Kevin's Watch

So...!

Anybody read Diana Gabaldon's Outlander Series??? If not you are really in for a treat!

Book 1 = Outlander
Book 2 = Dragonfly in Amber
Book 3 = Voyager
Book 4 = Drums of Autumn
Book 5 = The Fiery Cross
Book 6 = A Breath of Snow and Ashes (due out 2005?)

Five of the six (projected) books are now in print. Along with them, Diana has published The Outlandish Companion which covers Books 1-4 and provides lots of useful stuff (pronunciation guides, maps, a synopsis of each book, a list of characters, TIPS to Aspiring Writers and so forth).

Here's a link to her website The Diana Gabaldon Home Page.

I know from other posts that a lot of you are writing your own stories. Diana has good things to say to you, so check her out.

Back to The Outlander Series for a moment: I would describe it as fantasy (time travel is involved), romance (in the very best sense of the word) and historical (set in 1945 and 1745+) fiction.

Diana is one terrific writer. She, SRD and JRRT make the Triumvirate of My Favorite 20th Century Writers.

- Hearthcoal

I have never read this author's work .. it sounds really interesting stuff .. I will certainly keep an eye out for her ..

I like the time travel element ..

Hearthcoal wrote:historical (set in 1945 and 1745+)

does she travel from 1945 to periods up to and not exceeding 1745? like are these years the range of time which she delves into?

I have just read a Tannith Lee book about a vampiress named Vivia .. I dont think it can truly be called a romance .. but it was very unusual .. I am still undecided as to how I feel abou this book .. maybe it is the beginning of a greater series which elaborates somewhat more deeper into some plot/story line .. it left the reader kind of hanging in the balance ..

Always interested in a good recommended read! and the very fact that you have recommended her and consider her as one of your top 3 authors .. speaks volumes for the callibre of work of Gabaldon!

I went to the website and the Writer's Corner is brilliant .. as an aid to budding writers!!

everyone go see it .. it covers such things as

How to Find an Agent - January 2000

Advice - February 2000

Is there a right way to write? - March 2000

Finding a Publisher - April 2000

What's a Chapter - October 2000

the last linked section being really interesting .. where Gabaldon answers questions about format and style in relation to chapters!!

a really useful site!

The main character, Claire, starts out in 1945, goes back to about 1742 or so. She lands in Scotland before the Jacobite uprising.

And then...well, if I tell you much more this will turn into a SPOILER, so...

If you can, read the books in order.

Alas, I found Book 4 in an airport book store a few years ago and despite carefully checking, did not realize that it was part of a series. It stands pretty well on its own, and I was deep into it before I began to realize that there was at least one other book which came first.

I was surprised when it turned out to be three books not one.

- Hearthcoal

I really hope others read this thread .. especially because of the great aid to budding writers link!!

I am intrigued .. and will try to get myself a copy of this book .. I love time travel .. and it sounds interesting. It will be a challenge to get the books in order .. at least the way I go about getting books

Besides the novels in her main series, starting with Outlander, which I just started reading and am enjoying, she also has a novel and two novellas out about Lord John Gray, a minor character in the Outlander series. Lord John is a very interesting and positive portrayal of a homosexual man in a time when gay men could be burned at the stake...

got Breath of Snow and Ashes a week ago while i was still reading Erikson's MT. i drug that out because i didn't want it to end. now i'm reading Gabaldon but my heart is still in Malazan. i can't believe it since i waited and waited for this Gabaldon book but i think i'm gonna have to stop reading and go through the Malazan books again. weird since i love Gabaldon and her characters and her writing sooo much but, can't get my head out of those Erikson stories.

Just bought breath of snow and ashes. Really, really enjoyed the series, Claire is just so sensible. Jamie makes me want to bang my head against the wall with his honor, and I think my favorite character was Geillis, the witch.

The time travel aspect is really well done.

still haven't gotten far in breath of snow...i'm afraid Donaldson has intervened!! Gap. got the second one tonight.