Outlander

Outlander, Book 1

By: Diana Gabaldon

Narrated by: Davina Porter

Length: 32 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

This stunning blend of historical romance and time traveling adventure has captured the hearts of millions of readers around the world and catapulted author Diana Gabaldon to the top of the New York Times best seller list. Outlander introduces an exhilarating world of heroism and breathtaking thrills as one woman is torn between past and present, passion and love.

In 1945, former combat nurse Claire Randall returns from World War II and joins her husband for a second honeymoon. Their blissful reunion is shattered when she touches a boulder in an ancient stone ruin and is instantly transported to 1743 Scotland, a place torn by war and raiding border clans. Will Claire find her way back to her own time, or is her destiny forever linked with Clan MacKenzie and the gallant James Fraser?

©1991 Diana Gabaldon (P)1997 Recorded Books, LLC.

Critic reviews

"Davina Porter maintains the distinct voices she creates for each character throughout the lengthy narration. Her delivery of 18th-century language sounds authentic and is easily understandable." (AudioFile)

Very enjoyable!

If you could sum up Outlander in three words, what would they be?

Exciting, enveloping, enchanting!

What did you like best about this story?

The innocence of the relationship between Claire and Jamie - so sweet, so charming!

Which scene was your favorite?

It's hard to pick just one. There was so much variety in this story - humour, romance, intensity - the entire book from the first page to the last was just wonderful!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would have loved to listen to this book in one sitting however, sleep and work interupted. =)

Any additional comments?

Looking forward to the next book. The narrator (Davina Proter) was great - I really appreciated her ability to differentiate between male/female, as well as character.

This was an outstanding book - I loved it

I did a Google search on "Best audio book for a road trip" and Outlander came up in my research results and had so many excellent ratings that I decided to listen to it on my 7 hour drive from Boston to Rochester, NY over Thanksgiving 2017. It was excellent! And my Mom had been watching the series on Starz so I was able to watch what I listened to from the audio book. The Starz series is as excellent as the book. The chemistry between Claire and Jamie is amazing. The story had me riveted throughout the 32 plus hours that I listened to it. I highly recommend Outlander and just purchased the next book in the series from Audible (Dragonfly in Amber).

Wonderful!

Would you consider the audio edition of Outlander to be better than the print version?

yes

Who was your favorite character and why?

Claire and Jamie , because of their love and respect for each other.

What does Davina Porter bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I have just read the book when it was first released and i still have the paper copy. This is probably one of my favorite books ever. The narrator did a spectacular job of bringing it to life for me.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When she could have went back to Frank but chose to stay.

Loved it!

What did you love best about Outlander?

The storyline - true friendship and love - the fantasy behind it - the reality

What other book might you compare Outlander to and why?

Some have compared to the Time Traveler's wife but the only similiarity is time travel and a love story. Stands alone on its content and soooo much better than the TV series!

What does Davina Porter bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her accent and wittiness in her voice really gives the main female character such spunk!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed. I smiled. I cried. I feared. I was anxious. I loved the story!

Any additional comments?

Well worth the time commitment and read. You will not want to stop listening!

Outstanding narration

This is my first Gabaldon book. Had I known it was so gruesome in parts, I probably would have skipped it. She writes much like Steinbeck in that she takes a paragraph to describe a blade of grass, 3 pages to describe a clearing in the woods, much of which is not needed for the story. Still, the characters are rich and the story held my interest.

Enchanting novel

Truly fascinating novel, very realistic, intelligent and enjoyable throughout the whole book! I loved the characters, the adventures, the very natural and enchanting way Diana Gabaldon writes, the whole 18th century set, the romance and Claire's narration - especially the way Davina Porter read it. She's done a wonderful job with all the different accents from scottish to french, portraying every charachter uniquely and transmitting all the emotions wonderfully. It was a pleasure to listen to, I strongly recommend it!

Fabulous

Wonderfully read with such a variety of characters, can't wait to hear the next one.

I'm always drawn into this epic story.

I love this series, and this first installment is a gem. We are introduced to an annexing world, filled with dynamic characters.

Best audio book I’ve heard!!

Fantastic book! I love the TV show and decided to give the book a go, the writing is fantastic. The historical details, and whirlwind romance create an encapsulating story. Before I’d finished this book I’d already purchased the next three. Davina Porter does a great job which each character accent.

I can't get enough of the Outlander series

Being someone that cannot get enough of the Outlander series and story between two people from two different times loving each other, makes having it available to me on Audible has made my ability to watch the sireus, read the books and listen to the books a wonderful experience. The book is very well done the narrators ability to help you to build a visual with the voices she uses for each character kept me engaged. It is so well done that I can't wait to listen to the next book in the series.