Dragonfly in Amber

Outlander, Book 2

By: Diana Gabaldon

Narrated by: Davina Porter

Length: 38 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author Diana Gabaldon enchanted scores of fans with Outlander, her electrifying historical saga set in 18th-century Scotland. Now the sequel sweeps listeners back into the past as Claire relates more of her perilous sojourn there with her Scottish warrior husband, James Fraser. Twenty years after her strange journey back in time, Claire has returned to Scotland with her daughter, determined to share with her the secret she has harbored since her time travel. Still longing to know the fate of her beloved warrior, she recounts the story of her stay with him in the intrigue-ridden court of Charles Stuart and their attempt to avert the doomed Highlands uprising at Culloden. As her story unfolds, it reveals implications more far-reaching than even Claire could have guessed.

Narrator Davina Porter's gift for expression captures the history and flavor of a harsh place and time, and gives it the polish of a warm and engaging love story.

©1992 Diana Gabaldon (P)1998 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"Compulsively readable." (Publishers Weekly)
"A winning combination of vivid imagination and good common sense." (Kirkus)
"Diana Gabaldon is a born storyteller." (Arizona Republic)

Audibly delicious!

If the trifecta the series the characters and the narrator all join together to form what I call an audibly delicious mix. Sad for it to end but excited there's another book awaiting me.. Is standing ovations were possible for an audiobook I would still be giving this one

I never get tired of listening to this book.

A beautiful story, 2nd in the series. Time travel, romance and history. Beautiful relationships. Excellent

Read Outlander First

This is the second novel in the series, presently at seven, of the "Outlander" series by
Diana Gabaldon. I read it first and regretted it. While it is self sufficient (self supporting without need for other books) it contains a good deal of material which will ruin the first novel, simply titled "Outlander," (hence this name for the series of novels) in my opinion. Since I am a great fan of Gabaldon and this series I'll strongly suggest you read all seven novels, although two, The Fiery Cross and Breath of Snow and Ashes, are not available as unabridged books. You'll need to purchase the actual hard back or paperback book for these two (books five and six of the series). DO NOT buy the abridged form. They lack far too much detail and too much of the actual stories themselves IMHO. In many ways Dragonfly in Amber is my favorite of the series, possibly because it was first and provided the motivation to read (and listen to) all of the novels in the series. This is a grand book, Dragonfly in Amber, but I hope you will heed my caution and read/listen to "Outlander" first.

thngs I would need

if you time traveled back in time. who would not take
1. a toothbrush
2. toothpaste
3. tampons
4. aspirin
5. deodorant


add whatever you could not live without

while I love the series and the narration is fabulous.. I wonder.. who would give up these things plus more.. who would want the smells, disease and the decay and the filth of the :old days" when you have known what it is like to have fresh clothing and a clean body.. love is great.. no doubt about it.. but I am not sure it be enough to compensate for all of the things I would miss.

Back to the Scot

Just when you thought that you just couldn't believe any more, or be caught up and involved in any more, you find yourself preparing for another journey through the stones. You wonder what Claire is about for a bit, but then you realize.

You are introduced to a host of new characters and keep the ones you met in the previous one. Yes, you can get attached to more people and actually keep it straight and understand it. You will find yourself amazed yet again by the author's amazing hand at crafting the places, people, relationships and staying true to history, geography, emotions and legends.

You will once again be amazed by Davina Porter. I don't know if there is anyone that could have done this series justice after hearing how Davina did this book. Her incredible presentation was far more than a narration in my opinion. She is absolutely Top Shelf - Three Star Michelin Chef of Audio Presentations.

Worth the read or listen

Wary at first to pick up along a later time, the book becomes better as it progresses. We still get to travel back to be with Jaime some more thank goodness!

powerful story!

amazing and life changing.i enjoyed every word so. narration is phenomenal and i am dreading the end of this series.

An engaging story, well written

I love Diana Gabaldon's way with words. She sets the place and time so perfectly that I feel at ease within the framework. The characters are real and complex and I feel as if I know them intimately.

But it's her story telling ability that fascinates me. I know her way of actually writing these books and I can tell you, it would confuse the hell out of me to do it. But she does it so well, writing the "pearls" of scenes and then stringing them together later on into a cohesive and brilliant plot. Lots of action, in depth character pieces, and everything flows like a river to the final, satisfying conclusion.

In Dragonfly in Amber, Jamie and Claire go to Paris, to try and change the course of history -- to prevent Charles Stuart, aka Bonnie Prince Charlie, from leading the rebellion that ultimately led his army to ruin at Culloden Moor and led to the desolation of Scotland for over 200 years. But, as they find out later, they are unsuccessful -- the Bonnie Prince has issued a proclamation to the English crown that he is leading his army to take back what he feels is rightfully his and he has signed Jamie's name to the roster of sympathetic Scottish nobles. With no choice but to fight for his king, Jamie goes to war and Claire is by his side.

The story is told in flashback, by Claire to her (and Jamie's) grown daughter and Roger Wakefield (a minor character from the beginning of Outlander, also now grown).

The only troublesome thing to me -- and yes, it's just my problem, it appears -- is that I am still not impressed with Davina Porter's reading. While she has Claire and the narratives down pat, her reading in the Scottish voices still sounds as if she's "reading". Her inflections aren't consistent, the dialogue is a bit flat, and her voicings all sound the same with no differences for character. I really wish she'd placed more of an emphasis on the characterizations and let the voicing be hanged. It would have jangled far less. If I hadn't been a connoisseur of audiobooks read by honest to God actors, this wouldn't have. But it did.

But all in all, I recommend this audiobook highly. Having them in audio format is icing on the cake to an already brilliant and wonderful story, crafted by a brilliant author.

don't go!

I hope this series never ends. I'm best friends with Jamie and Claire. Fergus and Mertaugh are close to my heart. And I love to hate Jack Randal.

Get through 1st 1/2, then YOU'LL BE O*B*S*E*S*S*E*D!!!

Read title of my review. Holy moly!! I actually love this series (so far) as much, if not more, than GOT, HP, and TWD!!! I love reading. I love the STARZ series of this as well, but the background of the books really helps with knowing all of the facts and characters, and especially the underlying emotions. I'm hooked and in total awe!!!