Playlist Update

Not sure if I've mentioned... but my Outlander Playlist has songs for multiple books. Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber and Voyager, to be exact. I will be starting Drums of Autumn this weekend, and will keep adding as I'm reading.

Today I added Ryan Adams' neat little version of Oasis' "Wonderwall"... thinking it would work somewhere around the time that Jamie comes back to Claire in France after she lets King Louis put his thingie in her va jay jay in order to spring Jamie's gorgeous-but-dumbass, Jack-Randall-dueling, Scottish arse from jail.

Stay tuned...

All are welcome... all welcome!

I just have to throw a big WELCOME out there to you newcomers who have recently discovered my humble little Outlander series blog. "Sassynach" - ye keep commenting, Lass! We love discussion around here.

It was also brought to my attention that some of you over at the Henry Ian Cusick forum at cusick gallery.net are digging the playlist... and that is SO FRIGGIN COOL because a) I live for music tie-ins when I read and 2) could Henry Ian Cusick get any hotter? I'm thinking "NO", BROTHER! One of these days I'm going to get my casting suggestions up and he's going to be at the top of the list. My god I just drool at my TV when he's on Lost. And when I first fell for Jamie Fraser, my sister Tracey called me and played some HIC audio. Ever melted over the phone? Yeah. Me too.

So make sure you say "Hi" and comment - and don't be afraid to disagree with me if my opinions aren't jiving with yours while I read the rest of the series. I love Outlander discussion. LOVE IT! :)

3 down... 4 to go, Sassenachs.

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read unless you've finished VOYAGER. 

So I finished Voyager yesterday. I had a lot of back and forth email with Tracey about it and should post some of that here. There has been a large discussion brewing between Tracey, Jenn M and myself regarding Jamie's sex life over the last 20 years. Tracey thinks he bedded others; the whores included. I say "NO WAY". I just don't think he had the time or inclination, what with all that cave-dwelling, Ardsmuir prison-running and Helwater grounds-keeping he was doing.  He had Mary McNabb in the cave... himself in prison... and Geneva at Helwater. Then Laoghaire at Balriggan. Tracey thinks got a piece whilst carrying out his sedition and smuggling in Edinburgh. She thinks he was skimming off the top at the brothel. I disagree vehemently. I don't think he would have touched one of the whores; it would have gone against his "honor" (snicker.) I think he was busy doing his thing - and he wasn't there that long. A year? 18 months?

And speaking of honor... have I shared my views about forgiving Jamie for letting Claire walk into the lion's den-o-lies on more than one occasion? I finally put it away and reread the section where Jamie gets down on his knees and swears his loyalty to Claire. Wait a minute - I just need a minute...

OK I'm better now. I was just picturing Jamie Fraser down on his knees, swearing his loyalty to me... and I almost had to go lie down. Now back to my point...

I was just bothered because I didn't feel like Jamie was respecting Claire's honor. He's not the only one with integrity and dignity, right? Tracey feels like he was stupid by taking Claire back to Lallybroch when Loaghaire lived close by. Stupid, yes. But also WRONG. How about Claire's honor? How about telling Claire about Loaghaire just because it was the "right thing to do"? What of that, Sassenachs?

OK so anyway - moving on - I was OK with the end of the book. I LOVE Geillis as a character and was thrilled to witness the return of that character. I was also thrilled she's the one who died in the cave, because I didn't want Margaret to be offed in such a cruel manner. I loved her eerie relationship with the slaves. I also loved the slave uprising... and I felt like Claire would have been leading the movement had she not had other matters to attend to. Which - reminds me of something Jenn M brought up yesterday. Claire is always attending to JAMIE'S matters; not her own. I want to see more of Claire's own situations in the next book. Remember when she was the doctor at Leoch and Lallybroch? Remember the hospital in France? Remember her dealings with Raymond? I want Claire to have something of her own to deal with, that doesn't involve following Jamie around through his own struggles.

ALSO - I was OK with the hurricane on the ship... but I thought it was a little over-the-top when Claire fell into the water... and when they ended up - yet again - in a strange room somewhere, with one of them in need of medical attention. We've seen this scene multiple times. No more rooms with small beds and a window and a fireplace. I would have been fine if they'd come up on shore after the hurricane and just sat there - side by side - on the beach. Oh god. I'm doing it again. Picturing sitting side by side with Jamie Fraser, on a beach. A secluded beach, preferably. Holy crap. I have to go. I canna type anymore with so many lovely visions dancing around in my head...

Honesty is such a lonely word...

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read unless you've finished page 773 in VOYAGER.

When I'm deep inside of me don't be too concerned. I won't ask for nothin' while I'm gone. But when I want sincerity tell me where else can I turn? Because you're the one that I depend upon.  ~Billy Joel
 

Jamie Fraser is flawed. And I'm having a hard time with it, Sassenachs.

I am going to post an email I just sent to Tracey - my sister and Outlander "mentor" - and Jenn M who is reading closely alongside me - page for page - as I read the series. Why? Because I'm just that spent from the emotional events of this evening's chapter... and I just can't write it all down again. Follow along if you will, keeping in mind that it was I who defended Jamie Fraser to the death when both Tracey and Jenn were so mad at him for not telling Claire about Laoghaire.

I am on page 774 - the first page of Chapter 60. Just got finished the gut-wrenching section of Mr. Willoughby (possibly?) killing that woman (I don't believe it - and now how is Jamie going to travel by boat again???)  - and Claire seeing Jamie with John Grey - and Claire hearing the truth about Willie, first from John and then from Jamie.

I have knots in my stomach. 

When there are sexy parts, the thing that makes them so great is that I feel like they're happening to me.

But finding out the truth about Jamie's past feels like it's happening to me, too. 

I feel betrayed. I feel like he should have told her so long ago. I feel like he wussed out - again. And all of these times of wussing out are adding up to one, big non-trustworthy guy. I totally disagreed when Claire told him "because you're an honest man, Jamie Fraser." I don't feel like he's so honest right now. I feel like there is too much I don't know about him and honest to god - if I were Claire, I'd need to get away from him for a while. I'd need space and I'd need to sort out my feelings and see if I even was able to be with him on a permanent basis. He's just so full of crazy stories right now - I can't even breathe around him.

The knots have been in my stomach ever since Claire saw the embrace between Jamie and John. I literally felt sick for pages and pages, not knowing wtf was going on with them. I guess I can get past it - because, honestly, if I had a friend who was in love with me - and she showed me a picture of my son who I wasn't able to lay claim to - one whom she was raising for me - I'd hug her fervently, too. And I'd think nothing of it. So why should the fact that they're men make the situation any different?

But - Geneva. Sigh. I'm so upset. Why didn't he tell her everything? I am sick over the fact that he didn't use the phrase "only one night". That would have helped. For all she knows, he was screwing her for months. All the while not even being in love with her. Why didn't he tell her she blackmailed him? I don't get it. I really don't.

I just... need a break. I need a break from Jamie Fraser. So help me god I want to put this book down right now and not pick it up again for a while. Because I'm hurt. And I'm sad. And most of all I feel like I don't know him; and that is the scariest part of all.

(Drama Queen, party of 1????)

It has hit me after sitting here thinking about it. Claire should not have had to see that embrace. Jamie put her in an awkward position by taking her to that house, knowing John Grey would be there, and knowing she was in the dark about everything. He should have told her. And I understand that he didn't know JG was going to give him the photo... and it was emotional for him. But still. That doesn't make it right. I'm pissed. He. Should. Have. Told. Her. She did not deserve to spend her evening feeling sick after seeing her husband emotionally embracing someone else.

Jamie Fraser. Bringin' Sexy Back since 1741.

SPOILER ALERT: Don't read unless you've blissfully floated to page 748 in VOYAGER.

Dear Diana Gabaldon, 
Thank you. Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou. For it is a most kind-hearted woman who will not only make Jamie Fraser nail us (I mean, Claire) - from behind - up against the berth on a stormy sea... but will also permit us (I mean, Claire) to wake up in a fresh bed in the Caribbean with a freshly bathed and nekkid James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser who is sportin' wood and reciting the Our Father in Latin. 


Your most humble servant in Scottish awesomeness, 
Carol

Jamie -1, Claire - 0

SPOILER ALERT: Don't read unless you have read up to page 706 in VOYAGER.

Dear Claire, 

Why oh why do you insist on covering for Laoghbitch and her evil spawn, Marsali? (OK actually I kindof like Marsali but whatevs.) First you go through no less than three - count 'em - THREE novels without telling Jamie L'oaghaire sent you to Geillis' house to be hung by the masses. (Well - I'm not finished Voyager so maybe you'll surprise me and tell him by the end?) And now Marsali leaves the cargo hold - which causes you to run after her, fight with the "obese" pirate, and almost get yourself killed in the process. And when Jamie chastises you for it, you say NOTHING to defend yourself. What up wit dat? 

Please remedy this situation directly. 

Sincerely, 

Carol, your ever-loving servant in Jamie worship. 

PS - I thought it was mean when Jamie said this to you:

"Ye know, I seldom wanted to go home to Laoghaire.... and yet, at least when I did, I'd find her where I'd left her." 

Well - LA DEE DA, Jamie. Aren't you just a ray of motherfrickin sunshine? How's about you shut the ^%$# up and get me some Penicillin,  mmmmkayyyyy?

Caribbean Queen

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read unless you have gotten to page 635 (I Meet a Priest) in VOYAGER.

I don't like when Claire is alone. Well - alone with whatever odd character du jour she's hanging with today. She's trekking around the marshes on one of the islands...  after having escaped from The Porpoise. On the one hand, I'm thinking it was a ridiculous mistake on her part - to leave a ship she knew would arrive at the correct destination; Jamaica. I mean, why didn't she just stick it out - get there - and escape once there? Then again - there is that matter of sticking it out. Um, Y-U-C-K!!!! As a parent, you deal with sick kids with gross substances coming from multiple orifices. But a ship full of wreaking slime and goo? OMG I would die. Doctor or not. Just throw me the hell overboard because I would never make it.

I miss Jamie. And I'm upset because he must be out of his mind with worry. And worse than that, he's got to be blaming himself and doubting his manhood for losing Claire AND wee Ian (who is no so wee anymore) - and that I canna handle.

I have to assume Claire is going to get on a boat and get herself to Jamaica - and maybe even find Jamie on the seas before they get there.

BUT - here is theory I came up with that would ROCK MY EVER LOVING WORLD, people. Listen up:

How cool would it be if Roger and Brianna did research - found out that Jamie got arrested upon arriving in Jamaica - and subsequently got hanged.... and got themselves to the stone circle and came over soon after Claire did - in order to save him??? How cool would it be if Jamie was on the Artemis - saw a boat approaching - and when it got close enough to see who was on board, he saw a woman with long, firey red hair... and fainted AGAIN! OK so he wouldn't have to faint again - but my GOD  it would be a cool way to get Brianna and Jamie together, no?

What are your thoughts, Sassenaches?