Outlander

Do you think time travel is for readers who like sci fi? The immediate image that springs to mind when one mentions time travel is that of huge machines and all sorts of plantless landscapes. H.G. Wells has done that to us. But if you pick up a Diana Gabaldon work you will be in for a surprise. The first book I read was the "Fiery Cross", the fifth in the Jamie and Claire series. My friend chanced upon it as we were browsing through books in Gangarams in Bangalore.

I started reading it that evening and I was hooked. Have been ever since. I have bought all her books and each time I have been enchanted by the lyricism in her writing, the passion in her characters and the humour that bonds each relation in the book. It is not a cliched romance where boy meets girl and falls in love and struggles in their endeavour to be together. Boy, who is younger by a few years, does meet girl. But their problem is not ordinary. Claire is from the 20th century while Jamie is from the 18th. They meet by accident as Claire is sucked in to a vortex near the standing stones that are scattered across Scotland's plains. What happens next is something that can only be imagined by Gabaldon. All of you who like good humour sprinkled with romance and adventure, be sure to procure a copy of Gabaldon as soon as possible. I would suggest beginning from the first book in the series which is named Outlander. Its impossible not to love Jamie and laugh with Claire at her witty repartees.

• Official webpage

• Here is a book review of Fiery Cross

• A chat with Diana where readers had a chance to interact with her and find out more about her life and her books

• A very nice site maintained by a reader