Series: Outlander
Audio CD: 33 pages
Publisher: Recorded Books (September 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1419381024
ISBN-13: 978-1419381027
Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 3.4 x 6.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7,418 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #176,727 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #2 in Books > Books on CD > Authors, A-Z > ( G ) > Gabaldon, Diana #90 in Books > Books on CD > Romance #266 in Books > Books on CD > Literature & Fiction > Unabridged
I usually do not care for sequels, whether in novels or films. After reading Diana Gabaldon's wonderful book, "Outlander," I was sure she could not come up with another book to match the first. I was wrong and "Dragonfly In Amber" is an exception to my rule and an exceptional book. Once you begin to read, you will find yourself absorbed immediately and probably forget the novel's length (900+ pages). In fact, you may find yourself wishing it were longer.There are two major storylines here. One takes place in the 18th century. Claire Randall, who had traveled back in time from post WWII Scotland to a Scotland preparing for the restoration of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, (Bonnie Prince Charlie) to the throne, had married James Fraser and confided to him the truth of her time travels. She also told him of the coming disaster of the Battle of Culloden Moor, (1745), and its terrible aftermath for all of Scotland. Together they do everything in their power to halt the inevitable uprising, including move to Paris to become part of the Prince's entourage and perhaps effect a change in history through their relationship with the Jacobites living in France. The relationship developed between Claire and Jamie continues to grow in this book. Their intensely passionate love and close friendship is extremely moving. Although James is a very strong and competent person, Claire with her strength of character, independence, resourcefulness and nursing skills moves adeptly through another time period and is as indispensable to James as he is to her. We travel with both of them, from the Scottish highlands to the pomp of the French court, as they attempt to impact history and continue on together with a love that transcends the boundaries of time.
And I might add that no amount of therapy will cure you!I had to go to a conference this past week--a four hour drive from my home. Since my husband drove, this gave me a glorious block of UNINTERUPPTED time to finish DRAGONFLY IN AMBER. I also brought almost a month's worth of unread newspapers and several unopened PEOPLE magazines. In addition, I brought along a newly published and highly acclaimed book of short stories written by one of my former students. My intentions were to finish my book and then catch up on the aforementioned readings. HA! Thankfully, I also packed Gabaldon's third book because no amount of self-control would allow me to read anything but VOYAGER! I have no idea when I'm going to clean my house or do my Christmas shopping (I do still go to work). The only reason I'm writing this review is that I don't want all the books to 'run together'.DRAGONFLY IN AMBER is the second book of the highly acclaimed Outlander series. Jamie and Claire's adventures continue but the story actually begins at the end. It is 1968 and Claire has returned to Scotland with her 20-year-old daughter, Brianna. The next nearly 1000 pages involve Claire, Brianna, and a young historian named Roger and their attempts to find out what happened to Jamie, the love of Claire's life (and Brianna's father). Most of this novel is about what happens to the young lovers in the two years before Claire escapes back through the rocks in the year 1746.Gabaldon is an extremely gifted writer. Her character development is so phenomenal that I too, have fallen in love with the red-headed Scottish Highlander. When he says things like: "Oh, Claire, ye do break my heart wi' loving you." or, "Dye think I don't know? It's me that has the easy part now.
This is the second in a series of time travel, adventure/romance books by the author. There are four such novels published to date in what is hoped to be a series of six books. These novels have engaged readers everywhere, because of the author's masterful storytelling, as well as for the superlative use of historical detail which is woven into the tapestry in this most intriguing of stories.While the core of the story is about a love that transcends time, it would be a disservice to label it a romance, as it is much more than that. It is a wonderful adventure story interspersed with actual historical events and authentic period detail. It is this attention to such matters by the skillful pen of the author that renders these books three dimensional and so enjoyable. They are positively addictive!The love of the ages that binds these books is the love that twentieth century Claire Randall has for the eighteenth century Scottish highland warrior, James Fraser. Those of you who read the first book in the series, "Outlander", know that in 1945, Claire, an Englishwoman and combat nurse during World War II, is reunited with her husband, Frank, after the war. While on a second honeymoon in Scotland, she visits a strange, flat topped hill in the highlands of Scotland, where a forbidding stone circle draws her. Touching one of the stones, she is hurled through a vortex in time and finds herself in eighteenth century Scotland, where she meets a brave and brawny, red headed Scot, James Fraser, with whom she falls completely in love, body and soul. Finding herself thrust into the midst of clan warfare and intrigue, she and her beloved 'Jamie' have enough adventures to last a lifetime, which makes for a riveting story.This book is a continuation of that story.
Dragonfly in Amber: A Novel (Outlander) The Outlandish Companion (Revised and Updated): Companion to Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander) Dragonfly in Amber Outlander Kitchen: The Official Outlander Companion Cookbook The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance Amber on the Mountain (Picture Puffin Books) Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart Amber Brown Goes Fourth Amber's Atoms: The First Ten Elements of the Periodic Table The Amber Spyglass: His Dark Materials, Book 3 His Dark Materials Omnibus (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass) The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Family's Century of Art and Loss The Hare with Amber Eyes (Illustrated Edition): A Hidden Inheritance No Way Out : The True Story of Amber Cummings Amber Spyglass, the (Lib)(CD) (His Dark Materials) Amber Alert: Christian Contemporary Romance with Suspense (Dangerous Series Book 1) Magic Amber (Legends of the World) Dream on, Amber You Can't Eat Your Chicken Pox, Amber Brown