Thursday, April 5, 2018

Voyager (Outlander #3) by Diana Gabaldon (Adult Book Review)

Title: Voyager
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Series: Outlander #3
Publisher: Delta
Publication Date: 1993
Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance
Length: 870 pages


Synopsis: 
From the author of the breathtaking bestsellers Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber; the extraordinary saga continues. 

Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her... and her body still cries out for him in her dreams. 

Then Claire discovers that Jamie survived. Torn between returning to him and staying with their daughter in her own era, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face the passion and pain awaiting her... the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland... and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that can reunite or forever doom her timeless love. 

My Thoughts: 
Warning:
Possible spoilers since this is the third book. Read at own risk! 


Where do I even begin with this? I started Outlander last year and have fallen hard for this series. They're well written, well researched, and have one hell of a whirlwind romance as well. Jamie Fraser is literally the dream book boyfriend. 
But, you know, I'm really reading it for the history. And stuff.  Mmhmm. 


This kind of felt like two different stories. A wrap up from the first two books, and an entirely new story altogether that ends up being quite the voyage. But I'm glad of it, because I got the backstory from the 20 years spent apart, and an adventure to continue their story. 

Voyager starts off 20 years later.  Claire is now a surgeon and she and her daughter, Brianna, visit Scotland, meeting up with Roger Wakefield, a historian, where she finally tells her daughter about her real father from 200 years in the past and also finds out that, oops, he never did die in that bloody battle like he planned to. So, he's spent the last 20 years doing basically everything I never thought a perfect fictional character like Jamie would do (seriously, I was very very disappointed in some of his decisions.) I mean, come on, Jamie! Of all the gods-damned people in the world, you chose that conniving, evil little thing and then you don't even let Claire know?! Jamie almost went the way of Ross Poldark and made my shit list with that giant mistake. But Claire forgave him. Kind of.  (I felt like that conflict was too unresolved.)


And then... everything gets turned on its head. Because of course, it does. Jamie and Claire have this uncanny ability to stir up, cause, and find themselves in trouble every time they turn around or meet someone new.
Jamie's nephew, Ian, is kidnapped by pirates and Jamie and Claire must sail to the West Indies to try and save him before he is sold into slavery. Through rough seas, plague ships, more kidnappings, being separated, and soooo much more but every moment of it was a grand adventure.
We are introduced to new characters, surprised by a few older ones, and in the end, left with an all-new adventure on the horizon, and in a new world. So, of course, I cannot wait to start Drums of Autumn because this series is just too addictive. 

My Rating:  5 stars