Say hello to Jamie Fraser!

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m a huge fan of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon… and while I’ve been participating in the mad Tweet-fest over this week’s Outlander news, I haven’t actually shared it here. So — drumroll, please, — for the last few Outlander fans who haven’t heard the news yet, say hello to Sam Heughan, signed this week to play Jamie Fraser in the upcoming Outlander TV series on Starz.

UPDATED: 12/26/2014:

I just couldn’t stand the fact that my old post with a photoshopped Sam keeps getting hits, since we know that Sam’s Jamie doesn’t look at all like this:

So in order to set the record straight, I’m adding in a “real” Jamie pic of Sam, in all his wonderful glory. Enjoy!

There now. I feel much better. (~Lisa @ BSF, 12/26/2014)

11May2013

A rock in the sun: Reading and place memories

Posted in The Reading Life by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the book Brazzaville Beach for my Flashback Friday post. And I discovered that my dominant thoughts about this book had less to do with the plot itself and more to do with the memories I have associated with the process of reading it. I read Brazzaville Beach during a family vacation to Israel one summer, several years ago, when the weather was unbearably hot and we spent quite a bit of time visiting my husband’s relatives. My son was still a toddler at that point and couldn’t take the heat very well, so by mid-afternoon each day, I’d usually take him off for a nap in one of the spare rooms, crank up the AC as high as it would go, and then, while he slept, I’d pull out my book and read. As soon as I picked up my copy of Brazzaville Beach again, I was tranported back to that little room, the cold air, and the sensation of snuggling in bed with my napping child.

In thinking about this, I started considering the ability that books have to transport us to another time and place. I don’t mean the obvious: When I read the Outlander series, for example, I imagine myself wandering through the Scottish Highlands. When I read Anna and the French Kiss, I couldn’t help daydreaming about walking the boulevards of Paris — and perhaps stopping for a baguette and café au lait along the way.

But that’s not what I’m talking about. Instead, what I really mean here is how strongly a particular book can evoke the memory of the time and place in which it was read. Of course, this makes me think of my high school French teacher, who — bless her heart (luv ya, Mademoiselle Littlefield!) — poured her heart and soul into getting us to understand not just French grammar but also what it means to be French. I remember her detailed explanations of Marcel Proust and his madeleines — those particular cookies that, with one bite, evoke such strong involuntary memories of a time, a place, and sensations of pleasure and love.

I think books work this way for me. On one level, there’s the pleasure of remembering a particularly beloved book, thinking about the characters, the plots, the feelings I experienced while reading the story, the puzzles and thought processes involved in figuring out or responding to an especially thorny dilemma or mystery. But on another level, my responses to certain books have almost nothing to do with the book’s content itself and everything to do with where I was and what I was experiencing at the time that I read it.

A Yosemite meadow. Not a bad place for a good book.

Another example: If you’ve read any of my top 10 lists or other posts about favorite things, you’ll know that I’m an ardent fan of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. But here’s a twist to why I love these books so much. When I first picked up Outlander, it had been sitting on my shelf for several months already — a somewhat beat-up mass market paperback edition that I’d found at a used book sale for $2. My husband, son, and I were packing for a family camping trip and I needed something I could throw in my bag and not worry about too much, but preferably something that would take me a few days to read. In went Outlander. So there we were, on the outskirts of Yosemite, staying in a rustic cabin on the edge of a meadow. Each morning, I’d grab a thermos of coffee and head out to a large rock out in the meadow, to bask in the sun, get my morning infusion of caffeine, and read for a little while before starting our day’s activities. And that’s where I started Outlander. I’ve read the book several times since, but each time I pick it up, my first association is with that rock in the sun, spring breezes, mountain fresh air, and peace. Lovely! I have to honestly say that those memories are part and parcel of my Outlander reading experiences — not that I wouldn’t have loved the book anyway, but I think those connections add to the reasons why it’s so special to me.

And another, maybe less positive but still strong (and forgive me if I’m entering TMI territory here): I read The Pact by Jodi Picoult about 12 years ago, while I was spending a few days at home in the midst of going through fertility treatments while trying to conceive my beloved son. The Pact is certainly a difficult book to read, regardless, but in that moment, so focused on children, it was perhaps a very bad choice to read a book about teen suicide and parents struggling to cope with the loss of a child. When I think about The Pact now, my strongest memories are of my experience at the time — sitting in the window seat of my house, trying to distract myself, but never really able to stop wondering whether my treatments had worked.

Other memories as well: Under the Dome by Stephen King makes me think about the hospital waiting room where I sat reading it while waiting to hear the outcome of a relative’s surgery. When I think about Deerskin by Robin McKinley, I think about a flight to visit my father soon after he’d retired and moved to Florida. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness makes me think of the hotel balcony in Sedona, Arizona where I sat reading each afternoon on vacation, watching the sun set over the red rocks.

Sedona views. Perfect reading location.

Tastes, smells, sounds — all can take us back to a particular time or place, bring up memories of what we were doing, who we were with, how we were feeling. And I think books work the same way. A book can be savored for its own sake, but on top of that, there are the emotions and connections associated with experiencing a particular book at a certain significant time or location in our lives.

I’d love to hear the experiences of other readers. Do you have certain books that you especially cherish because of where you were when you read them? Please share your thoughts!

Save

11Feb2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Romances

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is:

Top Ten Favorite Romances

At first, I was a tad confused by the topic. Should this be my favorite romance novels? (I don’t think I could name ten, to be honest.) Or top ten romantic books in general? But no, what makes the most sense is the top ten romantic pairings — the “supercouples” of fiction, with love stories that are remarkable, unsurpassed, unforgettable… or at least, different enough to be noteworthy! My list of romantic couples in fiction:

1) Jamie and Claire Fraser (Outlander): Speaking as an unabashed fan of the Outlander series, I just don’t think I could name a more romantic couple than Jamie and Claire. Put a tall, red-headed 18th century Highlander (in a kilt, please!) together with an outspoken 20th century medical woman, and sparks fly! A love story that crosses centuries, filled with humor and passion — what’s not to love?

2) Severus Snape and Lily Evans (Harry Potter series): Just because the love is unrequited doesn’t make it any less romantic. Poor Severus, doomed to spend his life paying for his part in the death of the one and only woman he ever loved. His patronus is a doe! This scene gives me chills every time I read it:

Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were full of tears.
“After all this time?”
“Always,” said Snape.

3) Henry and Clare (The Time Traveler’s Wife): This book just knocked me out when I first read it, which may explain why it’s one of the few books I’ve read twice in a row (and a couple more times since). Henry always finds his way back to Clare; Clare is his rock and his constant. I just love these two together.

4) Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont (A Discovery of Witches): The witch and the vampire who find a forbidden, prophecied love. Total hotness… plus a couple who meet in a library? How awesome is that? Academics need love too!

5) Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley (One Day). Best friends who finally – FINALLY – realize that they’re perfect for one another. This book made me laugh, yell, and cry. Dexter and Emma’s paths, alone and together, felt so true to me, and perhaps it’s this real-life element that makes their relationship feel so special and so romantic.

6) Mercy Thompson and Adam Hauptman (Mercedes Thompson series): I already included a witch and a vampire on my list; now here’s a shapeshifter and werewolf combination that’s just hot as can be and incredibly full of love and romance. I love this urban fantasy series, especially how it shows the evolution of Mercy and Adam’s relationship from wary acceptance to full-throttle love and devotion.

7) Jane True and Anyan Barghast (Jane True series): Long live the supernatural power couples! Jane’s a half-selkie, Anyan is a Barghast in the funny, crazy, high-powered world of Nicole Peeler’s Jane True series. It takes several books before these two finally wise up (and hook up), and it remains to be seen whether the author will grant them a HEA when the final book comes out in May.

8) David and Debra (Eagle in the Sky): This is going way back, but I read this Wilbur Smith novel when I was a young, starry-eyed teen and it just blew me away. Debra and David find a love that is tested over and over again by tragedy, and they always manage to find a way back to one another. I must have read this book half a dozen times in the couple of years after I first discovered it. I wonder whether it would stand the test of time if I reread it now?

9) Buttercup and Wesley (The Princess Bride): Does this one even need an explanation? Are there better words for pledging undying love than “as you wish”? Twu wuv.

10) Snow White and Bigby Wolf (Fables): From my absolute favorite graphic novel series – I just adore the romance between these two strong-minded Fables. They have a marriage with more stress than most mundies could ever imagine, and yet they manage to maintain their love, respect, affection, and passion. Is it wrong to have a crush on a comic book character? Because that Bigby Wolf is just so… big and bad.

Honorable Mention: All the rest that I don’t want to overlook: Really? Narrow it down to just ten? It all comes down to my mood, not to mention the fact that what I’ve read more recently is fresher in my mind… so here’s a bunch of other great romantic couples that just shouldn’t be forgotten:

Ron & Hermione, Harry & Ginny, Molly & Arthur, Remus & Tonks (sniff…) (Harry Potter)
Lyra & Will (His Dark Materials trilogy)
Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice)
Emma and Mr. Knightley (Emma)
Alexia Tarabotti and Conall Maccon (The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger)
Harper Connelly and Tolliver Lang (Grave Sight et al by Charlaine Harris)
Mariana and Richard (Mariana by Susanna Kearsley)
Heather and Brandon (The Flame and the Flower — the very first romance novel I ever read!)

Love is in the air. Happy Valentine’s Day! May you find romance, either in your real life or in the pages of a book!

18Nov2012

Book Review: A Trail of Fire by Diana Gabaldon

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Book Review: A Trail of Fire by Diana Gabaldon

If you happened to read my blog post earlier in the week, then you’ll know that I was doing imaginary cartwheels and handsprings over the arrival of A Trail of Fire. Needless to say, I read it and I loved it. Perhaps that should be the entirety of my review right there.

A Trail of Fire is essential reading for fans of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series and its related spin-off novels and novellas. I have a hard time imagining that someone who had never read any of Ms. Gabaldon’s works would enjoy this collection, as they’d have no familiarity with the main characters and their associated backstories. So if you’ve read this much of my review, and haven’t read Outlander — well, what are you waiting for? It’s an outstanding work of historical fiction, and your life will be better for having read it. So go! Get thee to a bookstore!

A Trail of Fire is a compilation of “four Outlander tales”, as it says on the cover. Of the four, three have been published previously as part of anthologies, and one is brand new. Here’s the catch: A Trail of Fire has not been published in the US, and my understanding is that it won’t be, at least not for some time to come. Bear with me if my understanding of copyrights leaves a bit to be desired, but the gist of the matter is that the three anthologized stories belong, in essence, to those anthologies, and therefore can’t be republished (at least not yet) in some other format. The new story will be published in the US in March 2013 as part of yet another anthology, but readers in the US who are chomping at the bit and just can’t wait another moment will have to get their fix by ordering from an overseas supplier (such as Amazon UK — which is what I did — or The Book Depository, to name but two potential resources) or from Diana Gabaldon’s hometown bookstore, The Poisoned Pen in Phoenix, Arizona, which has a supply of signed editions available for shipment.

Back to the review! The contents of A Trail of Fire are:

1) A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows: Previously published in the Songs of Love and Death anthology, this tale tells the story of Roger McKenzie’s parents, Jerry and Dolly. From the Outlander series, we know that Roger was orphaned during WWII and then raised by his uncle, the Reverend Wakefield. Roger tells Claire that his father was a Spitfire pilot, shot down over the English Channel, and that his mother died during the London Blitz. That’s all we know, and all that Roger knows as well. This lovely story fills in the blanks, and it’s both tragic and achingly romantic. Jerry and Dolly’s love story is incredibly moving and terribly sad, and it’s a tribute to Diana Gabaldon’s mastery of her art that we come to care so deeply about these previously unknown characters in such a short tale. (Short, by the way, is relative — most Gabaldon novels tend to the 1,000 page length, so a story of under 50 pages is practically miniscule by comparison). Because “Leaf” has woven into it some plot points from the seventh book in the Outlander series, Echo in the Bone, it should only be read after that novel. Hands down, this is my favorite piece in A Trail of Fire.

2) The Custom of the Army: This story originally appeared in the Warriors anthology, and fittingly, has a very military theme. “Custom” is a Lord John story, focusing on Lord John Grey, who plays a supporting yet important role throughout the Outlander series and is the star of his own spin-off series as well. The Lord John books and novellas tend to be historical mysteries in which Lord John’s aristocracy and military position come into play, and “Custom” fits right in. Set in London and Quebec in 1959, “Custom” is an enthralling look at the inner workings of the British army and a dramatic battlefield adventure as well. Lord John himself, as always, is a charming and honorable protagonist.

3) Lord John and the Plague of Zombies: This story first appeared in the anthology Down These Strange Streets, and is another historical mystery featuring our beloved Lord John. “Plague of Zombies” is set in Jamaica in 1761, and features Lord John taking command of a battalion tasked with controlling a slave rebellion, until events take a turn toward the unexplained, creepy, and supernatural. This story in particular ties in nicely with the main Outlander series, bringing in settings and characters also encountered in the third book, Voyager.

4) The Space Between: The new one! This is the story responsible for all those overseas orders from the rabid fans who just can’t wait… and a nice addition to the canon it is indeed. The Space Between takes place after events in Echo in the Bone. The storyline follows two family members we’ve not spent much time with before, new widower Michael Murray and nun-to-be Joan McKimmie, as they return from Scotland to Paris to embark on new chapters in their lives. Familiar characters from earlier in the Outlander series pop up as well, including Mother Hildegarde, the mysterious Master Raymond, and the presumed dead Comte St. Germain. The Space Between provides more theories and new tidbits on the rituals and necessities of time travel (which is quite important in the series), and adds many new clues for fans to mull over while waiting for the next big novel — expected by the end of 2013, or so we all hope.

As I think I’ve made clear, a reader who is unfamiliar with the Outlander series will most likely be completed befuddled by A Trail of Fire. But for the Outlander devotees, it just shouldn’t be missed. I gave in to temptation and bought A Trail of Fire instead of waiting for The Space Between to become available in the new anthology, The Mad Scientist’s Guide To World Domination. Did I need to? Not really… but it is nice to have the stories collected in one volume.

13Nov2012

Fresh Catch: This week’s exciting new book arrivals

Posted in Bookish Thoughts by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Two books I’ve been eagerly awaiting arrived this week, and I’m just pleased as punch. (Can punch be pleased? Is that punch as in Hawaiian? Or like what comes from a closed fist? Or should that be with a capital P, as in the puppet who abuses puppet Judy? I think I don’t understand this expression after all. But I digress).

Book #1:

I’ve been waiting for this one since August (I even blogged about it, here, in a fit of intense anticipation), and here it is! Fairy Tales From The Brothers Grimm, by Philip Pullman, is a collection of Pullman’s 50 favorites, including tried-and-true standards such as “Snow White”, “Rumpelstiltskin”, “Little Red Riding Hood”, and “Cinderella”. I can’t wait to read these, but I must confess that I’m even more intrigued by the titles of some of the lesser-known stories in the collection. Has anyone ever heard of “Thousandfurs” or “The Donkey Cabbage”? How about “The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs”, “The Girl with No Hands”, or “The Nixie of the Millpond”? Listen, I adored Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy and I’d be willing to read just about anything he sets his pen to… add to that my love of fairy tales, and this collection seems like a sure bet to me.

Of course, I do have to proceed with caution, as I am admittedly terrible at reading short stories, and no matter how interested I may be in a collection, I almost never make it all the way through. I have a plan, however! I believe I’ll tackle this lovely new book in small bites — let’s say, oh, maybe 2 or 3 stories per week? I think the solution to my unavoidable impatience with story collections is to find a work-around so that I don’t end up frustrated by thoughts of all the novels I could be reading instead. So, if I take this one slow and steady, mixing in fairy tales betwixt and between all my other reading, I should be able to stick with it and get all the enjoyment from Pullman’s new collection that it seems to promise.

Book #2:

Sounds the trumpets! Wave the flags! Send up some fireworks, for Pete’s sake! (Wait, who’s Pete? Never mind…) It’s the newest book from Diana Gabaldon! Yes, Diana Gabaldon Herself, creator of the Outlander series, which I love beyond all reason. But if you live in the US, don’t go looking for this book in your local bookstore — it won’t be there. First things first — the basic facts:

A Trail of Fire, by Diana Gabaldon, is a collection of four novellas, one brand-new and three which were included in already published anthologies. For various reasons related to copyrights, the three already published stories can’t be re-released in the US just yet as they still belong to the anthologies, which is why, if you really want to get your hands on this collection, you’ll have to look outside your usual US sources.**

**So far, I know US readers who have successfully ordered A Trail of Fire from Amazon UK and from The Book Depository. The Poisoned Pen bookstore in Arizona has signed copies available for mail order as well (with a hefty price tag).

The contents of A Trail of Fire are:

1) “A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows” — published in the US in 2010 in the Songs of Love and Death anthology edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. (Note to Firefly fans: This is not a Serenity cross-over, and Wash is not a character in this story. Just to clear up any potential confusion.) “A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows” tells the story of Roger MacKenzie’s parents and their tragic fates during WWII, hinted at in the Outlander books but never fully explained prior to this story. This is essential reading for fans of the series, best read after Echo In The Bone.

2) “The Custom of the Army” — published in the US in 2010 as part of the Warriors anthology edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. This story focuses on Lord John Grey, a supporting character in many of the Outlander books and lead character in a spin-off series. “The Custom of the Army” is set in 1759 and largely concerns the Battle of Quebec, plus much military intrigue.

3) “Lord John and the Plague of Zombies” — published in the US in the anthology Down These Strange Streets, again courtesy of George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. This is another Lord John story, dealing with his lordship’s first posting to Jamaica at the head of a squadron detailed to deal with a slave rebellion, who end up with much more sinister forces to contend with. In terms of series chronology, the events in this story occur before the events in Voyager.

4) The new one! “The Space Between” has not previously been available, and will not be published in the US until 2013, when it will be included in the forthcoming anthology The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination. “The Space Between” takes place in 1778, after the events in Echo In The Bone, is set in France, and has as its main characters several side characters from the Outlander series, including Michael Murray, Marsali’s sister Joan, and the Comte St. Germain. I don’t know anything else about it… but I will soon!

At the risk of sounding like an insane fan, I will admit to already owning the anthologies containing stories 1 – 3, but after much debate (me vs. me), decided to go ahead and purchase A Trail of Fire for two reasons: One, to get my hands on “The Space Between” (obviously!) without having to wait until next March, and two, because it just looks like a beautiful book. Yes, I do sometimes judge books by their covers. When I truly give my heart to a book or series, I get a great deal of pleasure from having nice-looking copies on my shelves. A Trail of Fire will look simply smashing with all its “colleagues” — I have a space reserved for it right next to The Scottish Prisoner.

1Sep2012

My top 5 favorite timey-wimey books

Posted in Bookish Thoughts by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

It’s September 1st, and you know what that means, right? It’s the return of the Doctor! (And if you’re asking, “Doctor who?”, the answer is — yes!). The BBC’s Doctor Who returns for a much-anticipated 7th season tonight, and Whovians everywhere are dusting off their bowties and sonic screwdrivers in preparation for another fantastic journey through time and space.

: “People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint – it’s more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly… timey wimey… stuff” – The Doctor

Inspired by the Doctor, step inside my TARDIS (that’s Time and Relative Dimension in Space, for the uninitiated) for a tour of my favorite timey-wimey books — books that deal with time travel, time slips, or just plain old time-related weirdness.

1) The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

I was just swept away by this mind-bending journey through a relationship between a woman who is fixed in time and a man who is not. Claire meets Henry when she is six years old; Henry meets Claire when she is 21. Early on, they discuss their temporal relationship in comparison to a Mobius strip, and it’s an apt metaphor. Older Henry visits child Claire; young Henry visits older Claire. In the midst of all the comings and goings, they find true love. At once tragic and beautiful, this book will make your head spin as you try to puzzle out whether the words “before” and “after” have any meaning whatsoever. This was one of the very few books that I began reading a second time immediately upon reaching the end the first time through, just to see how the pieces fit together knowing what was still to come.

2) Kindred by Octavia Butler

As Kindred opens in the mid-1970s, Dana is an African American woman in her 20s, happily married to a white man and living a contented life. She is yanked back through time to the ante-bellum South, where time and again she must intervene to save the life of her ancestor Rufus, son of a slave-owner. Dana’s experiences are shocking, raw, and brutal, and the effect upon her and her marriage is indelible. Kindred is less about time travel than about slavery, power, and freedom. It is a shocking book, and packs a powerful punch. Not to be missed.

3) Replay by Ken Grimwood

Replay is not about time travel, but the timey-wimey weirdness is here just the same. At age 43, unfulfilled and bored, Jeff Winston has a heart attack and dies… but wakes up again in his 18-year-old body, with his whole life ahead of him again, and with all the memories of his previous life. Is this a chance to right old wrongs? to set a new path for himself? to make an impact on the world? Jeff relives his life, but with alterations along the way, all the way through to age 43, when he dies again… and so on, and so on, and so on. Each time around, Jeff comes back to himself just a bit later, and each time around he thinks he’s found the way to get it right — but of course, life isn’t something you can plan for or make turn out just the way you want. Replay is hard to explain, but marvelous to read.

4) Somewhere in Time by Richard Matheson

Until a couple of years ago, I actually had no idea this was a book. I fell in love with the lush romance of the Christopher Reeve/Jane Seymour movies years ago, and was astonished to find the book at a used book sale. And by Richard Matheson, no less — someone who really knows how to tell a story. Richard is a modern man who falls in love with a woman in a photo from decades earlier, and using the power of his mind, finds a way to travel back in time to be with her. Passionate and intense, this is yet another interesting spin on a journey through time. (For more details, you can see my Goodreads review here).

5) 11/22/63 by Stephen King

I love Stephen King, am fascinated by the Kennedy assassination and all the associated conspiracy theories, and adore reading about time travel. Clearly, this massive novel was right up my alley! Given the opportunity to travel back through time and avert a national tragedy, would you? Should you? 11/22/63 is a combination of time travel, historical fiction, and romance, and it works. As I say in my review, I recommend this book wholeheartedly.

I’m leaving out some other great ones, not because I don’t love them — I do! I really do! — but because time’s a-wasting, and I must move on. So I’ll wrap this up with a list of a few other favorite books full of timey-wimey goodness. Let me know what time-related books you’ve enjoyed!

More time-travel, time-slip, and time oddities:

Outlander (and sequels) by Diana Gabaldon (which I didn’t include in my top 5 despite my mad love for them, just because I’m always raving about these books to the point of sounding like a broken record. Read these books! There, ’nuff said.)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling — the book that introduced my children to the brain-twisting concept of time travel!

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
The Revisionists by Thomas Mullen
The Future of Us by Jay Asher
The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley
Lightning by Dean Koontz
The Sound of Thunder (short story) by Ray Bradbury

24Aug2012

Genre confusion

Posted in The Reading Life by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

It’s finally happened — Facebook is “timelining” me. (Yes, I just used timeline as a verb. I expect a bolt of lightning any minute now.)

One interesting side effect is the random voyage through my personal history that it’s providing. Movies, TV shows, odd things I said that I’m sure I thought were quite witty at the time… it’s all there. A quick scan through my recent Facebook past revealed this forgotten nugget, dated September 16, 2010:

Dawning realization that the book I’m reading may in fact be a romance novel. Bodices have been ripped.

Any idea what I’m talking about? Only one of my all time favorite novels, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon! Of course, at the time, I didn’t yet realize how very much in love I’d fall with this series (and with the main character, Jamie Fraser, but that’s a different topic).

I can be forgiven for my genre confusion, having just read this passage:

Randall slowly drew the knife in a semicircle under one breast. The homespun came free and fell away with a flutter of white chemise, and my breast sprang out. Randall seemed to have been holding his breath; he exhaled slowly now, his eyes fixed on mine.

Followed on the next page by – ta-dum – our hero’s arrival:

“I’ll thank ye,” said a cool, level voice, “to take your hands off my wife.”

By the end of the book, I was hooked, so much so that by October 16, 2010, my status update read:

Have finished four books of a seven-book (so far) series in the past month. Page count: 3926 read, 3740 to go.

What can I say — other than, I’m glad I stuck with it! Despite the ripped bodice and the occasional heaving breast, what I found myself reading was not a romance novel, but a remarkable piece of historical fiction that includes a lovely romance, as well as a crash course in the history of the Jacobite rebellion, battlefield medicine, Scottish culture, and speculative time travel.

So what shelf does Outlander belong on? According to the author (on her website, here):

In essence, these novels are Big, Fat, Historical Fiction, ala James Clavell and James Michener. However, owing to the fact that I wrote the first book for practice, didn’t intend to show it to anyone, and therefore saw no reason to limit myself, they include…

history, warfare, medicine, sex, violence, spirituality, honor, betrayal, vengeance, hope and despair, relationships,
the building and destruction of families and societies, time travel, moral ambiguity, swords, herbs, horses,
gambling (with cards, dice, and lives), voyages of daring, journeys of both body and soul…

you know, the usual stuff of literature.

Thanks, Diana G., that clears that up!

So, has this ever happened to you? Have you ever started a book expecting one thing, and found yourself someplace completely different? And if so, were you glad for the detour?

I know I originally picked up my battered, used edition of Outlander because I remembered seeing the title listed in reference to time travel. I’m sure, though, that if the original context had been about romance, I probably never would have thought to give it a try.

So, here’s to trying new genres! Stepping out of our reading comfort zones! Crossing the book store aisles and browsing a new shelf! You just never know where your next new favorite might be lurking.

And thank you, Facebook, for this strange trip down my book-addicted memory lane.

9Aug2012

Now what?

Posted in Bookish Thoughts by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

The problem with catching up on a series… is eventually, you’re all caught up.

If you’ve followed my blog at all in the last few weeks, you’ll know that my obsession du jour is the Fables series of graphic novels (by Bill Willingham). I’ve been devouring these non-stop, to the exclusion of pretty much everything else on my bookshelves. Last night, I finished volume 17 — which was my goal for the week — and suddenly, I’m done. I’ve preordered volume 18, but it’s not due to be published until next January. It’s going to be a long, cold wait.

If I’m hooked, I’m hooked, and despite knowing that sooner or later the fun will end, there’s no stopping me until I’ve reached the end of whatever series I’m reading.* Not a problem if the entire series has already been published, as was the case when I read Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera series a couple of years ago.

*A major exception to my normal series reading behavior is The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I’d been meaning to read it for years; finally started the series earlier this year, read the first three books and thought they were terrific, took the fourth one off my shelf and placed in prime reading position on my nightstand… and there it still sits. I don’t know why, but I just lost the spark, I guess. I’m sure I’ll return to that world eventually, but for now, I’m just not feeling it.

In 2011, my series obsession was A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin. I read the available five books over the course of a few months, and now I have to wait, like everyone else. If I had been one of his devoted fans waiting six years for the publication of the fifth book, A Dance With Dragons, I might have gotten a bit antsy myself. Not to the extent of the angry bloggers who want the author to “finish the damn book, George!”, but still… (Side note: It seems to me that publicly venting your anger at the author whose work you adore might not be the best display of fan-like behavior. It’s his book! Let the man write at whatever pace works for him. The next book will be amazing, I promise!).

In 2010, there was nothing but Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series for me. I read the seven books in the series straight through, several thousand pages worth. And then came the sad day when I finished Echo in the Bone (cliffhangers galore!), and had to face the fact that there was nothing else to read about Claire and Jamie!

For some of my beloved series, there are spin-offs and side works available. For Fables, there’s a Jack of Fables series, although I never cared that much for the Jack character, so I’ll pass on a series devoted to him. However, I’m sure I will pick up some of the stand-alones to keep me in the Fables world between now and next January.

For A Song of Ice and Fire, I’m afraid it’ll be a long, long time before we see book six, The Winds of Winter. We’re talking years here. No publication date has been announced yet, but it’s a good bet that by the time Winter finally arrives, I’ll have forgotten everything that’s happened already, as well as all of my arcane knowledge of house sigils and bannermen, and will have to do some major re-reads.

Diana Gabaldon is busily working on book eight, Written In My Own Heart’s Blood, and has estimated publication for early 2013, according to the author’s website. In the interim, since finishing Echo, I’ve read the spin-off Lord John series (enjoyed quite a lot, but didn’t love…) as well as the various short stories set in the Outlander world. Diana posts excerpts from her work in progress on a more or less daily basis on Facebook, so at least we faithful followers get regular doses and snippets of the characters we love.

So now what? I suppose it’s all for the best, really. Now that I’m out of Fables, I can start digging through my to-read pile, and plan to enjoy novel after novel, especially those that start and end within the covers of a single volume. Or at least until the next shiny series comes along. I can’t be held responsible for what happens then.

1Aug2012

When worlds collide, part 3

Posted in Fun and Whimsy by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

A friend sent this to me a while back, and I’ve never succeeded in finding the source:

I just love when my random obsessions co-mingle, and this truly tickled my funny bone. So just how many Harry Potter fans out there also geek out over Outlander (and vice versa)?

In any case, if you recognize this and know the source, let me know so I can give credit where credit is due!

19Jul2012

When worlds collide, part 2

Posted in Fun and Whimsy, The Reading Life by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

What’s on my mind this week? The two book-ish happenings that really got me thinking in the past couple of days were:

Finished reading Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
Jumped up and down after hearing that Outlander might, just might, be made into a TV series or mini-series.

… which led me to this:

Outlander vs Shadow of Night — compare and contrast!

Teensy disclaimer: I’m not taking this too seriously, and neither should you. But just for fun, I started my own little list of the various ways SON made me think of OL. (Keep up with the acronyms, OK? We’re too busy here to keep typing out the full book titles.) I started meandering down this random path early on in SON, when I began chuckling over Diana’s soul-deep shock over discovering what being a woman in the 16th century really felt like. As a historian professor, she thought she was prepared, but boy, is there a difference between knowing information and living it!

Diana’s experiences made me think immediately of Claire Beauchamp Randall of Outlander, who was rudely thrust back in time and just had to deal with it, no warning, no preparation, no nothing.

With that in mind, here goes — a quick OL/SON primer (minor spoilers, so beware!):

	*Claire (Outlander)*	*Diana (Shadow of Night)*
Degree	MD	PhD
Belongs in	1946	2009
Travels back in time	About 200 years	About 400 years
Anything fishy?	Accused of being a witch	Actually is a witch
Challenges	Learning how to dress appropriately	Ditto
	Learning a woman’s place	Ditto
	Being criticized for speaking her mind	Ditto
Treated with respect by those she meets?	Relevant quote: “There seemed to be some question as whether the lady was or was not a whore.”	Relevant quote: “I had no idea there was a brothel in Woodstock that specialized in over-tall women. Most of your whores are more delicate and appealing.”
Love interest	Taller than average, remarkably good-looking Scot	Taller than average, remarkably good-looking vampire
Lover’s talents	Leader of men, warrior, has a gift for languages	Leader of men, warrior, has a gift for languages
Lover’s connections	Historical connections include Bonnie Prince Charlie, King Louis, Governor Tryon, and many more	Historical connections include William Raleigh, Christopher Marlowe, Queen Elizabeth, and many more
Royal interest	Bedded by Louis XV, King of France	Pursued by Rudolf II of Prague, Holy Roman Emperor
Ability to time travel	Genetic inheritance	Genetic inheritance
Ease of time travel	Painful and scary, but it can be done	Difficult and requires great concentration, but it can be done
Scary witches?	Geillis Duncan, murderous and crazy	Satu, Peter Knox, and a host of others, murderous and fanatical
Must stand up to	Colum MacKenzie, clan chieftain, a fearsome and exceedingly smart leader	Phillipe de Clermont, patriarch, a fearsome and exceedingly smart leader
Endures time displacement in order to be with the love of her life?	Anything for Jamie!	Anything for Matthew!

There you have it in a nutshell, the trials and tribulations of Claire and Diana, two well-educated modern women who move through time, endure hardships galore and suffer countless fashion outrages, all in the name of love.

What did I miss? Add your thoughts!

PS – I seem to be formatting-challenged today. Don’t know why my cute little table has weird shading, and can’t make it go away. Yikes. Will try to be prettier next time.