Claire is on a second honeymoon after the war when she steps through a circle of stones and finds herself 200 years in the past. In Scotland of 1743 she is an English intruder, a Sassenach wench, and in serious danger. Married in 1945, but with no choices in 1743, she must marry James Fraser or risk being handed over to Black Jack Randall, an English captain with the face of her first husband and a soul as black as his name.
This is one of my favorite stories. I have been reading and rereading this volume every time a new one came out for decades. Claire's competence as a physician, Jamie's competence overall, and their love story hit me hard every time I read this book. ( )

I picked up Outlander thinking it was respectable historical fiction--discovered in short order that it was more like a romance, albeit set in one of my favorite places and periods. I kept reading.

Despite my disgust at how often the hero and heroine banged or made allusions to banging (if I'd kept count, I imagine it would have been somewhere around 100), I genuinely enjoyed this book. Sure, I found myself grimacing a lot at the author's sometimes overly-exercised fantastic warrant, and the character's amazing talent of just getting crapped on by fate or whatever, the characters were compelling enough, and the story line was full of adventure and peril.

Spoiler alert maybe, but I want to say this. I found this book toward the end to be somewhat homophobic. I've been noticing it in a lot of books with cut-and-dry villains lately, so it's possible that I'm just extra sensitive to it, but it still makes me angry. Sure, I understood how it was used in this book to show an absolute infraction on emotional and bodily boundaries, and that was obscene and meant to elicit a response from the reader. The description of the treatment did make me nauseous, but it also felt like a cheap shot. Then the pseudo-psychology that followed made me roll my eyes a bit. But again, I kept reading.

I do recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a break. I'd describe it as a light read that tries to be a little too heavy sometimes, but that shouldn't deter you from it. ( )

Maybe it's because of the hype. Maybe, descended from multiple lines of Highlanders and well aware of their history, I'm over-critical of historical fiction that involves the Jacobite Rebellion. Maybe I didn't LOVE this book because it's in need of a good editor to pare it down.

To be fair, I liked the first parts, as Jamie and Clare were getting to know each other. The author lost me, however, when Jamie, professing to love his new bride, "beat her within an inch of her life." I could have done without that.

***SPOILERS***

I also could have done without the graphic depictions of rape. I know that rape is frequently used as a weapon of war and oppression. I credit the author for describing (in my opinion, accurately) what it's like inside your brain when you've been sexually assaulted. However, I was really bothered that, in several parts, more space was given to describing rape and sexual assault than love between a husband and wife. ( )

The book starts as a good book, with a good simple plot.
A girl accidentally travels back in time, and is forced to marry a guy she actually likes, to get protection.
But then she starts getting in more trouble than is believable. And when she kills a wolf with her bare hands the plot starts to loose all credibility... ( )

Other reviewers have said it better, but there’s a lot of WTF going on here.

tl;dr: All the gratuitous sex and violence of “Game of Thrones,” but no dragons, but it’s historical fiction/time travel. Kilts and bodices are ripped. ( )

(blank)

So I came late to this party - never saw the series. I enjoyed the book. Didn’t love the pacing, didn’t love the heroine, didn’t love the gratuitous excesses of violence….I was frustrated with some of the choices the author made but I appreciated the descriptions. Enough that I’m going to go for the next book in the series…. ( )

UPDATE: 11/7/2015
I've recently started the audiobook (I listen to it when I'm driving to and from class), and I LOVE the reader Davina Porter. The way she does the voices for the characters is just perfect!

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If I could give this 10 stars, I would in a heartbeat! ( )

This is the story of a happily married woman who is content with her life and her nursing job. While on a second honeymoon to Scotland, she accidentally travels through a time portal and arrives in 1743 Scotland in the midst of a skirmish between Scottish clans and English soldiers. Her nursing skills earn her a small place; soon she finds herself in a forced marriage to Jamie, a handsome, young athletic adventurer who as she discovers later, is also quite high up in the Clans’ hierarchy.

She and Jamie fall madly in love and navigate the time just prior to the Jacobite Rebellion with a series of adventures and escapes – and lots of romance wrapped in soft porn.

The story features lots of excitement and romance. I also enjoyed the historical aspects of the soon to be brewing Jacobite Rebellion, a time frame I had little knowledge of. And finally a knife-edge choice at the end of the story – to stay with Jamie in the upcoming war or to return to her husband in the present time.

There were also tropes I wasn’t so fond of: forced marriage but falling madly in love; evil gay British commander sodomizing and torturing prisoners; Jamie beating his wife Claire into submission after she disobeys him.

Many people are totally captivated by the book. I’m not in their ranks but I am intrigued enough that I may go onward with the second book – or perhaps watch a few episodes on Netflix. I wonder how closely the book and the TV series follow. ( )

It’s like the author created this great premise, then built a strong, witty, principled protagonist, just to realize too late she had sold a romance novel to her publisher… and so she proceeds to contrive one unbelievable situation after another debasing her character as irrational and illogical, and turning her into a clown, a shell of base female stereotypes just so she can have sex. But not real sex, Skinimax c-grade, implied-only sex. I couldn’t continue the book after 2/3 when there were no believable characters left. ( )

4.5/5 stars - I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would, though the last section of the book was particularly brutal to get through. It's a great blend of history and romance. It's clear that Diana Gabaldon did an extensive amount of research. I'm definitely going to have to continue with this series! ( )

"Seems I canna possess your soul without losing my own."

I hate that I didn't love this book - in a sea of so many reviews that absolutely love it, I hate that I am one of the few 2 stars. And I'm really a 1 star bumped up just because Jamie is so sweet and so in love

But there is almost nothing I can say I like about this book. The pretty wording and constant repeating of the description of people and places and things - I literally couldn't stay awake for the first 600 pages of the book. I got a lot of laundry and cleaning done and at least 7 or 8 midday naps.

I'm just glad I'm done. Thank goodness I was reading this with friends or I would have abandoned it in the first 50 pages and never picked it back up. ( )

I enjoyed the Outlander TV show, so I thought the book would suck me in, but it took a long time to get through.


Stuff I liked:
-Very good writing style. I only caught a few sentences/paragraphs that were really awkward or repetitive.
-Great research. I have tried to do historical research to write something, and it's damn hard. So, much respect.
-The time travel.
-Interesting, but sometimes disturbing, parallels to the Catholic faith (the author is Catholic). She goes full-on Jesus-torture-plus-a-side-of-rape when Jamie makes a sacrifice for Claire (didn't like), but the general theme of suffering for another and some of Claire's conversations with the monks were cool. Claire accepted other people's faith as meaningful to them even though she didn't particularly share it.
-That it wasn't as violent as the TV show. It was still violent, but I felt like the author didn't go overboard into gruesome.
-The cliché woman-fantasy (she can have two husbands! OMG!)
-Sex. There is sometimes a lot of sex.

Stuff I didn't like:
-Yeah, the fact that Jamie beat Claire and she wasn't mad about it for very long. Kind of wrote that one off as "writer inserts S&M fantasy with the excuse that men in those times beat their wives." I would have been like "wtf kthnxbye."
-Jamie and Claire having sex right after she is forced to kill someone for the first time. That is just about the least sexy thing I can imagine. It came off totally cheesy.
-The cliché evil gay(?) villain(s).
-Some slower sections of the book that I didn't really care about. It's possible I would have been more curious about the outcome if I hadn't already seen the show. Maybe I wasn't looking forward to Jamie getting sodomized, so I was pleasantly surprised that it happened "off camera," so to speak, in the book, although we are regaled with the story later.


I'll probably read the second one, and maybe the third one. I borrowed seasons 3 and 4 from my Dad, but haven't watched them yet.

I still think it's funny how much my Dad loves Outlander, but I have heard that it has some male fanbase. Must be the political intrigue and historical research... _>... ( )

I loved this book and found myself fully immersed and not wanting to put it down. ( )

3.5 or 4 stars. I'm torn. I liked this book. A lot. BUT. I read a lot of reviews prior to reading it from people who, now that I'VE read it, couldn't have read the same book--or at least they could only have skimmed the book (it IS a long read). Because of these reviews (a good portion of which were negative) I went into this *expecting* something. And I didn't get it. Or, I *sort of* got it, but not really.

I have had this series for a while now, but hadn't been in the mood to start anything lengthy or complicated. I had just finished reading several formulaic Scottish highlander romances in a row when I remembered I had (what I thought was) a series of books featuring a Scottish hero, an historical setting, romance and a little sex. I don't always read reviews, but since this was a massive investment of reading time, I was interested in whether others thought it worth it.

One of the FOUR people whose reviews I follow loved the first book in the series. Several of the reviews that followed were quite negative, with heavy criticism of the heroine's lack of morals or fidelity, the "rough" and insensitive sex *perpetrated* on the heroine's person by the hero, and an unhealthy fascination with anal sex.

Being the contrary person that I am, the negative reviews actually made me want to read the book (and series) more, especially since they were balanced by reviews that were equally as fervent in praise. There seemed to be no lukewarm feelings about 'Outlander', and I am always intrigued where strong emotion (whether negative or positive) is involved.

So I began the book with a good bit of anticipation, but unfortunately also with some preconceived ideas about characters, their behavior and how the plot would fall out. Because of this HUGE error on my part I spent almost the entire first quarter of the book veering wildly from 'gaahhh, this is SO slow--when is X going to happen' to 'is that ALL I'm gonna read about the sex I think they just had?'.

When I found myself dreading picking up my Kindle (and REALLY dreading the rest of the books in the series) I decided to take a step back and read some of the impartial synopses I had read that actually spurred me to add these books to my library. When I did, I remembered that I hadn't added these books because I thought they were the escapist highland bodice rippers I read when I am killing time but not in the mood to completely immerse myself in another world. Is 'Outlander' escapist? Yes. But in the best way possible--you find yourself fully in another world, with all the inherent romance, adventure, indignity and tedium that that can involve. You see, in your standard romance novel, all is glossy and pretty (even the roughness of life in the Scottish highlands in the 13th, 14th, 15th or 16th century is romanticized). Sure, there is always a *big misunderstanding* between hero and heroine, and perhaps there are physical hardships to endure (usually done so *prettily*, if begrudgingly at first, by the heroine), but nothing ever really feels *ugly*, and the fixes come quickly and neatly. In 'Outlander', however, there is plenty of *ugly*. I didn't (and still don't) find that the heroine is beauty personified nor do I find the hero a gorgeous alpha male, whose only flaw is the hard-won cynicism that our blessed heroine helps to strip away to reveal his gentle heart. No, in this book you get the good, the bad, the ugly, and the tedious. You get long descriptions of plant life you've never heard of (and likely don't care about). Constant reminders of snorts, farts, bad breath and other assorted all-too-human indignities. Graphic descriptions of festering, pus-filled wounds and other heinous bodily injuries. You get some sex--some of it rather sweet, some of it violently angry and some almost beautiful in its brutality and depravity--but none of it *pretty* or *romantic*. Or even *sexy*. You see selfish people do unselfish things. You see good people do terrible things. Basically, you fall into a real world. You find yourself fully immersed in this carefully crafted world, following the ebb and flow of its days the same as its inhabitants. Why doesn't the wordy description of the plants our heroine is picking *feel* tedious? Because when you are out in the world 'doing' and 'thinking', your ideas and actions don't feel tedious to you--they just ARE. You become so fully immersed in this world that YOU are picking the plants, you are comforting Jamie, you are crying tears of confusion at loving someone other than your first husband.

This book is wonderfully complex, with richly drawn characters. Its deficiencies are mine. I marred my first experience with this book by going in with some of the blanks already filled in. I say 'first' experience because I know that one day I will revisit this first book in the 'Outlander' series. I must. I don't feel the nice, sanitary pleasure and contentment that I feel when I finish one of my escapist romances and all has been tied up in a neat little bow. Instead, after finishing this book I feel like I feel on many random days of my normal life--I feel hopeful because I'm living a brand new day and anything is possible, but I also feel a tinge of sadness because anything is possible (the death of my mother, my own violent assault). In short, I feel alive.

I did this as an audiobook and was thrilled that I did. I don't know if I would have been able to power through this at the size it is but I was glad for audible. ( )

I love time travel romances novels and this didn't disappoint. Claire was perfectly happy with her life before she went back in time. She loved her husband and her life. Going back in time changed her forever. She found a different type of love. One that fulfilled her like nothing else. She loved Jamie more than herself and truly couldn't think of leaving him to go back to her former life. Claire & Jamie sacrificed everything for each other over and over again. Their love is one that transcends time. I can't wait to read more about their amazing romance! ( )

Marvellous ( )

My friend loves the books, millions love the series and I've never read Outlander! However, going to the Highlands on holiday, I thought I'd better give it a go. I managed about a quarter of the book and gave up. I can see why it is so loved but it's not for me! ( )

Muka isusova. ( )

'Outlander' was darker and weirder than I expected from something I blithely assumed was a time travel bodice-ripper. A friend-of-a-friend recommended it and I thought a long historical novel would be good for escapism, even though I prefer my bodices unripped. I got into it after a hundred pages and found it compelling enough to read two or three hundred pages of at a time. So in some ways it provided very effective escapism, although overall I feel highly ambivalent about it. Unusually, I discussed it with a friend before writing this review. Said friend changed her mind about whether she'd like to read it several times during the conversation. There is certainly a lot more to 'Outlander' than I rather dismissively assumed. The unequivocal strengths are the compelling plot, atmospheric depictions of location and landscape, and occasional fascinating discussions of time travel dilemmas. I found the progression of events thrilling and full of unexpected twists. Notably Claire being put on trial for witchcraft, fighting wolves, and meeting the Loch Ness Monster. The utter audacity of the latter scene made me smile. The gorgeousness of the Highlands is used to full advantage and the historical details appeal. Moreover, the characters are interesting and Claire makes a very competent narrator. The romance was fine, not really my sort of thing but well-integrated into the plot.

What I really didn't expect was that more shirts than bodices get ripped. There is a great deal of brutal violence and torture, which is described in unsparing detail. Domestic violence turns up in several unpleasant forms. Then there's the rape. Throughout the book there are occasional rape threats and sexual harrassment towards women and boys. Then towards the end, there is a horrific extended rape scene. To my great surprise, the victim is not a woman but the leading man. I discussed this with a friend and realised it is strangely subversive that a romantic hero defined by his physical strength and manliness is raped. A woman then saves him with her love, both from immediate risk of death and from succumbing to despair afterwards. They discuss the brutal assault in detail and the reader follows Jamie's steps towards physical and mental recovery. These include a very weird scene when Claire apparently brings him back from death's door using witchcraft.

In general, violence is described more graphically than sex throughout the book. There's a lot of sex, though, the majority of it consensual and heterosexual. I wasn't at all comfortable with the more or less predatory depiction of the two gay male characters. Some of the heterosexuality also induced winces, notably this: 'I struggled slightly and he held me down, hammering me, a solid and inexorable pounding that reached my womb with each stroke.' Ouch!

I'm left wondering is whether the violence, sex, and rape in 'Outlander' are any more prevalent and/or graphic than in other novels, or whether there's some other difference that made me uncomfortable. I don't think the violence is necessarily gratuitous, so perhaps the fact that the physical consequences and recovery process are shown increases its impact? Or the characters discussing their scars and pains, rather than stoically ignoring them? Moreover, is the rape scene essential to the plot? I suppose it could just have been a torture scene, had the villain's obsession with Jamie merely been about revenge rather than sex. But it was central to the plot that Claire could escape because Jamie promised to comply; he wouldn't have had that leverage if torture had been the only aim in mind. I'm used to periodically coming across gratuitous rape scenes in which a woman suffers prettily before a nice man saves her in novels. I hate such scenes, but am no longer shocked by them. Here the rape was a major plot point: forshadowed, set up dramatically, nearly avoided, and with major consequences for all the main characters. I certainly found it shocking and perhaps unique in any novel I'd ever read. Is my discomfort prudish? I genuinely can't tell. And I'm rather astonished that this book was turned into an apparently popular TV series. Surely that must have glossed over the rape?

This isn't a book I'd recommend reading without first discussing it with someone who has read it. It isn't a light read and parts are truly horrible, while others are fun, exciting, and even beautiful. My friend eventually decided to warily try it, perhaps skipping the most violent bits. I remain entirely unsure whether I want to read the next in the series. Although 'Outlander' works well as a self-contained narrative, I would be interested to find out what happens next. On the other hand, I've had more than enough rape and torture for the moment. Perhaps if I ran out of library books again I'd try [b:Dragonfly in Amber|5364|Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander, #2)|Diana Gabaldon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1456114344l/5364._SY75_.jpg|2866304]. ( )

Miss Diana Gabaldon is swiftly becoming one of my favorite authors. She takes us back to a time when life was rough and strange things happen. The seamless blend of sci-fi and historical fantasy is sublime. also there will be an Outlander t.v series, can't wait! ( )

I'm so surprised that so many people hated this book! I really enjoyed almost every minute!
I've never been a fan of "romance" books, but my sister raved about this series so I gave Outlander a try..and wow! Yes, there is alot of sex, alot of odd SM behavior by a character, but underneath that is a very very good story.

The Good:

Claire- Shes strong, shes a spitfire, she makes me laugh. Again, Ive never actually read another romance novel, mostly shying away from them due to weak plots and wimpy women characters. So Claire was a nice surprize. She intellegent and brutal when she has to be. Nicely written.

Jamie- Need I really say much? I picture this character being played by Dash Mihok...maybe its the norm for these type of books..but I just love his strength in the beginning of book, and his tenderness after Wentworth..I wanted to just hold him...there I said it..

Historical Fun- I love this story! Scotland, Jacobites..good stuff, made me interested in the time period, oh which I honestly had no knowledge before.

The Bad:

Un-Necessary Brutality- Hmm...funny, I know some of this was required for the story,..but male rape scenes are not ever necessary for me.Especially since this character dies at end of book...I needed him to be evil, I needed him to deserve death...but I didnt need the odd SM sex with Jamie...just made me cringe. I realize now this may have been why so many were turned off by the book. I overlooked it and still enjoyed the story and look forward to the next in series. ( )

I had no intention of reading this book. It’s 900 pages. Amazon classifies this book as the #1 seller in the “time travel romance” category. WTF!? I didn’t even know there was such a category. I don’t read romance novels at all, let alone “time travel romance” novels. I didn’t think there were many books I’d be *less* interested in. And yet, somehow after hearing all the chatter about this book, curiosity got the better of me and I thought I’d give it a chance. I loved it.

I listened to the audio version of the book, read by the inimitable Davina Porter. It’s taken be the better part of the summer to get through the book (I probably could have read it faster), but Porter does an amazing job bringing the characters to life.

The quality of the writing surprised me, as did the attention to historical detail. (Okay, okay, I’ll admit, it. Gabaldon *does* do a great job with the romance between characters Jamie and Claire, too. I now see what the fuss is all about.) I’m very much looking forward to continuing the series. 4.5 kilted stars.
( )

DNF at 50%. Mental note, follow my friend Alvaro's advice: if at 10% you are not enjoying a book, just give it up.
I have a million reasons in my head not to recommend this book but it would be unfair. I would rather put the effort in writing about a book that I have enjoyed that focusing on negative things. It's just not for me. ( )