A STARZ Original Series From Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore: Outlander

[TheOfficialBren]

If "Outlander" is half as good as "Deep Space 9" and "Battlestar Galactica" expect a great show.

[Ron Abbott]

I must be the odd one out on here. Having seen and heard the promotion material, I attempted to read the first book in the series and then one other.....just to see what all the commotion was about.

I got no further than about a third of the way through either and the fact that I even got a third of the way through was due me really forcing myself!

I thought they were utter drivel.

I could however, well imagine some middle-aged American female taking great delight in reading them.

[KiltedKnome]

I must be the odd one out on here. Having seen and heard the promotion material, I attempted to read the first book in the series and then one other.....just to see what all the commotion was about.

I got no further than about a third of the way through either and the fact that I even got a third of the way through was due me really forcing myself!

I thought they were utter drivel.

I could however, well imagine some middle-aged American female taking great delight in reading them.

You know, you are entitled to your opinion. People have different likes. I cannot get into the Game of Thrones which many people really gush about. As for the Outlander series, I guess I qualify as a middle-aged ...gasp, encroaching on senior... North American female who enjoys the character development and the historical background, the concept of time travel, etc. and does not consider the books to be drivel. They are escapism, for those times when I don't feel like reading Dante or Shakespeare or Michael Moore. The author, by the way, holds a Ph.D. in biology and was a respected researcher and publisher prior to her getting into writing "the drivel." Her latest book has been number one on the bestselling list for two weeks in a row.

[Ron Abbott]

And it is my opinion....just that, nothing more. A mere opinion from someone who also has little time for Game of Thrones! I am sure that many will disagree. As for movies and the future and Scotland, I have to confess that I did like the movie 'Highlander'!

At the moment, I'm far more looking forward to this new movie coming out:-

http://www.scotsman.com/what-s-on/fi...ncer-1-3459736

p.s....what's a Ph.D in biology got to do with writing a fantasy series set in Scotland?

[Terry1948]

p.s....what's a Ph.D in biology got to do with writing a fantasy series set in Scotland?

Actually, I may jump in on this discussion, if I may. I am a journalist, and I had an assignment years ago that put me in the position of meeting a number of authors. One of them was Ms. Gabaldon. The issue of how she moved from being a research biologist to writing historical fiction was broached, and her response was quite interesting. Her first book was written as a bit of fluke, apparently. However, when it was well received and her publisher then requested subsequent books, she felt that her background as a scientist was an asset. Her position was that the creativity needed to be a scientist is not that different from the creativity needed to be a novelist, especially one with a series that spanned decades and had a vast number of characters who had to move realistically within a historical background.

Your link to the new movie looks interesting.

[The Wizard of BC]

Some may not like or appreciate the "Outlander" series of books but any book that that has 7 out of 8 in a series, on both the "New York Times" and "Globe and Mail" best seller lists, for four consecutive weeks deserves respect. Very few books, let alone series of books, can say that. The most recent book in the series even topped the most recent Game of Thrones book.

Mrs. Gabaldon deserves the respect of anyone who appreciates books and her story and journey of becoming a multi-million dollar author is well worth the time to listen to her tell it.

The skills of doing research for science and for historical novels is very similar. The same skills in using a library that made Mrs. Gabaldon a good scientist and professor are exactly the same that make her a good author.

[Ron Abbott]

Oh I don't take her success way from her. To come up with something that folks will buy and want more of says something for her. She must be raking the pennies in.

But at the same time, that imposter, Michel La Fosse (or whatever his name really was) managed to get his book, 'The Forgotten Monarchy of Scotland' onto the bestseller list in the UK and sold thousands and thousands of copies.

Even if you ignore the blatant inaccuracies and can put up with him being a fraudster.......the book is not even well written!

The Outlander series is to me nothing better than mere Brigadoonery, aimed at coining in profits for the author and the publisher.

No doubt there's be loads of tartan (or should I call it 'plaid' considering where the majority of the audience will probably come from), bagpipes, castles, heather, the hated redcoats and some (not so) quaint 'scotch' accents.

[TheOfficialBren]

I'm honestly getting an anti-American vibe from your comments, Rob. Knock it off.

Hiding behind a laughing emoticon doesn't cure the sting or excuse the snark, my friend.

[Ron Abbott]

It's Ron not Rob.
And secondly there is no anti-American anything.

If you'd worked in shops in the Royal Mile and seen and heard what I had years ago from the tourists in summer, you'd maybe just see the funny side of it.

Americans, Canadians, Aussies and yes, even Scots.......brigadoonery galore and some genuinely believed that there was a MacTimbuktoo clan. In fact some of the Scots were the worst of the lot, the "once in a lifetime visit to the kilt rental shop types".

Knock it off? Lighten up.

[TheOfficialBren]

Rob was a typo, Ron. The "b" and "n" are next to one another.

Secondly, I'm not being heavy. I'm stating what I honestly perceived.

Thirdly, thank you for clearing that up.