Voyager

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Summary: Claire And Jamie Reunited! Book 3 Of The 'Outlander' Series
Review: "Voyager" is the third book in Diana Gabaldon's extraordinary "Outlander" series. If you have not read the two preceding novels, I strongly urge you to do so before beginning this book. "Voyager" may be able to stand as a novel in its own right, but I think it would be too confusing to enjoy it thoroughly without having read the historic and personal drama that Ms. Gabaldon details so meticulously in her previous books.

Claire Beauchamps Randall/Fraser had been sent back, (or forward), to the 20th century by her beloved husband James Fraser just before the 18th century Battle of Culloden Moor. Since both Claire and Jamie knew in advance of the battle's terrible outcome and the horrific consequences for Scotland, they decided that for Claire's safety and for the life of their unborn child, it would be best for them to part. "Voyager" opens 20 years after a pregnant Claire stepped, for the second time, through the standing stones and back to the present. As the novel opens she is a practicing physician in Boston and her daughter Brianna is a young woman, the spitting image of her Scottish father. Brianna does not know about her mother's strange adventures with time travel and believes her father to be Claire's first husband, Frank - the man Claire returned to twenty years ago. Although Frank accepted Brianna as his own and loved her with all his heart, the marriage was not a happy one. Frank could never bring himself to believe Claire's story of the strange events that occurred when she went missing. And Claire had never been able to stop loving Jamie...or longing for him. Frank died recently in an automobile accident and Claire is finally determined to discover what did happen to James and his clan after Culloden. She has made up her mind that if there is a possibility to return to James, she will. She is torn however, between the possibility of reuniting with her love after so many lonely years and not wanting to leave her daughter alone. Claire is also concerned with Brianna's reaction to her story. Frank never believed Claire...will her daughter believe her?

"Voyager" is the account of what occurred in Scotland and with James Fraser after Culloden and during the years the couple was separated. It is also the incredible detective story of how Claire, Brianna and a friend piece together enough historical information to discover Jamie's whereabouts so that Claire can find him. The initial part of the novel dealing with Claire's return to 18th century Scotland and her reunion with James is riveting, as is the description of a doomed Scotland, steeped in post war poverty and starvation, her men dead, imprisoned, crippled and/or jobless. This is the weakest novel of the three, however. When James and Claire make the decision to leave Scotland the plot noticeably wobbles. Some of their adventures are not very believable and others just too coincidental...almost forced. Without the backbone of history to strengthen the plot, as it did with the Jacobite uprising, the novel does some strange meandering. This is not to say that "Voyager" is a bad book or that it makes for poor reading. I found myself engrossed as quickly here as I did with Ms. Gabaldon's previous works and, with an occasional pause, found myself reading just as avidly throughout. I am only saying that this is the weakest link in a most extraordinary series.
JANA

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Summary: WHAT A RIDE
Review: Diana Gabaldon can tell a story!!! This is the third in the series and what a book. You feel like you are right in the middle of it all. History masterfully woven into the tale of great love and advernture. I recommend the series to EVERYONE! Men love it, too!

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Summary: The series only gets better...........
Review: First of all, this 3rd book in the Outlander series introduces Major Lord John Grey who is the main character in Diana Gabaldon's new trilogy.

I am not a "romance" reader but am completely hooked on this series. The Outlander Series was recommended to me 10 years ago and when I read the discription of the story, I thought, "noooo, not for me". Then it was recommended by another person who just raved about the book. So I picked up a copy of Outlander almost a month ago, then Dragonfly in Amber, now Voyager and haven't put the series down. I absolutely loved reading the historical detail, the growth of respect and love between Claire and Jamie, and the fascinating characters introduced in each book in the series. Who couldn't fall in love with Jamie afterall?

It is seldom when an author can make me unconsiously smile and then a few pages later tear. I liked this book more than I did Dragonfly because the intimatcy between Claire and Jamie was left more to the imagination of the reader. This made the story flow more smoothly in my opinion. In addition, this book answered a number of questions left from Dragonfly.

This is more than a story of Claire returning to Jamie. It explains what happened to the clansmen during and following the Battle at Culloden. In addition, we find out what happened to Claire and Jamie during the twenty year separation. I felt sad to think that Jamie had not survived after Claire stepped through the stones, even though I knew better because he appears in the next book. Now that's good writing!

There is only one issue, just how many more whippings, stabbings, hits over the head, rapes, and shootings is Jamie going to be able to take?

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Summary: THE VOYAGEr CONTINUES¿....
Review: For most of my life I have been madly in love with Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. Now another man has entered my life: Jamie Fraser! From someone who has read thousands of books, I can honestly say that the OUTLANDER series is one of the best I've ever had the pleasure to read. VOYAGER is the third installment of a fabulous time travel, adventure, historical and romance series. Claire is now in her late forties (but still looks great!) and returns through the stones back to the eighteenth century and to the love of her life; the tall, handsome, intelligent, romantic red-headed Scottish Highlander, Jamie Fraser (who also still looks great). I am so much happier now that the couple is back together--I just wish things would slow down a few days and they could have a nice reunion (after twenty years). But no, as in Gabaldon's other books, there is never any rest for the weary! Something exciting (or terrifying) happens on every page!
There are a few inconsistencies in this novel. "Red Fish Blue" fish was written well after Claire read it to Brianna. Also, after everything Claire did--giving up not only her life, but her daughter--why did she so quickly leave before finding out the truth about Jamie's marriage? She refused to even hear an explanation. But there are only a few contradictory scenes; everything else in this book is delicious!
And of course, Jamie is still (thank heavens) romantic: "Christ, I do want ye! I want ye so badly that sometimes I think my heart will burst wi' the joy of having ye." Or, "Then kiss me, Claire," he whispered. "And know that you are more to me than life, and I have no regret."

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Summary: A pleasure to read
Review: I have read all the other reviews of these books on Amazon and am amazed at how seriously some reveiwers have undertaken the task of deconstructing this book and comparing it to the others in the series. These are NOVELS; fiction; a.k.a. a bit of fun. Who cares if the storylines are far fetched? It is fiction. For me these novels are just pure escape to a different time and place. (I like to read them in sequence over about a week) Don't take them too seriously, and don't expect that the author does either. Have you read the Author's note published in Cross Stitch?

I have loved all the books about Jamie and Claire. I applaud Voyager for continuing the story of their love. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories of their far fetched adventures. I fervently hope that Gabaldon writes of them again to wrap up some of the story lines that have been left hanging.

Having read the other reviews, I have two comments to add-

As to the homosexuality themes, I too find them all too frequent and irrelevant to the storylines. The point had been made extremely well with Randall. I fail to see the point of Grey. His relationship with Jamie is confusing.

As to the convoluted story lines, Gabaldon's publisher seems to be letting her get away with longer and longer novels. I enjoyed the passage in Drums of Autumn where Jamie and Grey discuss the length of books; the author obviously poking fun at herself. But, the length of Voyager contributes to the loss of some of the magic of the first books. If the author was made to focus on reducing length, then some of the more convoluted storylines could, at least, be tightened up. Voyager was unweildy and looked as though it had been edited in a hit and miss fashion. As a result, I found that it was, at times, difficult to follow.

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Summary: Self-Indulgence Starts to Creep In
Review: I have read all five "Outlander" novels, and must say that I feel they started to go downhill a little with "Voyager". I enjoyed the book, but feel that the "self indulgent" writing which becomes more pronounced in the later novels really starts to rear its head in Voyager. Parts of the novel (especially towards the end) don't appear to "gel" or bear any relevance to the continuing story - particularly the "Scottish serial killer" sub-plot - I was a bit taken aback at the end that it didn't actually seem to have any relevance! I felt that the book could have benefited from some fairly major editing in parts - could have lost a good 200 pages. Another ongoing theme that raises its head in Voyager is the "nastiness for the sake of it" so far as gratuitous violence/disease goes. The first two books were brutal in places, but I think "Voyager" goes a little too far. Some of my ambiguity towards "Voyager" is due to the plot, having known the characters from the first two books I found the description of the 20 years that Claire and Jamie were separated quite sad, and felt that their lives (especially Jamie's) had become a little over-soured and that the changes might be irreversable. I also found the whole "pirate kidnapping" plot a little over-the-top. Still, I did enjoy the book, but not as much as the first two!

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Summary: Great for MZB fans
Review: I just finished reading Diana Gabaldon's Voyager. It is my first book of hers and lo, I find that there are two others that preceed it! This story of Claire and Jamie set both in the 1960's and in the 1700's, is a great read for anyone that loves Scotland and Scottish history. The period comes to life and Claire's unique outlook is both funny and fascinating. Like Marion Zimmer-Bradley, Diana Gabaldon is able to transport us back in time, making it come alive, making the people seem real. I lost myself completely in this book and am now reading her first, Outlander. I am not disappointed! What a great author, I can hardly wait to see what happens next to those wonderful lovers, Jamie and Claire. Even my husband loves these books! There's something for everyone, adventure, fantasy, romance, history. Summer reading at its best!

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Summary: How much more torture can these guys take?
Review: I never read reviews in detail until AFTER I have read a book because I never want to spoil my impression of it. This book was good, if somewhat contrived. There were just too many coincidental "meetings" of characters again and again. I feel Gabaldon could have moved the book along significantly by jumping right in where Claire goes back in time to find Jamie, and THEN filling us in on the backstory. As it was, the first third of the book grew tiresome to me sometimes.

In Outlander, I loved the sweetness of Claire and Jamie but was concerned back then that they were altogether too "good" and the bad characters were too "bad." As their story unravels, however, I love that they are increasingly revealed as complex and at times troubling people. Sometimes they make bad choices. Sometimes they make decisions that hurt each other or betray each other (witness Claire associating with Jack Randall in Dragonfly). That's what makes their relationship so heartbreaking to me and what keeps me going through all the wordiness and slowness of these books. You feel like you slowly learn the dimension of these people. There are no pat answers in this series and nothing is quickly wrapped up.

I have to admit, Claire and Jamie I felt rather departed from their sensible selves in this volume. As far as Jamie's bastard son, come on, Jamie's an intelligent man. You can't tell me he wouldn't know of the ways NOT to get a girl pregnant (even if it is the 1700s)! Claire rarely tells Jamie she loves him and she doesn't adequately explain to him the emptiness of her life with Frank. Also, I felt she expected way too much of Jamie upon their meeting again. She flies in off her fairy hill and expects things to be exactly the same between them. Twenty years is a LONG time to be apart and she should have been more accepting of his choices. I commend Jamie for trying to get on with his life. Besides, for one who has enough guts to ask people, "who the hell are you?" -- don't you think Claire would have just ASKED Jamie straight out if he had remarried? This just seemed a departure from her character as we had known it. However, I am so taken with Claire and Jamie and their relationship I have to keep reading the series to find out what happens to them.

I am fatigued with the homosexual theme in these books - when it popped up in this one I hit my forehead with my palm and said, "AGAIN??" Not that I am a prude by any means, I just think it has been repeatedly overused and with the continual mention of homosexual sex and even various forms of male rape among various characters, I have to wonder at the psyche of the author??? I am also growing bored with poor Jamie (and now Claire) being wounded again and again and again. Jamie seems to spend his time being sewn up by Claire and I have to wonder how much a body can take!

That said, this is an awesome and very thorough series of books and I can't wait to continue the adventure. I approach Drums of Autumn a bit apprehensively, but I'm sure it won't disappoint. None of the books have, yet!

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Summary: A Good (Not Great) Read
Review: I thought this book started slow, I would have preferred jumping right into the plot instead of so much backstory. There were quite a few things that were hard to suspend disbelief about. How many times can Jaime be injured? Does anyone realize how hard it was for a woman to get into medical school in the 1950's, especially since she has no formal education whatsoever? And what is with the homosexual hangup? It was OLD in the second book. Does the author think every gay man is out to get her husband? Lots of great action, though, still a very entertaining read.

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Summary: Another winner
Review: Pick up the first two books in this series, Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, and then read this third installment for unparalleled reading enjoyment. There stories are all well written and leave you satisfied for time invested in reading them as well as wanting the story to continue (which it does in Drum of Autumn.) Highly recommended reading.