Diana Gabaldon

[Leah]

At this point in time she has written the following books

Outlander (also released as Cross Stitch)
Dragonfly in Amber
Voyager
Drums of Autumn
The Outlandish Companion
The Fiery Cross
Lord John and the Private Matter
A Breath of Snow and Ashes

All of these books are part of the Outlander series except for Lord John and the Private Matter. It is actually a spin off of one of the characters from the Outlander series.

This series is utterly amazing. It's an amazing tale of time travel embedded with romance and a whole lot of historical detail. Claire Randall falls through time to 1761, right in the middle of Scotland. Right before the Jacobite Rising. Diana weaves you into the story so well, you feel like you're right in the middle of it. She tells you what Claire does to survive, how she adapts to her surrondings despite how different it is. There's romance, war, family values, everything in these novels. She went so far to make it to where all of her facts were right. The historical detail is unreal. It almost makes it feel like an interesting history book. There is no doubt at how much work she put into these novels. Of course because of the work they are also rather long. Outlander is 800+ pages and the later ones are upwards of 1100+ pages. She was so detailed in her work that she ended up with a lot of information. And to give us readers who are so hooked on her work more of a fix she released The Outlandish Companion which is actually a book dedicated to even more historical detail to let us know where she pulled her facts from.

Anyone that loves historical romance, or just a good novel will love this series. You must also be able to tolerate the longer novels. In fact, Diana has even said that she wrote Lord John and the Private Matter just to see if she could write a shorter book.

Feel free to ask any questions. I don't know anything about her newest book but I will soon. I'm almost to the point of starting on it. At least look it up online and read in better detail what it's about.

[Kell]

These sounds intriguing - could be you've just given me an entirely new series to get hooked on!

[Leah]

That's how I got hooked. Someone asked what kind of books I liked and told me to look up Outlander. I read about it online, found an awesome deal on Ebay and got the whole series for cheap. Including one in hardback for like less $30 with shipping. Been hooked since the first 40 pages of Outlander.

[Mamacita]

I read Outlander back in 1991 quite a while before it was actually released. Diana was considered to be the new "wunderkind" of the literary world, and she does, indeed, put a great deal of effort in her research.

She's a very talented author, and while I enjoyed Outlander, by the time I'd finished Dragonfly in Amber I was really tired of the characters, wishing Diana would just finish the damned story and move on to something else. I stopped reading her after that. :(

[Cerridwen]

I have all these except the Sir John one, the latest one and the companion, look like good books to get stuck into :mrgreen:

[Leah]

I finally got to get started on the newest one. I'm loving it so far. I still have yet to read the Lord John book, it's on my to read list. I was too far into rereading the series when I got it, so I'm trying to finish out the series. It looks like she's going to go to interesting places with this newest one.

[Inanna]

I'm taking the plunge and am going to buy 'Outlander' to see how I like it :mrgreen:

[Tash]

This sounds like the sort of reading I would enjoy.

When I've worked my way through my list, I'll look out for her books :)

[Leah]

I hope you enjoy. I'm almost to the middle of A Breath of Snow and Ashes now. I can't wait to get through it but then I know I'm stuck in limbo waiting for the 7th and predictably the final book in the series. You never know with her though, she knows when she will end this series, she's just not sure how many books it will take. But I also know not to expect a new one until 07 but probably not until 08. But I might get lucky. I'd willing let you borrow it if I was closer but as I'm in the states and not the UK I think I'm a bit far.

[Michelle]

Considering that Amazon has Cross Stitch for £7.99 and Outlander for £2.24 (yes, really!), is there any difference between them, or just different titles?

[Michelle]

Even adding postage at Amazon only brought it up to £4.99, so I went for it! :)

[Kell]

I'm reading Cross Stitch at the moment (I got it over at Read it,Swap it) & so far it's excellent. I can see myself getting hooked on the whole series!

[Sassenach]

I have all the books, but to be honest I prefer the earlier ones. (In fact, I never finished "Lord John" as I couldn't get into it at all.) Saying that, I still love them enough to buy them in hardback as soon as they come out.

[Inanna]

Michelle I was looking at Outlander too, I can't wait to read this book, so right up my street. :reading:

[Maureen]

Considering that Amazon has Cross Stitch for £7.99 and Outlander for £2.24 (yes, really!), is there any difference between them, or just different titles?

Micha, Play have Cross Stitch at 5.99 inc postage.

[Michelle]

Thanks Mau - I keep forgetting Play. However, I got Outlander from Amazon, as it was only £4.99 with postage.

[Leah]

I have no idea if there is actually a difference between Cross Sitch & Outlander. I've never looked into it. You'll have to let me know. Look forward to seeing what you have to say about it Michelle and Maureen.

[Kell]

I have no idea if there is actually a difference between Cross Sitch & Outlander. I've never looked into it. You'll have to let me know. Look forward to seeing what you have to say about it Michelle and Maureen.
Fomr what I've been told, there doesn't seem to be any difference at all (the 2 friends of mine who list it as their favourite, one of them has Outlander, the other has Cross Stitch & they seem to be identical).

Im' still really, REALLY enjoying this one. Trying to spin it out as long as possible because I really don't want it to end & I know it'll be a while before I can afford to get hold of the other ones in the series...

[Leah]

I'd gladly lend you mine, if postage wasn't an issue. Somehow I think it could get a bit pricey shipping it that far, especially since I have book 5 & 6 in hardback.

[jake]

There a few of her older ones on Play & Tesco for 5.99. Play deliver free.

[claire55]

Did anyone get to read this one and what did you think? I have just finished it and found it a really good absorbing book, perhaps a bit too long, but then I didn't want it to end!!! cant wait to get hold of the 2nd in the series now - its on loan at my library and cant find it on any swap sites - reluctant to pay WHSmith or Waterstone prices. I understand some of the later ones in the series are really hefty books!

[Kell]

I have the 2nd one, Dragonfly in Amber, on my Sale list if you're interested.

[Cerridwen]

I have them all in PB except the last one, haven't started them might be a good holiday read :D

[Inanna]

I have 3 of them on my shelf to be read as well :wink:

[Renniemist]

I have read all of Diana Gabaldon’s books except A Breath of Snow and Ashes. I enjoyed them very much although I think the earlier ones in the series were better. I rushed to buy Breath of Snow and Ashes when it came out, but it has been sitting on my shelf unread ever since. :oops: I think the sheer size of it is daunting.

[Hazeltree]

I've read all of them several times (apart from A Breath of Snow and Ashes as I waited for the paperback). I really like the characterisation and I find I'm missing the characters if I leave it too long between reads.

I'd pick up A Breath etc if I were you - there are some good storylines in it and it advances a lot of the stuff that has been discussed before. But then I've never had a problem with picking up long books!

Someone I used to work with got me into them. She lent me the first couple, but I had to buy the 3rd because she hadn't finished reading it and I couldn't wait! I've got them all now.

[pontalba]

I have all of them, and love 'em. :mrgreen:But she is so slow, that when a new one comes out, I have to re-read some if not all of them, or at least a through skimming.

I understand she will write at least one more and maybe two.

Yay!!
whoops, have to add, I don't care for the Lord John series that much. Read the first one and was not that taken with it.
It is the Jamie/Claire/Brianna characters I care about and just plain enjoy.

[Fiona]

I loved this series - but I'm completely stuck on The Fiery Cross - it is just so slow and boring I can't get past the first 400 pages.

My favourite books were Crossstich/Outlander, Voyager and Drums of Autumn. I keep re-reading my favourite bits. :) I'll have to attempt TFC again - maybe just read it in dribs and drabs.

[pontalba]

I loved this series - but I'm completely stuck on The Fiery Cross - it is just so slow and boring I can't get past the first 400 pages.

I found it a bit on the slow side as well, but it also is a good set up for A Breath of Snow and Ashes which really clicked along. It's worth it in the end.

[chicken]

[quote=Fiona;89720]I loved this series - but I'm completely stuck on The Fiery Cross - it is just so slow and boring I can't get past the first 400 pages.

Me too - I loved the series up to The Fiery Cross, but am finding it hard work. I bought A Breath of Snow and Ashes yesterday and almost put my back out taking it to the car - wow what a whopper! Might just move on to A Breath and dump TFC will I miss much??????

[claire55]

I have read the first 3 books. the second took me months to finish - i really struggled with it! I have found that I have to make these my main holiday read as thats the only way i can see I will get through them. I do enjoy them, just find them a bit hard going. I really enjoyed Voyager by doing this as I found I had more time each day to read. i will definately ensure I do that when i get to the Fiery Cross.

[shelby]

Hi there everyone,

This is my first visit and i am looking for some help!! Our book club is currently reading Cross stitch by Diana Gabaldon - I have to confess I am not a big fan (too many heaving bosoms) therefore I am struggling to come up with some decent discussion points - can anyone help? i would be eternally grateful!!
Thanks:friends0:

[Michelle]

I've combined your post with a previous one.. not sure if there's anything in the old one that might help.

The interviews on her site (http://www.its.caltech.edu/~gatti/gabaldon/interviews/int_index.html)might give you some ideas..? Or this page (http://www.its.caltech.edu/~gatti/gabaldon/faq/faq_index.html)?