Why review a book that's ten years old? Because this reviewer, with numerous other Gabaldon fans, is waiting with tremendous excitement for the fifth novel in this series, which began with Outlander, due to be published in October of 2001.
The wife of a history don and a former WWII nurse, Claire Randall is on vacation, exploring the Scottish Highlands. Hiding behind one of the ancient sacred stones of the Highlands, Claire observes a solstice ritual that energizes the area. She walks around the stones, suddenly feels a powerful surge of energy and is drawn into a whirlpool of darkness. She finds herself transported two hundred years backward to 1743, a time in which her husband's ancestor is a sadistic English officer trying to capture her and her mysterious rescuer, James Fraser. Adventures, murders, witchery, herbal and folk lore, spies, Scottish clans, and a passion beyond belief fill Claire's days. Her experiences are so powerful that she makes a choice to remain, at least temporarily, in this new world that is so powerfully mixed with love and hate, great kindness and outrageous cruelty.
Known as "Sassenach" or "outlander", Claire manages to either totally captivate or torment everyone she meets. Being a remarkable healer, villagers are drawn to her help or fear what is seen as "witch-like" or magical powers. How will her presence change history? Like it or not, her unexpected existence in this century will cause a turn of historical events. How does one reconcile being married to two men, one in each different historical period? Who is one to trust in a land where surface appearances are full of subterfuge and spinning wheels of fate connected to the deepest allegiances and enmities? How can one consider leaving a relationship that is beyond everyone's wildest dreams - both in its physical and mental/emotional connections? This is one sizzling story, indeed!
Beside possessing a wonderful gift of rich characterization and tense, non-stop plot and subplots, Gabaldon is a master of description. This may involve a wild storm, a primitive hunt, a peaceful Highland mountain or farm, some fierce verbal exchanges, a dungeon-like prison that reeks of unbelievable torture and death, or the most passionate lovemaking that anyone could desire or conceive into reality, etc., etc. Yes, it goes on and on. The reader will only be able to endure the end of this magnificent creation because he or she knows more follows in the three other serial novels (four as of Oct.) connected to Claire and Jamie.
Diana Gabaldon has proven that historical fiction, romance and time travel novels can be intelligent, witty, honest, passionate and real to the point that the reader is totally involved and existing in this less technological but just as fascinating time and land!
Gabaldon has clearly mastered the craft of writing, yea far excelled the praise this reviewer could articulate. Read it for the people, the actions, the setting, the prose that breathes a poetry of appreciation and beauty into one's very breath and soul, and more.
Finally, get ready for the totally unexpected, for as the author notes in her introductory quote, "Disappearances, after all, have explanations. Usually."