Oh Outlander, how I adore thee!

If you know me, then you are probably aware that I have spent a good portion of my life reading (and re-reading) Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. I am so obsessed with into these books that we visited key book locations on our recent honeymoon  and I occasionally strike up conversations about it with random strangers (most recently on a blanket cleaning trip at the laundromat).

Visiting the -very real- Clan stone of fictional protagonist Jamie Fraser on Culloden Moor, Scotland

Outlander is the first book in a 7 (soon to be 8) book series that follows the adventures of one Claire Beauchamp as she mistakenly steps through a Scottish stone circle in the 1940’s and ends up in the 1740’s. Now, before I lose you, I’ll tell you, while this makes the book sound like a dungeons and dragons nerd fest, that’s not the case. The book is written from Claire’s pragmatic, humorous, and decidedly-English point of view and is an obviously well-researched historical work. No dragons, faeries, or magical unicorns here.

I first discovered the book in high school, as I was annoyed that most books seemed to be over before they began. When I saw these nice fat (Outlander is 800 pages, the rest are 850 – 1000+) paperbacks, I felt I might be satisfied there. What is nice about such a long book is that the characters are so thoroughly explored that you can really appreciate how the events of the plot effect them, rather than taking the character at face value.

I won’t spoil the book for any that might be interested in reading it (go on, read it, you know you want to!) but the book is a wonderful historical fiction with a romance like no other. Even my grandmother is a huge fan 🙂

My Outlander novel. Had to switch to a Kindle after read #3!

So, as I re-read the series for the fitfth time in preparation for book 8 (Out in March!) I encourage you guys to pick it up and have a go! And let me know what you think!