The FINAL (da da dah dah!)

This introduction paragraph is to all those lazy readers who won’t even bother to move their own damn mouse (computer ones that is). Diana Gabaldon's Outlander novel begins in the year 1945 when Claire Randall, British World War 2 combat nurse, is on vacation in Scotland with her husband Frank Randall They are on a second honeymoon to rekindle their relationship after being separated for the past six years due to the war. While Claire is looking at some plant species near a stone structure similar to Stonehenge she starts to hear a loud buzzing sound and finds herself in the year 1743!

Claire runs into a sadistic (& when say I sadist I mean like…really a pervert) British soldier, Jack Randall who she later discovers is an ancestor of her husband, Frank. Claire is rescued by a group of Highlanders who she gets to know over the course of a few months. The British are convinced that Claire is a spy and they insist that she be turned over to them for questioning. The Scottish clan give Claire the option of marrying one of them in order to gain the clan's protection and not be turned over to Jack Randall. Quite reluctantly, she marries a younger man named, James Fraser, in the same church she and Frank had been married in (now that’s just weird). The story goes on from there with how Claire must deal with her awakening belongings for Jamie and the urge to get back to her own time and true husband; and with a few attempted rape scenes here and there, witch trials, and cussing Scots thrown in the mix. Well that’s about it in a nut shell…

It’s kind of hard to classify Outlander in one specific genre, it’s seems to be in a lot more than just two; romance, fantasy, historical fiction, and science fiction (and let’s not forget all that yummy porn)!!!! I suppose the closest thing I’ve have ever read that is even remotely close to this little piece of work would probably be The Host by Stephanie Meyer. Minus the sex scenes Stephanie’s little take on total alien domination of our dear planet was the first thing that popped into my head. The second was the Other Boleyn Girl; which didn’t have anything magical besides the fact that it gave me dreams about kicking that stupid King between his @$6*76% LEGS for killing Anne and hurting Mary and of course his own frickin’ wife! Back on topic, I think the two reminded me of each other because in the Host the main character is an alien named Wanderer one out of many aliens had taken over earth after slowly worming (quite literally) into our minds to take us over. But this particular human, Melanie, won’t disappear like the rest of them and the two soon meet Melanie’s lover, Josh. And because she shares her hosts feeling’s, Wanderer begins to like him, too. All the while knowing that they can never be together. Plus her host is watching too because even though she has no control of her body, Melanie can still sense what Wanderer is feeling and doing.

I think this situation was similar to what Claire was feeling when she was with Jamie. She feels like she could belong with Jamie but knows she doesn’t. She is already married to Frank and Jamie is from a completely different time period then her. She feels torn between her love and duty to return to Frank in the future or to stay with Jamie who already holds a part of her heart. Then there is the thing with Black Jack Randall who looks exactly like his descendant Frank (creepy).

Now that we are on the subject of that pervert let me say a few words. I LOATH BLACK JACK RANDALL! I first met Black Jack when he accused Claire of being a prostitute and tried to do some ungentlemanly things to her. The next time the two meet alone he nearly rapes her if not for the gallant rescue of her fake husband Jamie. Later we see him again torturing Jamie then being cursed by Claire in all her witchiness. Frank must have not received the sadist genes or Claire probably wouldn’t have married him in the first place. I feel sorry for Jack’s wife because he’s a total you-know-what! It’s funny how Diana describes him especially when he was in his office.

Without blinking he drew up a chair and sat down across from me, lounging casually one booted foot resting on the opposite knee. A riding crop dangled from one fine, aristocratic hand. I watched the braided tip, black and scarlet, as it swung back and forth over the carpet.
“The idea has its attractions,” he said, watching my eyes follow the sweep of the whip. “But I could probably think of something better, given a few moments to collect myself.”

When I read this I was like ‘Claire you better get your butt out of there or your dead meat sister.” This quote alone could tell you that he would love to just hurt somebody just to see them scream. And unfortunately this is a common trait in human nature many suppress it while others it is more visible and they and the people that know them get hurt. Then there is the more extreme kind which include the rapist, serial killers, child molesters, etc who can’t or just let their emotions make decisions that leave reason behind. This category is what Jack is under. He makes a pretty unlikeable antagonist because well… there really isn’t anything to like about him besides his looks. His personality sucks big time and he does the most of the vilest crimes a person can commit.

Well Outlander was relatively a very good book Gabaldon is a fabulous writer. I would defiantly recommend this book to someone though I will say this:
WARNING UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU LET ANY PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN READ THIS BOOK!