Book #29 - Outlander

[janetlin]

A much belated report, but I finished this on the 28th or 29th of December, and it was my last book for the year. 5 more than 2007; not as many as I would have liked, but when I started 2008 I didn't know I would do NaNoWriMo and thus effectively remove an entire month from my calendar.

So anyway. I'd seen this series talked about, and finally my curiosity got to the point that I actually bought Outlander. And I love it. It's very... kind of grown-up fantasy, in contrast to the Pern books (which I do intend to continue with). Possibly because it's less fantastical fantasy and more like good old historical fiction. The protagonist just _happens_ to have traveled back in time. The first time I heard about these books, I admit I was skeptical. She falls through a standing stone and ends up in the past? And just happens to _have_ to get married to this handsome young highlander? Oh but she's already married in her own time, teh angst! It _sounded_ like bad fanfiction. But I"m so glad I gave it a chance because it's written just beautifully and manages to be completely believable. I think this is proof that even a somewhat cheesy premise, in the right hands, can turn into something amazing.

And I agree with crymeariver_ - Captain Randall is _totally_ Jason Isaacs.

Title: Outlander
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Pages: 627

29 / 36 books. 81% done!

Full stats report for the year when I get home.

EDIT:
Fantasy 62%
Sci Fi 3%
Horror 3%
Historical Fiction 24%
Romance 21%
Drama 45%
Classic 45%
Action 14%
Assigned 34%
Nonfiction 7%
Play 7%

Average pages 298

Pretty good spread. I owe a lot of my fantasy reading to my Fantasy and Romance class from the spring semester.

Comments

[aliette-rowan.livejournal.com]

I love, love, love this series. The books are addictive. I'll also put in a plug for the Into the Wilderness series by Sara Donati which is similarly awesome in it's rich historical romance and unconventional heroine.

[the_rainbow_jen]

Oh, wait til you get deeper into the series. One of the best facets is that it's not all perky 20-something relational stuff, it's truly enduring life challenges, and man, it gets me EVERY TIME.

Also, you have to check out Diana Gabaldon's podcasts when you've read them all. She talks about her writing techniques and I'm completely blown away by how brilliant her mind is. Beyond just her ability with the written word. She's grown as a writer leaps and bounds beyond any other author I've read.

[starfirenz.livejournal.com]

I totally loved the first two books of this series (the banter had me giggling away repeatedly to myself at odd intervals, which is always a good sign).

The third and fourth were... OK, but I thought they suffered from having left the main characters from Books 1&2 behind.

I still have Book 5 on my reading pile from back before I came home to NZ... which is a scary, scary thing, when you think about it :-0

[janetlin.livejournal.com]

... Wait, the books leave Claire and Jamie behind? How does that even work?!

[starfirenz.livejournal.com]

They deal with the next generation - their daughter, from memory - and Claire and Jamie just become background characters who pop up occasionally as 'the old guys' :-(