Outlander discussion

Hey all,

I just started the Outlander series and cant take my eyes out of the book!! I am just about to finish Dragonfly in Amber and cant imagine there to be 6 more book to read in the series!!!!

Are the rest of the books in the series as good as the first two??

What s your personal favorite title in the series?

Kyla

I read "Outlander' several years and, while I found it a decent read, certainly not good enough to keep me going to the sequel(s). There are so many better books in the both the historical fiction and romance genres. I recommend "Niccolo Rising," by Dorothy Dunnett as a story that cements your attention from the first paragraph, has a marvelous romantic element, and is of the highest literary quality. Happy reading!

Karen wrote: "I read "Outlander' several years and, while I found it a decent read, certainly not good enough to keep me going to the sequel(s). There are so many better books in the both the historical fiction..."

You didn't read past the first book??? You don't know what you're missing!

Kyla wrote: "Hey all,

I just started the Outlander series and cant take my eyes out of the book!! I am just about to finish Dragonfly in Amber and cant imagine there to be 6 more book to read in the series!!..."

I am a big Diana fan but personally didn't like the Lord John books - guess I am just in love with Jamie Fraser! Dragonfly in Amber is my all time fave and then the Drums of Autumn. She is an amazing author:)

on my first read through, I disliked Dragonfly immensley - I just didn't get it...it wasn't until my 3rd time reading it that I understood how pivitol it was to the rest of the series, that being said, voyager is still my favorite

Dee wrote: "on my first read through, I disliked Dragonfly immensley - I just didn't get it...it wasn't until my 3rd time reading it that I understood how pivitol it was to the rest of the series, that being s..."

Oh I forgot about Voyager! Yes I love that too - think I will have to go back and read again from the start:)

I read Outlander when it was first released (and loved it) and so I have had to wait for each new book. Hunger is the best sauce? Drums of Autumn is the only one of the series that left me a bit cold. I think this is because I love Claire as the narrator. She is smart, funny and irreverant. In the later books some of the story is told from Jamie's perspective which I also really dig. I recently reread An Echo in the Bone in preparation for the new one (yippee, can't wait!), so it is my favorite for the moment. They are all great, but if I had to choose favorites, they would be...sorry can't do it!

I personally think the first four books were the best. I still enjoyed the rest but Outlander and Voyager are by favs by far. I'm so in love with Jamie {sigh}

Drums of Autumn I accidentally read it first, and just had to go back and read all the previous books. I've gotten a couple of my friends hooked on them as well. As while the first 4 are my favorite as the core story, I honestly can't wait for her newest book. I love the fact that the books literally grow with the characters and I don't want them to end.

I was completely addicted to the first five novels of the series. I think the series did lose a little steam with the sixth, A Breath of Snow and Ashes. I never did finish that one. I intend to return to it someday, though.

Sandi wrote: "I personally think the first four books were the best. I still enjoyed the rest but Outlander and Voyager are by favs by far. I'm so in love with Jamie {sigh}"

me too!

I really enjoyed the last one, but its going to be a long wait until book 8 is out...late 2012, early 2013 at the earlist, according to DG's website

I have to agree with Sandi and Heather, Voyager is amazing too, and I found it even better than DIA ... enjoy!!

I love all of them except "The Fiery Cross." It was OK, but Brianna gets on my nerves a little.

I agree with you Mary. I found the 'The Fiery Cross' was a long haul and nothing much happened. The rest of the series is epic. I really enjoy the Lord John books also. I can't wait to receive the new release 'The Scottish Prisoner', the Book Depository has notified me it's on its way.

I had a hard time getting through Fiery Cross as well. It dragged for so so long! It did get better midway through though.

Kyla,
I'm a huge fan of the series! I got the first as a gift and I couldn't stop reading! I really liked the second and, in my opinion the third is my favourite!
Right now I'm finishing The Fiery Cross and they are all worth reading.
Caro

I don't know how I missed this thread before now! I just finished Outlander last week & am waiting for Dragonfly in Amber. I loooooved Outlander! I am so hooked and can't wait to start book 2.

Annie wrote: "I had a hard time getting through Fiery Cross as well. It dragged for so so long! It did get better midway through though."

I had the same problem with Fiery Cross. I think the first day lasted the first 200 pages but after that I couldn't put it down.

Yes, it definitely gets better than books 1 & 2. My personal favorite is An Echo In the Bone because I love what Diana is doing with William's character. Then, Voyager is a very close second. I can hardly wait for book 8!

I read Outlander a few months ago and have been a little hesitant to read the rest of the series. Dont get me wrong, I absolutely loved the first one, but I dont see how it could get better. Part of me wonders if its better to picture the lives of Jamie and Claire rather than finishing the 9-plus book series.

My favorites are Outlander and Voyager. But I love 'em all. :D

I have only read the first three but, have loved them all. I really loved Outlander and remember staying up until 6 am to finish it.

I would have to say that Drums of autumn would be my fav just becuase of happens in it.

spolier they get to see each other again
@annie and @sandi i agree with feiry cross it seem to drag a bit to much in the begining that it was a bit hard to get through

I have to say I enjoyed the first book until they went into detail about what happened to Jamie when he was held captive. That part still haunts me. I haven't been able to continue on because of it.

I think for me the Fiery Cross highlighted the every day tediousness (for lack of a better word) of their lives - the small stuff that we in the future take for granted

Voyager, book three was fantastic. I still love them but One Two and Three were the highlights.

Morgan wrote: "I read Outlander a few months ago and have been a little hesitant to read the rest of the series. Dont get me wrong, I absolutely loved the first one, but I dont see how it could get b..."

I'm with you on Outlander being the best. I read Dragonfly in Amber, but was disgusted about the extramarital stuff with the King of France. I started Voyager but couldn't continue when Jamie did the maid, and I can't imagine reading Jamie with that Leghair person. Yuck.

I really wish DG did not skip 20 years, that Claire was able to go back to Scotland with Brianna while Jamie was still young. I feel the 20 years were wasted spending it with Frank.

Dee wrote: "I think for me the Fiery Cross highlighted the every day tediousness (for lack of a better word) of their lives - the small stuff that we in the future take for granted"

I never thought of that. I will reread it with that in mind and see if it changes my perspective.

Has anyone listened to the audio books? I have listened to the first 4 in audio. It is awesome!

The audiobooks add quite a bit to the enjoyment of the novels. I've read all of the books in electronic form. However, Davina Porter is a magnificent narrator and her characterizations add to the drama and comedy of the dialogue.

see, I dont' think Claire could have gone back sooner...Frank was still alive up until right before she found out about jamie...his death was her catalyst for finding what happened to Jamie, although she thought he was dead - he was supposed to die at culloden and with the number of people who died, why would she think he would have done anything but died - KWIM?

I loved the audiobooks...Davina is one of the best narrators i've listened to - other books she has done have been equally as good

Heck yeah these books are worth continuing. I read the first four. My favorites are "A dragonfly in amber and Drums of Autumn." The worst of the series in "The fiery cross". I read some of "The fiery cross but it was too boring".

Dragonfly was the hardest for me. The first time through I stopped about half way and it was a couple years before I got back into the series. I've done several rereads over the years to catch myself back up when a new one comes out. Just about the time I thought she was going to start wrapping things up Echo came out and ended with branches off into so many exciting directions I cant imagine her ever actually bringing all these characters to an end.

Re: the audio books I agree whole heartedly about Davina Porter, she is amazing!

I found Dragonfly the hardest too, if anything there was too much history and not enough Jamie and Claire, I enjoyed TFC though, although at times I do get a little frustrated with the amount of time dedicated to other characters, but I still love them more than most other books, and roll on book 8, just so long as there's enough Jamie and Claire content

Well, I still think it would have been better for Claire to return right after Cullendon and find Jamie in that cave. Twenty years is a long time to waste on a life that was tossed in a few scenes recounting Frank's extramarital affairs, his boring professorship and all. Okay, if she wanted Briana to grow up 20th century, just have her accidentally go back through the wormhole and leave Briana with Frank. Then we could have seen all the adventures in Voyager with Claire and Jamie together rather than tolerate that Leghair person. By the way, I'm stuck on Voyager for more than half a year. Left Jamie in that cave forever and stopped when he had sex with the maid. Totally unromantic.

@ Rachelle - how - Jamie was a criminal - he was hunted by the British for a good portion of that time - he was in jail at Ardsmuir; he hid in the cave for 7 years...what kind of life would that have been for Claire...besides the fact that Briana would have died if Claire had stayed in Scotland

Jamie thought Claire was dead and vice versa, I don't begrudge him his time with Mary McNabb or Laoghaire at all, he was trying to move on with his life

We'll agree to disagree. I still think the first book was the best. Jamie knew Claire wasn't dead. He just didn't know whether she'd come back or not.

And I'm sure Claire would not have just resigned herself that Jamie was dead and forgotten him for twenty years. Besides with Claire around and her resourcefulness he might not have had to hide in the cave 7 years or been in jail or anything. She could have come back with some serious weapons and maybe even a rescue team.

yeah, we are going to agree to disgree on it...because I agree with how it played out - having studied the time period in school, there was no way, anyone who fought for the jacobites was a traitor in the eyes of the crown and would have been killed

and coming back with serious weapons/a rescue team...and totally change the course of history - yeah not, that would have ruined the whole series

What makes this series so amazing is how she tries to handle things with realism. It's gritty and powerful, and part of that is because she doesn't pull punches. Bad things happen.

If Claire had gone back with 'serious weapons and a rescue team', it would have changed the course of history irrevocably, but also even then he was still a criminal and he would still have been hunted. He couldn't go through the stones, so then they would have had a baby and been on the run constantly. Or how about how Jamie turned himself in so that he could get the reward money for his family. If they had stopped that it may have cost him the lives of some of his family members.

Was it sad? Sure, absolutely. BUt again, it's this strife and sacrafice that makes Jamie and this book so amazing.

Outlander and voyager have been my favorites, to date. Dragonfly in Amber and Echo in the Bone are my least favorites.

Not to give any spoilers away but, you know, by the end of Echo in the Bone, I felt that DG had overshot the maximum number of "I thought you were dead!" scenes needed for the series. Or for any series.

Wendy F wrote: "What makes this series so amazing is how she tries to handle things with realism. It's gritty and powerful, and part of that is because she doesn't pull punches. Bad things happen.

If Claire h..."

Well said! It is exactly those 20 years that make it so remarkable when they do reunite!

Also, Claire had another troubled pregnancy she says that; had she had Brianna in the 18th century they both would have died! Plus she thought Jamie was dead, and going on in life with Briana was the only way she could honor Jamie's life.

Good point, she was honoring him through taking good care of his child. And she does say that if she'd stayed, she likely would have died.

Kyla wrote: "Hey all,

I just started the Outlander series and cant take my eyes out of the book!! I am just about to finish Dragonfly in Amber and cant imagine there to be 6 more book to read in the series!!..."

Yes they all get better...still waiting for more to come.

Honestly?? If you enjoy Jamie and Claire's epic love story, then STOP after book #4. I found Firey Cross and A Breath of Snow and Ashes sometimes PAINFUL to get through. I appreciate Gabaldon's attention to detail, but sheesh - I don't need to know where every speck of dust is lying in Clair's sugery, and I don't need her to take up 10 pages to tell me about it.

Beyond that, once the story moved away from Jamie and Claire, I found that I just didn't care as much. There are so many characters in play by the time FC starts, that it gets hard to keep track of them all. I haven't even read Echo in the Bone. I tried to re-read ABOSAA awhile ago to refresh my memory on all that happened, and I didn't make it a quarter of the way through. It's sad, really. Outlander is the only book on my shelf that I've read more than twice (at present count, I've read it 5 times). I'm bummed that they went so downhill after book #4.

I was introduced to this series in 2009 when my daughter took me to Scotland (weeeee!) by a Scots woman, of all people! So Outlander is the only one I've read twice, so far. My friend who introduced me stopped after Fiery Cross, and I could understand why. That one left me rather flat, but the reading improved in the following novel.

Unfortunately, Echo in the Bone also dragged on. Way too much American history,and I really got sick and tired of each and every character ever mentioned in any of the novels reuniting in America.

On the plus side of that, it brought home the fact of how heavily the Scots settled the mountainous regions of our States, plus areas of Canada, as close to their homeland as they could be without setting foot on their native soil.

When I was much younger, I actually noticed the relationship between Scottish accents and the modern day Southern accent, in the Carolinas, particularly. Now I understand why.

These book are a lifetime commitment. I'm on the Fiery Cross now and will be so sad to get to the end of the Outlander Series. There is The Lord John Grey series though - has anyone tried those?

The only one of the Lord John Grey series that features Jamie is "...and the Scottish Prisoner". I haven't ventured there yet, as John, well, John isn't Jamie now, is he?