Book Review #8 "Outlander" and "Dragonfly in Amber" by Diana Gabaldon
A LASS THAT WAS LOST
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Publisher: Bantman Dell
Date Published: August 2005 (mass market reissue) and September 2002 (reissue)
Country Published: New York
Blogger Rating: 5 out of 5 for both books! *I just love OUTLANDER SERIES*
Plot/ Summary:
Outlander (Book#1)
In the year 1945 after WWII, Frank and Claire Randall decided to have their 2nd honeymoon at the Highlands, to rekindle the lost years that they were apart for each other and hoping to be able to start a family. But then one day, Claire walks through a standing stone in an ancient henge that dot the British Isle, sending her 202 years from the past in the year of our Lord.. 1743, where she suddenly became a "Sassenach"- an outlander in the land of the Scots were at that time torn by war with the English and raiding of border clans. Then meeting a Scots lad named James Alexander Mackenzie Fraser, who will eventually change her life and now being torn between fidelity and desire. Do love exist in two timelines, is it even possible? or would Claire eventually choose?
Dragonfly in Amber (Book#2)
*WARNING: this may contain some spoilers, if you haven't read the frist book*
20 years later, upon returning to her rightful time, and having a teenage daughter, Claire and Briana Randall decided to go back to Scotland, to reveal the true identity of Briana and who her real father is. Claire had decided to reveal all that had happen to her during her 3 year lost and absence from her time. Upon going back to Scotland, they have looked for Reverend Wakefield's adopted son, Roger Wakefield, now a historian and a professor from a prestigious university in England; to help them uncover the Jacobite's Rising, the fall of the Scottish clans and the welfare of Jamie Fraser.
Blogger Review:
As you can see, I deliberately combined two books in one blog post because if I just posted Dragonfly in Amber without reviewing Outlander, which is the first book. It would seem like an incomplete book review, So here it is.........
Actually I discovered this book series just last year maybe 1 month before their TV series debut last year, but I didn't read the book then when the series started. Then the unexpected happens, while they released the 6th episode of the season, they have announced that they will be having a Mid-season "FREAKING" break and would return on April 4, 2015, which was 3 Saturdays ago. I totally freak out, because the story ended in the most intense episode of the season. Then there I decided to look for the book, to know what will happen Claire and Jaime, also how would they escape the ruthless and perverted Jack "Black Jack" Randall.
Outlander
So being so hang up from the TV series, because of the Mid-season break. I decided to buy a copy of the book and read it. Gladly, the book didn't disappoint me. though it is a thick book, the story itself is very interesting which makes you want to read it even if your eyes are so tired from reading, you just can't drop this book without reading at least 50 pages a day, maybe or more.... Though at first, I struggle a bit in some Gaelic/Scottish words that were included in the book, but little by little I got used to it, like sometimes when I read the Gaelic/Scottish words like someone is whispering it to me. I like how Claire defends herself here in this book and how she would order around the stubborn men at that time, thus coming from the future and from a time that women have more rights, she adjusted herself well enough in the environment that she is stock with- from being a combat nurse from WWII to becoming a healer. Also from being a wife of Frank Randall of her present time and to become a wife to Jamie Fraser of the past. Insanity, Fidelity and Desire....
Dragonfly in Amber
I like how Diana Gabaldon writes the Outlander series, I noticed at the start of the story the timeline jumps to 20 years later and Claire being back to her present time. It gave me an impression, to read more about the book and to look for what happend? how did she got back from the past together with her stillborn child? what happend before the big Jacobite war with the English? and how they were able to go back to Scotland after going to France?..... All of those questions were answered in a combination of present parts/chapters and past part/chapters. Also I got quite used to reading Gaelic/ Scottish words, but didn't prepared myself to read French words, and got little bit confused at some part.
Category on Reading Challenge: A book with more than 500 pages
These books are the thickest book series that I have ever read in my entire life and I can't even get tired of reading them. Outlander, which is the first book of the series has 850 pages, while Dragonfly in Amber has 947 pages. Currently, I'm reading the 3rd installment of the book series, entitled Voyager with 1059 pages. I know right? *big bulging eyes expression* I'm totally crazy! but I love them so much. Hoping to enjoy the rest of the series.
Blogger Art:
Wordery for $14.82
Hand drawn in pen and pencil on sketch pad, rendered in colored pencil
Looking for a copy of these books:
I bought my first copy of the first book last November from Relay at Hong Kong International Airport (gone to Hong Kong for a vacation with my best friend, after 5 months of intense review and board examination) My first copy of Outlander is actually a movie cover (currently selling it from my online store, for Php 250.00) and had finished reading it last December 2014. Sadly, Outlander series is not quite available here in the local bookstores in the Philippines, so the other book series I ordered from an online buying service Keeping8Simple and some latter series I just bought a 2nd hand good conditioned book from Little Bookyard including my Outlander first book.
OUTLANDER
Amazon for $5.49 (Mass Market Paperback)
DRAGONFLY IN AMBER
Bookdepository (Free Shipping Worldwide) for $13.76
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