Outlander is the first book in the series of the same name by Diana Gabaldon. Pretty much everyone knows about Outlander today, thanks to the TV show on Starz. But when I first read this book about 20 years ago, hardly anyone knew about it.
I paid no attention to these books when they came out because their covers looked so boring. It’s the truth, and I’m embarrassed to say it. But then a girlfriend I really admired—because she was one of the smartest women I’d ever met—insisted I read the entire Outlander series, saying they were the best books she’d ever read. So of course I had to read them after that.
Outlander opens in Scotland during the year 1945. Claire, an English nurse, is visiting Scotland with her husband, historian Frank Randall. While wandering around the Scottish Highlands, she touches a rock and unexpectedly finds herself in the year 1743.
Luckily, Claire knows a bit about life in 18th-century Scotland, given her husband is a historian. She counts on this knowledge to stay alive until she can make it back to the magical rock. Unfortunately, she encounters difficulties with traveling back to her own time, and is forced to adjust to her new life in 1743.
When she arrives in 1743, Claire immediately runs into her husband’s ancestor, Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall. But he’s incredibly evil and terrifying—the total opposite of her husband, Frank.
Claire manages to escape Jonathan Randall, and heads right into the path of a rowdy Scottish clan. She eventually begins a love affair with Jonathan’s forever-enemy—a sweet, brave clansman named Jamie Fraser.
After spending months in Scotland and starting a new life, Claire grows less sure about wanting to get back to 1945—and her other husband, Frank. Could Claire ever leave Scotland, even if she really wanted to?
Outlander is epic. The entire series is a work of art. It encompasses multiple genres—the most impressive and notable being historical fiction. If you truly know Scotland during this era, you’ll LOVE this series. It’s spot-on, historically accurate—just perfect.
There’s also the time-traveling aspect of course, which is always magical and fun to figure out. The romance in this book is beautiful and passionate, and the love scenes are very explicit—practically erotica. Outlander is several hundred pages long, so you eventually become highly immersed in this universe.
The next books in the Outlander series are:
- #2 – Dragonfly in Amber (1992)
- #3 – Voyager (1993)
- #4 – Drums of Autumn (1996)
Have you read Outlander, and if so, what did you think? What are your favorite time traveling books?
Last Updated on February 23, 2026 by Sarah Ann
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