Most helpful customer reviews
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Take a Voyage..., May 1 2009
Third in the phenomenally best selling Outlander Series, "Voyager" picks up where "Dragonfly in Amber" left off. Claire is shocked to learn that Jamie Fraser did not die at the battle of Culloden as he had said he would. After he forced Claire through the standing stones at Craigh na Dun, he went back to the battle but did not die as he had hoped. Instead, much to Claire's surprise, he survived the battle.
Claire and her daughter Brianna search with the help of Roger Wakefield through prison records and files in order to find out where Jamie may have gone after the battle. They learn that his life was spared and that he lived on after the battle under the assumed name of Alex MacKenzie.
Claire is torn between two worlds. Jamie sent her back to her husband Frank twenty years ago so that the baby that Claire carried would live. Now, those twenty years have passed and Frank is dead. There was no love between them, as Claire loves Jamie with all her heart. There is nothing holding her to the present except for her beloved daughter Brianna.
She makes the heart wrenching decision to travel back in time again, though it may kill her. Her love for Jamie is all the keeps her going. She leaves Brianna with Roger, and they begin to get closer to each other, a romance budding between them.
Claire hurtles herself back in time and finds Jamie with little to no problem. Their reunion is brief, as Jamie faints away at the sight of her. When he is roused, they have a proper reunion, though Jamie warns Claire that she may not love the man he has become. Apart from still being wanted by the red coats, Jamie lives under disguises as a merchant and printer. However, he also supplements his income as a smuggler. Claire assures him that she wants nothing more than to be with him.
Their adventures take them all over and they are soon on the run again from the English. It's quite a journey! While chasing a ship that has kidnapped Jamie's nephew Ian, the two love birds encounter pirates, battle with a witch (who readers will recognize from "Outlander"), survive sword fights and brushes with typhoid and violent storms at sea. Good will prevail in the end however, if only our two travelers can live long enough to get there.
I enjoyed "Voyager" much more than "Dragonfly in Amber". There was more adventure in this novel, more love, more romance, and more sex. This novel had everything possible to make it an excellent read and then some; it also kept me wanting more.
The story in "Voyager" seems to just hum along, much different than "Dragonfly in Amber" which was a far denser book. Jamie and Claire are also older now, by twenty years. I loved the idea that a hero and a heroine could be older than twenty five and still be able to kick butt.
There is a new character here that added spice to the novel as well. Lord John Grey makes his first appearance in the "Outlander" series (from "Lord John and the Private Matter") and his character adds something to the novel. We also get treated to appearances from all the other characters that have appeared in the previous two books, so that "Voyager" is a character smorgasbord.
I loved every blessed moment of "Voyager" and I am very glad that I have my copy of "Drums of Autumn", fourth in the "Outlander" series, ready to go. Though "Voyager" is 870 pages long, it is a well drawn, deftly told voyage that just keeps getting better and better. Thank you, Diana, for another amazing read.
If you haven't started the "Outlander" series yet, what are you waiting for?
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Series is slipping, Oct 23 2009
I read Voyager immediately after Dragonfly in Ember because I so desperately wanted to see where Gabaldon was going with this love story. The first half of Voyager is a page turner as our heroine Claire is back in the 20th century mourning a love lost. The year is 1968 and Claire is now a doctor in Boston, married to Frank and mother of Brianna - her daughter (fathered by Jamie). After Frank dies Claire and her daughter return to Scotland and with the aid of a history scholar discover that Jamie did not die in the battle of Culloden.
The story becomes very exciting when Claire plans to return to 18th century Scotland and reunite with Jamie. Once they are reunited drama and adventure unfold in rapid succession. I just felt there was too much going on and that Claire and Jamie are immune to all danger, torture and evil. I mean how much drama and distress can one couple endure?? In addition, Jamie has retained his good looks, buffed (but battered) body and perfect teeth in an age frought with disease. Gabaldon really stretches our abilty to believe in these characters. On top of this we are introduced to voodoo magic and there is a scene with a crocodile that I am still trying to process. Ugh, why?
I'm going to take a braek before I read the 4th installment.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
The series only gets better..........., Sep 28 2003
By A Customer
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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