The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is 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 stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach–an “outlander”–in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord…1743.
Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life…and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire…and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.
While on a short term bout of bed rest with my first pregnancy, a friend dropped of this book and told me, “This was the best part about my bed rest when I was pregnant.” With that, I opened the book and was transported into a world of mystery, intrigue, Scottish clans, intense romance and some of the best writing ever. Diana’s gift with the written word is without doubt the best I’ve ever read. Characterization and scenery descriptions were perfect and I experienced the highlands during my bed rest. Her two main characters Claire and Jamie are still, almost 20 years since I first read this book, very much in my mind as well as their devotion and love for one another. Lots of historical detail as well as time travel. This book is quite a ride, one that will haunt you forever.
My ALL TIME favorite author. So lucky to have been able to see her twice!
Quotes I liked:
Oh, aye, Sassenach. I am your master . . . and you’re mine. Seems I canna possess your soul without losing my own.”
-“Not for the first time, I reflected that intimacy and romance are not synonymous.”
-“There are things that I canna tell you, at least not yet. And I’ll ask nothing of ye that ye canna give me. But what I would ask of ye—when you do tell me something, let it be the truth. And I’ll promise ye the same. We have nothing now between us, save—respect, perhaps. And I think that respect has maybe room for secrets, but not for lies. Do ye agree?”
-“Does it ever stop? The wanting you?” “Even when I’ve just left ye. I want you so much my chest feels tight and my fingers ache with wanting to touch ye again.”
-“No wonder he was so good with horses, I thought blearily, feeling his fingers rubbing gently behind my ears, listening to the soothing, incomprehensible speech. If I were a horse, I’d let him ride me anywhere.”
I know. I’ve never been to Scotland and it is now very high up on my bucket list. Of course I’d probably spend the whole time searching for Jamie and Claire as they have become all too real for me over the course of 17 years and 6 books!
Love Outlander series, but I wish she’d write faster!
carly m
on April 18, 2012 at 4:57 am
by far my favorite book of all time. amazing, amazing, amazing!!
Anonymous
on April 18, 2012 at 9:14 pm
I, too, have loved the whole Outlander series, and especially, Claire and Jamie. My husband has heard so much about them, that he feels he knows them, too. Marilyn B.
Anonymous
on December 18, 2013 at 11:13 pm
Amazing series! I recommend this book to everyone I know, but not everyone is interested. I don’t know if it is the length, the time period, the time travel? Who knows, but I feel like I uncovered a gem when I found this book. Can’t wait for #8 to come out next year!
It made me fall in love with Scotland….read the whole series!
I know. I’ve never been to Scotland and it is now very high up on my bucket list. Of course I’d probably spend the whole time searching for Jamie and Claire as they have become all too real for me over the course of 17 years and 6 books!
Love Outlander series, but I wish she’d write faster!
by far my favorite book of all time. amazing, amazing, amazing!!
I, too, have loved the whole Outlander series, and especially, Claire and Jamie. My husband has heard so much about them, that he feels he knows them, too.
Marilyn B.
Amazing series! I recommend this book to everyone I know, but not everyone is interested. I don’t know if it is the length, the time period, the time travel? Who knows, but I feel like I uncovered a gem when I found this book. Can’t wait for #8 to come out next year!
Are you going to watch the mini series on STARZ network? It actually looks like amazing casting, especially for Claire and Jamie!