We bought an Amazon TV stick and have been enjoying some great films; this Series kept on popping up in our feed, so we decided to try it.
The basic story is about an Army Nurse in the 1940’s who is visiting Scotland with her husband after the war. One day she visits a standing stone circle and falls back in time by 200 years.
I really enjoyed the first half of the series, it was great learning about the clan culture and seeing Claire navigate her way in another time. She used her knowledge to heal and earned respect for her skills. She falls in love with one of the characters (I’ll try not to spoil it) but somehow when we reached two thirds of the way in I began to feel my interest waning. How many times did she ignore advice and get herself in trouble? I find I was getting restless at her inability to learn from her mistakes.
Beyond episode 11, I was watching it alone, Mr D having lost interest and it was becoming too romantic even for my interest, but the final episode left me frustrated and angry! What began as a promising tale – seemed to take a turn that left me feeling uncomfortable to watch. It seems to me that current box sets seem to desire to push boundaries, but I find it difficult to understand why the last episode would be so dire.
We became sucked into Game of Thrones a few months back – the first series was gripping, but when we reached the end of series five I felt sickened by the sheer violence depicted and refuse to watch any more. (Seriously, seeing someone squeeze a person’s eyeballs out of their sockets is gruesome! a final straw after episode after episode of skinning people alive, cutting off hands, beheading and poisoning, it is not my idea of entertainment)
However, I shall give the second series of Outlander another chance in order to recover the initial enthusiasm, maybe try and see if the books are any better than the TV series, Game of Thrones readers say there is not the same level of violence in the books.
Outlander left me with an interest in time travelling tales: The Witches Daughter was an interesting read. I am not really into witchcraft but I do love the concept of fantasy and adventure.
Bess sees her mother hanged as a witch, with good reason it turns out. She is taught how to cast spells by a warlock called Gideon, who eventually helps her to become immortal. We follow Bess through three lives with Gideon hot on her tail.
It is an entertaining story , Paula Brackston is a talented writer: the story moves quickly and easily to a satisfying conclusion.
A good read I will give it five stars.
What do you think of time travelling tales?
Fred the Needle 
Good to hear Outlander at least brought you to a good read. I do like time travel tales, but they more often than not make me mad because they don’t work – in that way that something someone goes back and does impacts on the future before the first time they go back. Like in terminator when Reese turns out to be John Conner’s father when it’s John Conner who send Reese back in time in the first place 😦
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Yes, you can do double flips in your head trying to work out these scenarios. Theoretically all time exists, we are just moving through it! Brian Cox’s programme on time was fascinating. I believe the author got through the complexities by allowing small changes for example she saves someone’s life, but, as in Outlander, Culloden still happens despite her best efforts to avert it.
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I read the Outlander series of books a number of years ago and absolutely loved them and have reread them again. The series, although a reasonable adaptation of the books, doesn’t do the story justice. I really would urge you to try the first book and see what you think.
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Well that is all the excuse I need, except for one thing, the torture of Jamie at the end of series one was pretty awful, would hate to go through it again, so would it be best to begin at book two? Or was that a TV plot twist?
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Unfortunately the torture of Jamie is quite graphic and detailed in the book but I would still recommend you start with book 1. You can always skip those pages if you can’t bear to read them. Happy Reading 😊
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Thanks for the warning!
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Good post. The Game of Thrones…I’m with you. I don’t understand why people are into such gruesome things. I hate watching that kind of gore, and it is unfortunate these days that entertainment has to be so violent. Often, movies that would otherwise be enjoyable are ruined by a high degree of violence. It’s sad, and I don’t think healthy. Oh well. The book sounds interesting! Take care.
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I am with you there! I think it is one of those things you can be immune to after a while, but given my lack of interest in gore, I find it upsetting. I am so glad to read I am not alone, thanks for commenting!
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I love a bit of time travelling myself. Especially if Steampunk is involved. I don’t favour too much violence myself – now I’m put off from watching Game of Thrones…
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Ahh Steampunk! What an awesome subculture! My daughter had a steam punk wedding three years ago, it was tremendous fun everyone joined in and created the most amazing outfits. It was the most laid back wedding I have ever attended, as most of the guests were in ‘fancy dress’ the informality was there even from the church. They had to leave all the clockwork guns at the church door, but the Vicar was great!
The first series of Game of thrones was excellent, funny and interesting, but beyond that – it just seemed to get nasty, bloodthirsty and vile. That is just my opinion, my other half wants to carry on watching.
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Hehe, that sounded like a fun wedding your daughter had! 🙂
John watches some horror films I can’t see, the slasher types (I prefer ghosts, zombies, psychological or alien in my horror!), so I do my own thing in -another- room 😀
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