Outlander: The Only Book Series I Can Read Again & Again
Time-travel, love, mystery & more, Outlander is a series that's been around for awhile and has quite a bit of a cult following. I was first introduced to the series, written by Diana Gabaldon, in late 2012. I was looking for a new book to read, and Outlander came highly recommended. At first I was a little put-off. I didn't want a romance novel and the nature of time-travel seemed a little (ahem, alot) far-fetched. I didn't want cheesy. But, I dove in because I trusted those that recommended it, and I'm so glad I did!
The story chronicles the love and lives of Claire Randall, a 20th-century physician and Jamie Fraser, and 18th-century Scots warrior. While vacationing in Scotland with her husband, Claire touches an ancient stone and is transported 200 years back to Scotland, where her path crosses with Jamie Fraser. While Claire focuses her efforts on getting back to her present-day, she concurrently falls in love with Jamie and must make the choice to return to the husband she married, or stay in Scotland with the man she has an inexplicable love with.
Sound cheesy?
Yeah, I know it does. But I promise that it's not.
There are two things that I really love about this series. One, the characters are SO beautifully developed, that the brief synopsis I shared above simply does not do them justice. This is not your typical love story. Claire and Jamie are thrust together and go through so much (battles! adventure! and more!) that you immediately understand their love, but you cannot explain it. Two, the history and color that surrounds the story line is phenomenal. I'm not a history buff by any means; long, drawn-out narratives about time periods put me to sleep. This is very descriptive and enthralling story-telling. I love that I'm learning about different cultures while reading this story!
Outlander currently has seven different books under its umbrella (with a few extras). The eighth installment is due out in late 2013 or early 2014. The entire series would be a phenomenal gift, especially for the holidays. Because each book is anywhere from 700-1000+ pages, it will take the average reader quite a bit of time to get through (the gift that keeps on giving?).
Do You Prefer Single Books or Series?
Outlander is being made into a TV series on the Starz network starting in early 2014! I don't think I've ever been so excited for a TV series, ever! It'll be interesting to see how the characters come to life, on-screen.
