Outlander

I am a big fan of historical fiction, but this was my first (and last) foray into the romance novel. I bought the book after reading a couple of the glowing reviews on this site. I was looking forward to the promised "sweeping," "meticulously researched," "historical romance." Instead I got a disturbing, shallow, historically and culturally inaccurate disappointment. Typically, I can find the merit in anything and will compulsively force myself to finish a book regardless of my opinions. But with Outlander, I just couldna do it.

Claire, the heroine, is dim witted, over sexed and totally unlikable. The hero, Jamie Fraser, is a one dimensional super hunk who is just too dreamy to be true. Oh, well, aside from the fact that he beats the heroine "half to death" in a creepy, sadistic scene that reeks of what must be the author's British school girl fantasy. This is not history (some reviewers have excused this scene as "what they did back then"). To make matters worse, the supposedly strong-willed heroine turns around and decides that not only did she deserve the beating, but that she truly loves her attacker. Yuck. I felt embarrassed for the characters and myself after that chapter!

It goes on from there. I put the book down for good around page 600 or so. I have no problem with sex or violence in a book, but not when it's as poorly written and contrived as Outlander. Don't be swept away by the positive reviews. If you're looking for intelligent, captivating historical fiction (with or without romance) this isn't it.

This book is the type of book that always makes me think, "what if?" If you could travel back in time would you want to, do you feel you could survive without your family, friends and everyday conveniences? Would you use your knowledge of history to help people at the possible detriment to your own life or would you just live in the date and time and get by?

Claire has been rocketed back through time after a ritual at an ancient stone circle in Scotland. She lived in 1944 with her husband, Frank and now finds herself in 1744, 200 years earlier. She decides to tell the truth as much as possible without telling her actual circumstance. She is accepted by some, hated by others and questioned by many. Who is she, why is she there and where did she come from. She is thrown into Scotland during the time when England was battling for control. She ends up meeting an ancestor of her husband, Frank and learning what a bad person he was. In order to keep her freedom she is forced to marry a man she barely knows, Jamie Frasier. As time goes by, she falls for Jamie and he for her. When the time comes and she tells Jamie of her true set of circumstances and how she came to be there, he takes her back to the stone circle and tells her that he loves her enough to let her go. She realizes she can't leave him and decides to stay. They then begin a life on the run from Franks Ancestor, who has put a price on Jamie's head and would love to hurt Claire just because she is with Jamie.

I came late to the party on this one. I had to overcome my own stupid prejudices, my lack of desire to read an 850 page paperback, and the book being packed in a box in the garage for three years. But wow...it was worth the wait.

This never happens: I read the entire 850 pages cover to cover without taking a break. Usually, with a book that size I have to stop at least twice and read other books. It's generally not a reflection of the quality of the book (if it stinks, I won't bother finishing) but more a case of fatigue. Yet I never once tired of this book.

In fact, I loved the main characters, Jamie and Claire, so much that I looked forward to hanging out with them day-to-day. Although I was happy to finish the book, I was sorry not to be able to spend time with them anymore. I can't give any higher tribute to a book then that.

The story is part time travel, part magic, large doses of historical adventure, and romance--but not soppy romance. Jamie and Claire are both smart, resourceful people who remain true to themselves and their respective cultures, but change each other as their association grows. Claire was a nurse in World War II, Jamie a Highland clansmen from 18th century Scotland running from English justice. Claire is swept through some kind of time warp from her time to his and struggles against a very alien culture, war between the Scots and the English, accusations of witchcraft, and her own conflicted feelings. It's epic, sweeping, and a whole lot of fun.

I suppose I'll have to read the many sequels now.

Not many books can make time travel plausible to a non "sci-fi," reader let alone, relevant in interest. So when I heard the premise of the book -I admit I was skeptical. But as other fans have found, this story was very interesting, intriguing and had me completley hooked chapter to chapter.
Following the past and present of the Scottish and British characters in this book is a real treat, delving into the cultures, language and raw description of their way of life. There is a bit of historical fiction blurring, action, adventure, mystery, romance... in fact, it's a little bit of everything!!
As I'm sure others have stated - this book makes you want to read the rest of the series (no matter HOW thick the books are) and believe me, although an arduous task, it is worth while once you are invested in these characters. Beware of the 4th book though.... things tend to slow down and wander - but pick back up again in book 5. I can only wish that someone would make a movie out of at least this book, Outlander, for it is by far the BEST of the lot!!

So many people have raved about this book, I had to give it a try. There are a lot of feelings for and against certain plot angles in this book. I'm not going to recap the whole thing, just what I see as the Big Four.

1) Frank. Wow, Claire really did forget about him easily, didn't she? She gave token resistance to the memory of the man she was legally wed to, but then, okay, Jamie's hot. I guess she's more of a "love the one you're with" kind of person.

2) Wife Beating 101. I had heard about this scene, and thought it couldn't actually be that bad. Right. It was worse. I know couples have erotic spanking and get aroused by it, that's one thing. This was a severe beating, with an impliment, causing extensive bruising and pain. And he got aroused by it. And the final capper, Claire was okay with it rather quickly. Just a funny little bonding moment between them, I guess. That's when I began to really hate Jamie, and lose all respect for the dishrag everyone calls Claire.

3) The overall tone of violence in the book is intense. Jamie is constantly being beaten, remembering being beaten, looking forward to being beaten ... there was something seriously askew there.

4) Jamie's rape. This scene was, after the rest of the book, not that over-the-top. While I disagree with the whole gay-men-are-evil-rapists thing she had going in this book, eroticism and violence was very much tied together. When Randall beat him the first time, it was practically rape. Later it happened for real. It didn't surprise me because I was pretty numb by that point. Also I didn't like Jamie very much. It was lovingly described, like the rest of the whipping in the book, and Jamie suffered. Like I said, I was so numb by this point that I truly don't care.

I can't really understand the great love people have for this book, or these characters, and trying to decipher what's going on between the florid prose is very difficult. People have said you either love this book or you hate it.

Each to their own.