Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

 

“One of my most recent favorite books is Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon.  Diana Gabaldon makes an unbelievable situation believable when a post-World War II married British nurse, Claire Randall, unknowingly slips through “the stones,” a time portal in Scotland. Dumbfounded and alone in a strange time,  Claire struggles to stay safe, warm and fed in the Highlands during a violent time of clan rivalry.  Thrust into a moral dilemma through the act of a forced marriage, she tries to find her way home to her own time while working out the daily necessities of life and relationships in 18^th century Scotland.  At the same time fascinated, repulsed, and homesick, Claire finds herself an “Outsider” because of both her English heritage, and her strange 20^th century customs. Things are further complicated when she finds herself with child.   

 

For anyone wanting to get lost in a book, this is the one. I would heartily recommend Outlander to anyone with an interest in fantasy, medicine, history, adventure, women’s issues or romance. Mostly what moved me, though, is the fascinating story of how one woman dealt with a situation beyond her control in a circumstance she didn’t understand, making choices she wasn’t always sure about..  On every level, this book hits the mark.  Diana Gabaldon is truly a master storyteller.”

 

Reviewed by : Barbara

Crisis on Infinite Earths (Graphic Novel) by Marv Wolfman, et al.

For my first graphic novel review on the blog, I chose Crisis on Infinite Earths by Marv Wolfman because it has such a profound effect on the DC Universe.  This was first written in 1985, and the purpose was to “clean up” the complicated multiverse that existed as various writers took over different characters.  This is a classic GN, one that I built my personal GN collection around, and was one of the first GN’s that we purchased for the library.  Overall, I think the writing was great, the artwork done in the classic Silver Age style, and the plot fantastic.  I actually read this with just a basic understanding of the DC universe at the time (I knew who Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman were but not really much else) and really enjoyed it.  So I think it’s a good jumping on point for beginners, and an excellent re-read for fans of all ages.

Anansi Boys

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

The sequel to “American Gods”, the story stars “Fat” Charlie, who all of a sudden has to deal with a brother who shows up at his door to show Charlie how to have fun just like their father.  Oh yeah, did I mention that their father was Anansi, a trickster god?