Further to my last blog, now to the fiction series

Diana Gabaldon - The Outlander Series

There are currently 7 books in this series, the first is Outlander / Cross Stitch.

The beginning of the whole saga is when Claire Randall and her husband go on holiday to the Scottish Highlands, it is 1946. They have been apart for 6 years because of WW2. Claire was a combat nurse in the war, and they have come away for a 2^nd honeymoon. One day Claire goes out walking and finds a circle of standing stones, and she walks through a space in the circle - but - she comes out the other side in 1743.

She is caught up in the wild and dangerous Highlands of that time, meets Captain Jack Randall (who turns out to be distantly related to her husband and a rather nasty man!). She manages to escape from Black Jack (as he is known ), and winds up with a gang of wild Highlanders also trying to escape him. To enable her to stay with the gang, she must marry one of them - Jamie Fraser.
Thus begins the Saga, the story of Claire and Jamie.

I loved this book, the fact that it is tattered and torn due to the number of people I introduced to Diana Gabaldon is testament to this. There are so many facets to the series; there is the time travel aspect, which is terrific; there is the historical aspect, which is fascinating; and of course - the love story.

I don’t want to say too much more as the books cover a huge period of history, both here and across the world. The changes which are the back drop to the story of Claire and Jamie. Adding into the mix, the many dilemmas Claire has - to hide her true origins - having to figure out what to do when she knows the historical outcome of situations, when she potentially has the influence to make changes.

There’s laughter and tears, horror and joy all mixed in together with the history. I have the stack of books sitting to hand as I long for the right time when I can settle down and read the series. I haven’t read the last 2 books yet as it has been some time since I last read one of the series, and I want to have the time to skim through the first few books to remind me of all the characters. Imagine the joy and excitement of settling down (again) knowing you have all the books to look forward to. Bliss!!