Thanks to one of my lovely running buddies, I've gotten into the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. There are eight books (so far). It's taken me a long time to get through them because each one is a tome. Seriously, about 1,000 pages each. So, slugging through them has taken some time. I'm only now on the fourth installment, Drums of Autumn.
If you somehow missed me talking about the series (see
here and
here), it follows the story of a British WWII nurse who stumbles upon an ancient stone circle and is transported to Scotland in the 1700's. The books tell the story of her journey, her relationship with a certain Scottish gentleman, and the history of the world at that time -- including the Highland clan uprising. Part romance, part adventure, part historical fiction, part a little of everything else, I'm finding it all immensely interesting. I especially like the historical bits.
So, now that you're up-to-date, here's what's happening in this installment:
"It began in Scotland, at an ancient stone circle. There, a doorway, open to a select few leads into the past -- or the grave. Claire Randall survived the extraordinary passage, not once but twice. Her first trip swept her into the arms of Jamie Fraser, an eighteenth-century Scot, who's love for her became legend -- a tale of tragic passion that ended with her return to the present to bear his child. Her second journey, two decades later, brought them together again in frontier America. But Claire had left someone behind in the twentieth century. Their daughter, Brianna...
Now, Brianna has made a disturbing discovery that sends her to the stone circle and a terrifying leap into the unknown. In search of her mother and the father she has never met, she is risking her own future to try to change history... and to save their lives. But as Brianna plunges into uncharted wilderness, a heartbreaking encounter may strand her forever in the past... or root her in the place she should be, where her heart and soul belong."
I love finding new series, especially ones that are already pretty far along. I can travel through them at my own pace, without having to wait for the latest installment. This one has kept me pretty busy for the past few months now. And I've thoroughly enjoyed it. If you're looking for something good to read this summer and keep your mind off something (anything, really), I would suggest giving this series a go.
