting for something to peak my interest in it , but it hasn't happened yet, sigh. I breezed thru the first 3 with no issues.

Pinda, did you skip two books? ABOSAA is book 6.

Nope, sorry I lost count. The last 2 books ( FC and ABOSAA) have been hard for me to read.

FC has been my least favorite so far. But I really liked ABOSAA. Hang in there. Some really interesting stuff happens in that book.

I had to force myself to finish FC but I loved ABOSAA and was really glad I got to it.

Christy, I had to almost force myself to finish FC also, now I'm about 20% in ABOSAA and so far so good.

I am just about to start ABOSAA, FC was VERY slow for me, and I may not have started ABOSAA if you all hadn't mentioned how great it was!

it picks up in ABOSAA... Enjoy each word Patricia!

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

Jenn, I got to that horrible part. I don't think I can take it. I am right at the part that Brown came to take Claire to prison for murder. I had to close the book and wait for another day.
I knew something bad was coming. She was really silly to try to save Malva's baby. That was a stupid action, because it was clear that nobody would believe her after all the lies and accusations. But that's what makes good fiction!
I have to keep saying to myself: this is not true, it is just fiction, don't get so upset!

That reminds me, there's a new html code for goodreads. It's in the (some html is ok) link above.

It's a spoiler code that works like this...

(view spoiler)[Check it out! Goodreads has gotten smart! (hide spoiler)]

That's a good part Latin, but I don't think that's the part that Jenn is talking about... At least it wasn't the most upsetting part in the book for me.

Wendy, your right. That's not the part. But I remember if it's before or after Malva baby. I think it's before so maybe Latinlandish didn't think it was as emotional as I did. Latinlandish-has Claire met Donner yet? That will answer my question without giving the part I am talking about away.

I remember thinking it was earlier in the book too, but when I reread it it was closer to the end. I'm pretty sure she hasn't gotten to it yet. I have the book here, I'll look it up, lol.

Nope, it was before actually. So yeah, she must have already read it.

I really liked ABOSAA. Fabulous and very quick paced, especially after FC. I liked FC but this is more typical of the series, I feel like.

How exactly do I do the spoiler thing?

Wendy, is there anything more upsetting than this? Does it occur after this event?

Ok, now let me ask something. do you remember when Jamie went on a walk with Malva, and they were having this very friendly talk, and he was trying to find out if she was being mistreated by her father. I thought that it was a little "too" friendly of Jamie, kind of like a little bit too romantic.
Also, when Claire was sick and she would go in and out of consciousness, and one time she saw Jamie and Malva side by side in what looked like a little bit "too" close for friends, specially in that time and age.
Just a thought.

The spoiler works like this type what you want to say here, then end it like this !spoiler>. All you have to do to make it work is remove the '!' in both.

I'm pretty sure you already read it, Latinlandish. Were you introduced to Donner yet?

Latinlandish wrote: Ok, now let me ask something. do you remember when Jamie went on a walk w..."

I know, right? Sometime Jamie tends to be "TOO" friendly with the ladies (for my liking but then again, that just me). Claire doesn’t seem to be the jealous type.

Pinda wrote: "I am about 1/3 through the book, and it is taking me a long time to read this one. I keep waiting for something to peak my interest in it , but it hasn't happened yet, sigh. I breezed thru the firs..."
Stick with it! I loved ABOSAA...I think it is probably my second favorite in the series. I am sorry, but I didn't love DIA and Voyager as much as everyone else did. They were awesome, don't get me wrong, but I think ABOSAA is better. Enjoy it, because when you get to AEITB, it's going to be a lot more slow going...I am having a hard time getting through that one right now... I have about 200 pages left....

Jenn wrote: "It's my second favorite. Your going to have to tell me when you read the dramatic part. And trust me you will know what part I am talking about after you read it. You will experience so many emotions!"
SPOILER!!!
Are you talking about the kidnapping and rape scene??Omg, this was very emotional for me! It was so well written though...like most of Diana's writing, didn't it make you feel like you were actually there?? I felt like I could smell the men's breath! And oh Jamie! He handled it just the way I wanted him to!

I totally agree. ABOSAA is the best after Outlander. Sorry to know that AEITB is not as good. If you have 200 ages left and the story has not had its peak yet, maybe we will have to wait for the last one.

Hope she really goes out with a BANG! :)

Latinlandish wrote: "How exactly do I do the spoiler thing?

Wendy, is there anything more upsetting than this? Does it occur after this event?

Ok, now let me ask something. do you remember when Jamie went on a walk w..."
I don't think it was Jamie being romantic, I think he was stepping in as a protective father type that was trying to stand up for Malva being mistreated. He is always rescuing people. The thing that bothered me about Jamie, and I don't remember which book it was in, probably FC, is when he tells Claire about his feelings towards Laoghaire and how he gets upset when he didnt know why he couldn't satisfy her in bed,life, etc. and that he was picturing her while making love to Claire one night. Granted, it wasn't really making love, but I just didn't get that whole scene, and it left me with a bad feeling.

DG didn't give a chance to Malva to express her thoughts. I would like to have known what made her accuse Jamie. Maybe I missed something here. Did she have feelings for him? did she misinterpret some of the friendly interactions with Jamie?

why didn't Ian confess his relationship with Malva right away? Couldn't he have saved Jamie from a lot of the accusations, if he had done so?

Heather - yes, that is the scene we are talking about. Latin, if you haven't read it, ignore that post, lol.

I don't think it was Jamie being romantic with malva either. I also didn't have a problem with Jamie's feelings about Loagaire. I feel like it's common to question and be left with those feelings after the relationship they had. We may not like it, but Jamie had a relationship with Loaghaire that had nothing to do with Claire. Though we all disagree here, so I won't bring that back up.

Latin - you'll get all your answers to those questions, just bide your time. :)

I saw it as Jamie's ego obsessing as to why he was not "good enough" for Laoghaire. I never felt that he had feelings for her. It was the first time a woman did not respond to him as he was used to and it really gnawed at his manhood.

I think Laoghaire was only in love with the "idea" of Jamie. Jamie being a strong handsome warrior. I think she felt intimidated by him as it became obvious after she married him that she became a weak mouse. She was just not woman enough for Jamie nor would she be to any man who is of similar character to Jamie.

Elizabeth, exactly! His masculine pride was broken and he couldn't handle it.

And I agree with what you said too about Jamie being more of a ideal. What Old Alec said in the first book came to pass. Loaghaire was a girl forever.

Yes, I agree with your comments. It was probably my own pride influencing my thoughts there because I am not sure I would handle the whole situation as well as Claire did. I think I would have freaked out a bit more that my husband was thinking of another woman while sleeping with me.

Oh definitely! I would too, but I liked that she understood once he explained it to her.

I finished ABOSAA and it was AWESOME! I guess almost better than Outlander.
There were so many relationship plots, a lot of good dialogues and really developed the characters so well.

Elizabeth, when you're talking about Jamie and Laoghaire and say "It was the first time a woman did not respond to him as he was used to and it really gnawed at his manhood.", I almost agree with you.

Although for a man like Jamie,that women went crazy about, he really didn't have that many relationships,unless DG will mention them later.

How many women did he have sex and a meaningful relationship with?

He had sex with on three, I believe. But he only had a meaningful relationship with Claire. He had a relationship with Loaghaire but I wouldn't call it meaningful.

I think he was just used to women wanting him physically. He was 'sure of his masculinity', lol.

I guess a person is born with sex appeal. He really didn't have a lot of experience, but what he lacked in experience he more than compensated with imagination and enthusiasm!

The deal with Laoghaire is something that I really don't understand. He didn't like her, she didn't get excited about him, what was the deal?

Going back to ABOSAA, before getting to the end, I almost thought that the father of Malva's baby was Tom Christie.

I didn't understand why is that Jamie didn't care at all to whom Arch Bug gave the gold to?

I wish Jocasta would have stayed with Ulysses (they really suited each other), and her husband with Phaedre (after all she was the only that could get the guy "up" and happy).

I wished that too, Latinlandish. I thought that if they had both just stayed quiet they both could have had loving relationships with the ones they truly wanted.

He had sex with three...Claire, that chick that mothered William (and forced Jamie into it), and Laoghaire.

He also had sex with Mary McNabb while he was in the cave before he turned himself in to the English.

Oh Gosh, I don't think that really counts!! LOL

Don't you think he had to have some fun at that place he used to live in Edinburgh?

And what about the place in Haiti? He was a little bit "too" happy. And if you think all the bugs he had everywhere... Seems like he had to catch them from somebody!

I forgot about Geneva, lol. That's right, 4. He slept with 4.

And no, I don't think he had that kind of fun. Reading about what he went through when he laid with the ones he did and how he was a virgin when he came to Claire tells me that while Jamie may kiss and grope, he's not out just having random sex.