Outlander 4-Copy Boxed Set: Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn

I love to read. But I love to read to escape and travel around the world and through time. So After watching the show, I checked out the books from the library. I have now purchased my own copies as I have loved the stories so so much. My usual Authors include Nora Roberts, Cassandra Clare, Debbie Macomber, Charlaine Harris, and I even liked the Stephanie Meyers books. I read for entertainment most often. Yes I love romance, But I also love detective stories, and really like the Richard Castle books. So on to the Outlander box set. I have read some of the reviews that people were shocked and horrified by Jamie Spanking Claire, about the rape scenes, and the sexual violence. Well, While they are not my favorite, That is the history of the world. These things actually happened back then. Back in that time period, Women were supposed to be subservient, and the Men doled out punishment. While Claire is a woman out of time, she has a whole other set of values. She is a woman from the 20th Century, thrust into the 18th century. Where women from the 20th century are not generally afraid of men or wary of them, especially a wartime nurse, the average woman in the 18th century were taught to be wary of men. So based on those items, I found it fascinating that she stood up to the men, and expected to be treated as an equal, and refused to be subservient to them. I loved that Diana intermixed history with a really good story. Each subsequent book has gotten better and better, adding more colorful characters and situations. With the outlander story, we see Claire doing her best to get back to her own time, until she realizes she truly loves Jaime and would rather stay with him than to go back to her own time. So If you go into the book with realizing that the 18th century is vastly different from the 20th century in the way they treat women then you will enjoy this book series.

I rated this 5 stars because of how much I absolutely LOVED the first book. The characters are so well developed it’s hard to think of them as characters and not real people. The story is truly mind blowing, and the attention to detail about the history of the time is incredible. Truly a stunning piece of work in all aspects. Not to mention I’m completely head over heels for Jamie Fraser. *swoon* No better male hero has ever existed. That being said, I unfortunately have to report that the series continually gets worse as you go on. I still greatly enjoyed the 2nd and 3rd for the most part, although I wasn’t as on board with where the story was going and it seemed like Diana kept introducing more and more wild plot lines with no explanations. Then the 4th book. Oh where to begin. What an utter disappointment. The characters I love so much have started to become a shell of who they were in the first book. New characters are mediocre at best, and hateful at their worst. Not hateful because they’re good villains, no; they’re hateful because they’re so pathetically constructed and underwhelmingly developed. And the amount of detail about things that don’t matter is so hard to get through. You could probably eliminate a good 300 pages of just description and the story would be exactly the same. Speaking of the actual story, this amazing action/adventure/romance/fantasy series that I have come to know and love felt much more like a cheesy soap opera than anything in the 4th book. Yikes. I’m currently on the 5th book, The Fiery Cross, and I’m only a few chapters in and already I’m bored and disappointed. Let’s hope it turns around.....But yeah. I still recommend it because the first is so amazing it’s worth it, but beware...you’re signing up for heartbreak. **UPDATE: I quit. I read about halfway through the 5th book and decided I couldn’t take it anymore. I looked up a summary online and true to form, it continues to spiral downward with outrageous plot lines. I’m not even sure how a writer DOES that - goes from fantastic/amazing/revolutionary to insultingly terrible within the same series, but never fear, Diana is here to show us it is possible. The first chapter of the 5th book is literally called “The Longest Day” and BY GEORGE I am here to tell you that it was literally the longest day(s!! because it is that long) of my life struggling through it. I don’t even know how I can love and hate something so passionately at the same time. Is this what it’s like to be a teenager in a vampire drama series?? Just do yourself a favor and only buy the first two books. If there is anybody who actually does want to continue reading the 5th and 6th books because they’re still in denial, hmu because I do not need that reminder of disappointment and sorrow sitting on my shelf.

All of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander books are outstanding, love filled and marvelous reading experiences. These stories are well researched albeit fictional accounts of history as lived by our protagonists Jamie and Claire Fraser, also our favorite love interests throughout these eight, soon to be nine of ten books in the Outlander series. It could be classified as historical, romantic fantasy but Outlander is also so much more that won’t necessarily fit neatly into a particular category. Ms. Gabaldon’s has done something right in her many Outlander books because her first book, Outlander, was published in 1990. This is 2021, so 31(almost 32)years later there is a highly successful STARZ series now getting ready to start showing it’s 6th Season early in 2022, her ninth book in this series will hit bookstores November 23rd and her fans are as faithful as ever if not more so as a second generation has now been introduced to this author. One can easily forget the time travel elements in the stories because Ms. G’s characters are so well drawn. There are really no small characters because she finds apt spaces for each of them. There is violence. The 18th Century in Scotland and the new world of America was full of violent events so her meticulous research does not glorify the violence; it is but a backdrop. The same can be said of the sex in these books. It is loving, beautiful, honest, sometimes even funny but never gratuitous. The words that come from Jamie to Claire, Claire to Jamie as well as to all of her characters are deep, loving and memorable. Just ask any of the fans of these books. They’ll say the same. I hope this review helps others in choosing to read all of the Outlander books. To say that I love the story the tell would be an understatement. This is my third time through while many of her long time fans reread them all each year. This is the best I can say to recommend all to just read Outlander. I think you’ll be hooked; but see for yourself.

The characters are relatable. The story is intertwined with historical events , making this an interesting and fantastic read! Loved it!

Riveting, heart warming, disturbing, educational. I’ll do some research to see how true to time this all is, and I expect it’s very close. Thank you for an incredible adventure.

I felt like reading the book was a re-run after watching all the seasons on DVD. I loved the seasons, just wished I read the books first. This set seemed like the cheapest way to go. At 850 pages for the 1st book, it took me forever to read it. This set is Mass Market which has small print. Wished I just purchased the regular paper back or hard cover so I could have had larger print. Also, the mass market doesn't have the chapter select in the beginning of the book. So, I had to make a sheet where I wanted to find things like witch trial. I am so tempted to just go ahead and purchase the larger 2nd book just so I don't have to strain my eyes or bend the mass market book because the print is close to the spine. The books are just too thick in this format. If you have young eyes, it may not bother you. The book is a little different from the movie series but not much. Claire's first marriage was in a church, not the justice of peace. I read others but don't want to spoil it. I would have given it 5 stars if it was the larger books.

You feel like you are there with Jamie and Claire. Ive read this series 3 times and still love it

Love the series so I wanted to know more about the characters. Outlander fans this is a great buy. I purchased books 1-8.