Outlander: Outlander, Book 1

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars | 100,831 ratings

Price: 26.33

Last update: 01-05-2025


About this item

This stunning blend of historical romance and time traveling adventure has captured the hearts of millions of readers around the world and catapulted author Diana Gabaldon to the top of the New York Times best seller list. Outlander introduces an exhilarating world of heroism and breathtaking thrills as one woman is torn between past and present, passion and love.

In 1945, former combat nurse Claire Randall returns from World War II and joins her husband for a second honeymoon. Their blissful reunion is shattered when she touches a boulder in an ancient stone ruin and is instantly transported to 1743 Scotland, a place torn by war and raiding border clans. Will Claire find her way back to her own time, or is her destiny forever linked with Clan MacKenzie and the gallant James Fraser?


Top reviews from the United States

  • Jacy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Story That Includes Romance, Mystery, Action (Yes, Guys Will Like It Too), and Even Time Travel!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2015
    What can I say to anyone who's read a Diana Gabaldon book? This woman has 'the gift,' (and I am also a 'paid' writer/part-time editor, so don't write many customer reviews on books unless they're REALLY, Really good OR, REALLY, Really bad)!

    I have to admit that although I'd heard of Diana from my sister who's read her books, it wasn't until we watched the (Starz) televised version of her first novel, Outlander, that I sought out her novels. All of Gabaldon's novels are a unique mixture of genres; Romance (but do NOT let this turn you off guys as there is plenty of 'manly action,' and testosterone in the male characters via clan conflicts, revolutions, and plenty of broadsword and dirk, hand-to-hand fighting), History - including U.K. in post world II, and later, US and U.K. in 1960s and 70s, AND, even Scotland, France, & more in the 1740s and, 1760s, because it's also somewhat Sci-Fi due to time travel!

    I am not typically a big Science Fiction or time travel fan, but Diana has found a most uncommon and pretty fascinating way to weave all of these topics together in such a way that it is quite believable and very entertaining. Her stories are also an inspiration because she had never been to the U.K., Scotland, or France, before writing her first few novels (and to think I was worrying about my current writing project because it covers several time periods and mostly takes place in another major city in the U.S. that I've not really seen firsthand - D.G. has definitely helped to alleviate my fear with this). As a college Professor, Gabaldon, certainly zeros in on research and it shows in the intricate and factual details about pretty much everything she writes about - I love that while being completely entertained, I'm also always learning something new while reading her books!

    I think that since I saw the TV series (Season One last Fall), I was totally ready to submerge myself into these books and, while I'm on novel number four now, Outlander may always be my favorite - it being my first.

    This first book begins with the main female character, Claire, and her fairly new husband, Frank, taking a much needed get-a-way to a quaint town in Scotland right after World War II. Claire, who worked through the war as a nurse, and Frank, an officer, hardly saw each other during that time between 1939 and 1945. Anyway, their little second honeymoon doesn't end up being the catalyst for bringing them closer together but instead, on a trip to an ancient circle of stones, Claire is transported back in time through one of the stones smack dab in the middle of a skirmish between the Scots and British soldiers. It takes her a while to realize she's not in the middle of some filming crew doing a historical movie or documentary, but REALLY, 'in' the 1740s!

    The story just gets better and better as Claire is rescued by a band of Scots from a villainous Red Coat who is about to have his way with her, and, just happens to look just like her husband, Frank, BECAUSE, he is Frank's Great, Great, (however many 'greats') Grandfather. The Scottish clan who swoops her out of harm's way doesn't quite know whether they can trust her since she's English or, as they say, an "Outlander," or a Sassenach. As the story progresses and Claire constantly tries to think of ways to get back to the circle of stones and, her own time frame (and husband), she inadvertently finds herself falling for one of the young Scots, Jamie Fraser and well, by this point, you won't be able to put the book down (or, stop watching the series).

    Does Claire fall for the handsome young Scottish warrior with a heart and soul as big as he is, or does she find her way back to the stones and her own time and, Frank? You'll want to know so I'll not include any spoilers from this point. I will say, that my husband, is not much for "period romances," but after he watched the first two episodes, he was hooked - like I said, plenty of 'action,' all around if Diana Gabaldon is behind the story.

    Season 2 of Outlander starts April 4th here in the U.S. and we've already set it to record. In the meantime, you can go to Starz web site and find out how to catch up with Season 1 - which is playing now I believe as a precursor to the upcoming season. I'll also be reading on through novel number four ( Drums of Autumn). There are four more novel waiting after this as Diana has written a total of eight novels in this series - and to think this incredibly gifted author started writing Outlander, "Just to see if I could write an entire book." Uhm, Ms. Gabaldon, I'm pretty sure we can say a resounding "YES" to that!
  • Reader Lady
    5.0 out of 5 stars What a saga!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2014
    What a compelling and riveting book. I found Outlander a hard book to put down. Of course, I had to since it is 642 pages. Even though I read very fast, I obviously could not read this one in one setting. This is not the first time I have read this book, but I am certainly that glad I made the decision to read it a second time. Ms. Gabaldon's writing is so fluid and smooth, and it brings the highlands to life with her vivid description of the landscape. Talk about using all five senses in one's writing--this author is a master at this.

    For anyone who has not read this incredible book, here is a short synopsis. Claire Randall, a nurse just returned from the battlefields of World War II, is on holiday with her husband Frank, when she stumbles across Craigh na Dun and travels back to 1745.

    Claire barely escapes from Black Jack Randall, her husband's many time distant grandfather. A group of highlanders rescue her from his clutches. She meets Jamie Fraser and her odyssey to discovering a love that will span distance and time, begins.

    Claire is feisty, stubborn and very resilient in the face of overwhelming and shocking happenings in her life. I wondered what I would do if faces with the realization that I had traveled back to 1745? I am not sure I could have handled it with Claire's aplomb. I was astonished at the ease in which she adapts to her new surroundings.

    When happenchance forces to wed Jamie to avoid being taken by Captain Randall, I was a bit taken aback by her easy acceptance of her plight. That is the only criticism I have for the story. She obviously loved Frank; that is clear in the start of the book. I feel that she should have been plagued with more regret and grief over his loss. I know it was critical for her to adapt, but internally, I would like to have seen a bit more struggle.

    Jamie, on the other hand, is the ultimate alpha hero, strong and fierce, brave and determined, yet with a touch of innocence as well. He is over four years younger than Claire and has managed to remain a virgin at the age of three and twenty. Ms. Gabaldon handles his de-flowering with delicacy on Claire's part when she learns of his innocence.

    There are a great many tender, yet highly emotionally-charged love scenes throughout the book. While very heavy on the passion that the two feel for each other, the author is able to do this with very little explicit detail. It takes a masterful hand to pull this off, still getting the reader, at least me, fully enmeshed with the characters to the point it as if I were living in their heads. I love it when an author can do this. It allows me to form my own romantic conclusions.

    To say the least, I absolutely loved this amazing book from start to finish and am now ready to move on to the next one, Dragonfly in Amber. Now I originally read this book in 2004 and voraciously read the first four. I grew quite angry when I read Echo in the Bone because it ended on such a cliff-hanger, then I had to wait for several years for Written in My Own Heart's Blood, but it was worth the wait. That one brought back all the reasons why I loved this series.

    I do want to mention that I also listened to the audio book as I read and that truly enriched my reading pleasure. Davinia Porter does an incredible job of bringing all the myriad of characters in the saga to life. Each character's voice is so unique and easy to identify. It takes a true master to do that. I highly recommend listening as you read this book.

    If you love Scottish historical romance/adventure stories with intensely passionate and well-developed characters, and a book full of wonderful and fascinating tidbits of history, then you will want to read Outlander. Perhaps, if you have already read these books, you will decide to re-read this amazing series as I am doing. Happy reading!

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