I truly can't express enough how much I have been enjoying the Outlander series up until now! It has completely captivated me and drawn me into its rich and detailed world. The storylines are so engaging, filled with adventure, romance, and mystery. The characters are well-developed and complex, making it easy to become invested in their lives and fates.

If only I had the luxury of being able to hide away and read all the books in the series back to back without any interruptions! I can just imagine losing myself in the pages, following the exploits of Claire and Jamie, and experiencing all the emotions that come with their journey. It would be a reading marathon like no other, and I'm sure I would emerge from it feeling both satisfied and eager for more.

As it is, I have to ration my reading time and savor each book slowly. But that just makes it all the more special when I do get to pick up the next installment and continue the adventure. The Outlander series is truly a gem, and I can't wait to see what else lies in store for these beloved characters.

NO. FUCKING. MORE.

This will be the last one I read in this series. I probably said this last time, but this really is the last goddamn time.

These books need an editor with a very sharp blade. Or a machete. There's an okay story buried in there, but the bloody nonsense that just goes on and on is truly exasperating.

At least four hundred pages could have been cut from this, and it still would have been coherent. In fact, it probably would have been a more enjoyable read.

Also, more rape? Really, Diana? It's deeply concerning. Really. The inclusion of such content seems gratuitous and adds nothing positive to the narrative.

It's a shame because there are glimmers of potential in these books, but they are drowned out by the excessive verbosity and inappropriate subject matter.

I'm done with this series. It's time to move on to something better.

This book was truly the last straw for me. I had initially wanted to love this entire series, just as I had adored book one. However, in my humble opinion, it has steadily deteriorated with each successive book. Ms. Gabaldon's editors really ought to take a much more meticulous look at the arc, plot, and character development for any signs of inconsistency and redundancy.

The first book was truly amazing, although the ending was rather hard to accept. The second one was very good, both compelling and heartbreaking. But the third one begins to verge on being unnecessarily wordy, with a meandering plot where the characters often act out of character. Nevertheless, it still had some merit as an overall work. This particular installment, on the other hand, was disappointing on numerous levels. Ms. Gabaldon drones on for pages at a time about things that have absolutely no bearing on the plot - bee hives, sunsets, the various shades of red in Jamie's hair, you name it. I understand that many readers enjoy such details in historical novels, and while I too appreciate beautiful imagery, I would rather it not overshadow the entire plot. The pacing, for me, was completely off.

Moreover, the characters engage in several heinous acts that are completely inconsistent with how the author originally portrayed them. At least, that's how it seems to me. It's as if the characters have swapped places with strangers. To such an extent that Ms. Gabaldon has left a permanent mark on me, making me never want to read another word about their lives, whether it's good or bad. I simply don't care anymore. All three main characters do absurd things, which leads to a contrived plot. I was so disappointed with this book that I resorted to skimming or skipping from the middle to the end just to finish it for the sake of closure. Ms. Gabaldon is undoubtedly an excellent writer, there's no denying that. However, for me, there needs to be more than just eloquent imagery and steamy love scenes to keep me engaged.

As with previous Outlander novels, "Drums of Autumn" was indeed very long. It was laced with moments of sheer marvel, where the story would grip you and transport you to another time and place. However, there were also slumps of lulls and dwindled character development.

**A few spoilers**

I really enjoyed the addition of the Roger/Brianna romance. It added a new layer of depth and emotion to the story. However, I was irritated that the author used rape as another plot device for a pivotal character. It was hard enough dealing with Jamie's rape, and now we have Brianna's and a child from rape thrown in. I understand the idea of bringing father and daughter together with a bond of sharing an extreme experience. But I don't think Jamie and Bree needed victimhood to further their relationship. They already had Claire, the death of loved ones, biological attachments, and the secrets of time travel to bond them. I guess the rape, which pretty much surrounds the entire motivation for the last half of the book's plot, was needed to make sense of the events that follow the Frasers and Roger. (Cause holy crap, poor frickin' Roger.)

Overall, the rape would be my only complaint. The introduction to interactions with the Indians, Claire and Jamie's growing and evolving relationship, and the promise of Roger and Brianna's family made for truly great reading. It had me on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning the pages to see what would happen next.

Ahhhhhh Outlander!

It always takes me some effort to reintegrate into this universe, but it's truly amazing what I feel when I'm inside.

Since there are 2 volumes, they are definitely too long and take too much time to get into. The lengths are much more prominent. At the halfway point, there's a big plot that unfolds and lasts until the end.

What's amazing about this universe is precisely its creation. There are many characters and we travel through the ages, but I would follow Claire and Jamie to the ends of the earth. They are always in trouble, they always manage to find each other really too easily and get out of it quite well, but still. The historical value of Outlander is rather significant. Going through history, from event to event while mixing time travel is a big task.

The characters are all different and well-developed. We feel a lot the strength of their interactions and their connivance. There are many secondary characters and I get a bit lost, but well, that's just me. Just like I get lost in the politics and history too, but that doesn't prevent me from loving the whole journey at all.

**Drums of Autumn**

The only thing that could enhance this book, in my opinion, would be to read it during the Autumn or Winter season, rather than now, at the end of spring. I have an absolute passion for the *Outlander series*.

The story unfolds with ships, the sea, and more pirates. We encounter the worst one yet, Stephan Bonnett, who steals Claire's wedding ring - the one from Frank, fortunately not Jamie's. After reaching Georgia in America, they embark on a trip to find Jamie's aunt Jocasta, who runs a plantation. Claire, Jamie, and Ian are her guests for a while. Later, Jamie is offered his own land in the mountains where the "wild" Native Americans still reside. No one dares to live close to them, but they accept the offer and travel for days to the land where they will settle. Jamie builds a house, hunts with Ian, and Claire takes care of food, medical supplies, and the crops. They are very happy and live in peace with the Native Americans. Ian befriends a few of them and learns their language.
In the story, Lord John visits with William, Jamie's son. Meanwhile, Brianna and Roger are in their own time, looking for signs of life from Claire and Jamie. They discover that Claire and Jamie have met again and are still together. After Brianna finds an old document stating that Claire and Jamie died in a house fire in 1776, she decides to go back in time. Without telling Roger, she returns to Craig Na Dun through the stones. First, she visits Lallybroch and meets her family. After learning from Jenny and Ian that Jamie and Claire are in America and together, she travels overseas. A few weeks after Brianna goes through the stones, Roger follows to find her and keep her safe. He can't live without her and takes a ship directly to America, with the captain being the horrible Stephan Bonnett. Roger and Brianna meet in a harbour village in America. They have an encounter, and then Roger goes back to Bonnett to steal his emeralds. Brianna stays a few days and is raped by Stephan Bonnett when she asks for her mother's wedding ring back. Fortunately, she gets it back before leaving and then travels further to meet Jamie for the first time.
The meeting between Jamie and Brianna is heartbreaking as they see each other for the first time in ages. Jamie takes Brianna to his aunt's plantation and then back to Claire. Claire is filled with worry and happiness to have Brianna back by her side. Brianna stays, and Roger visits Fraser's River Run weeks or months later. He stumbles upon Jamie and Ian, who assume that Roger is not Brianna's Roger but the man who raped Brianna and must be there to claim the child. Oh yes, I forgot to mention that Bree is pregnant, and it's not sure who the father is. It could be Roger's or Bonnett's. Anyway, Jamie and Ian beat up Roger. After the fight, before Roger has a chance to explain who he really is, they give him to the Native Americans so they will never have to see him again. The Native Americans sell him to the Mohawk, the tribe that everyone is scared of, even the other natives. Roger is beaten up and treated like a slave. Weeks pass, and Brianna still hasn't found Roger. When Jamie suggests she draw Roger's face so they can hand out pamphlets, Jamie and Ian are shocked by the drawing. They realize it's the man they beat up and gave to the Native Americans. Jamie, Claire, and Ian travel through the mountains to find Roger and bring him back to Brianna while Bree stays at aunt Jocasta's plantation. Months later, Claire and Jamie return. Ian has to stay with the Mohawks and becomes one of them. Roger is rescued but needs time to think. Claire tells him about Brianna and Bonnett and that no one knows who the father is. If he wants Bree back, he has to become the child's father. If he can't do that, they suggest he stay away and leave Brianna alone with the baby. Bree gives birth to a healthy son, and weeks later, Roger finally returns.
I would have loved to read more about Fergus. Ian is as cute as always with Rollo, his wolfdog. And I wish they would all visit Scotland once more to see Ian and Jenny on Lallybroch. Still, I really, really love this series! Thank you, Diana Gabaldon, for writing it.

Поредният шедьовър! This phrase seems to carry a certain charm and mystery. It might refer to a particular object, event, or situation that is somehow remarkable or outstanding.

Perhaps it is a work of art, a piece of literature, or a musical composition that has left a lasting impression. It could also be a moment in time that stands out in our memories, a unique experience that we will never forget.

Whatever it may be, the idea of "Поредният шедьовър" implies something special, something that rises above the ordinary. It makes us stop and take notice, and it invites us to explore and discover its hidden depths.

Maybe we should all be on the lookout for our own "Поредният шедьовър", those special moments and things that make life truly worth living.

Another re-read of 2018, and there is definitely a wealth of things to love about Drums of Autumn, even after all these years. Now that Claire and Jamie are reunited and in America, a whole new set of thrilling adventures and fascinating new characters await one of my favorite literary couples.

Claire and Jamie have endured 20 years of separation and have never truly had the opportunity to be a proper couple within a marriage. So, I firmly believe that it is indeed a gift in the latter books that we witness them actually getting a chance to "settle down."

Another aspect of Drums that sets it apart is that while we have Jamie and Claire in 18th-century America, Diana Gabaldon also presents us with the developing relationship between Brianna and Roger in the 20th century. Initially, during my very first reading of the book, which was many years before Goodreads, I was concerned that DG might potentially be pushing C&J into the background and presenting readers with a new couple to cheer for and give adventures to. How naïve of me, right? I quickly realized that what DG was actually indicating is that she wasn't finished telling us about this world she had constructed. However, in my defense, it was because I really wasn't overly enthusiastic about Brianna and Roger. So many aspects regarding them irked me, and it wouldn't be until book 6 that I would start to cut them some slack. But I digress...

Now, in an effort to keep things spoiler-free as season 4 is scheduled for late fall and I'm certain people are gearing up to dive into book 4, I won't go into more detail than the above in the synopsis. Rest assured, book 4 offers numerous surprises that still manage to tug at my heartstrings and draw me even deeper into the Outlander universe. It's also the first book where I must admit that another character managed to steal some of the limelight from Jamie Fraser. His nephew, Young Ian Murray!

What a wonderful thing it was! Once again, a very, very good volume.

It has a quite different atmosphere, with protagonists who have matured and changed, and a new generation offering a renewal that is perfectly integrated into the spirit of the saga.

Despite the last part being a little less exciting, in my opinion, "Drums of Autumn" returns to the level of the first two installments.

I simply adored it, and I'm sad to leave this universe again... until the next episode!

This book truly captured my imagination with its rich characters and engaging storylines.

The development of the plot was both unexpected and satisfying, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout.

The author did a great job of creating a vivid and immersive world that I didn't want to leave.

I can't wait to see what the next installment has in store for us.

The beginning was unfortunately a bit boring.

However, apart from that, it was excellent!

The overall experience can be rated as 4.5 out of 5.

Despite the slow start, the rest of the content more than made up for it.

It had many亮点 and engaging moments that kept me hooked.

The quality was really high, and I would definitely recommend it to others.

Although it didn't start off strongly, it managed to turn things around and deliver a great performance.

I'm looking forward to seeing more from this in the future.

\\n  \\n   

‘You are my courage, as I am your conscience,’ he whispered. ‘You are my heart – and I your compassion. We are neither of us whole, alone. Do ye not know that, Sassenach?’

\\n  \\n
4.5 Stars

If I had read these books when they were first published in the nineties, I might never have married. No man could ever compare to Jamie Fraser.

3rd Read Notes:

Ok. Every time I pick up this book, my appreciation and love for it deepen. This particular reading was exceptionally wonderful as I delved into it while season 3 of the TV show was airing. The book is filled with numerous scenes that echo the events in Voyager, making the timing of reading this story simply perfect. I've always been vocal about my intense love for the later books in this series, with 6, 7, and 8 being my personal favorites. However, right now, I'm inclined to think that book 4 might just be my favorite. It's definitely very high on my list. Diana Gabaldon is an absolute master storyteller. I'm in awe of her brilliant mind and her remarkable craft. No one can tell a story quite like she does, and I sincerely hope she never stops writing! I can't get enough of her words. The character development in this book is extraordinary. And I mean every single character! After reading it so many times, I'm still completely amazed by the events that unfold. I can't wait to immerse myself in The Fiery Cross again and continue this journey. One thing I'm certain of: I'll never grow tired of the Frasers and the ones they love. Even the animals in this series have captured my heart! ROLLO! Clarence the mule! The White Sow! Bravo DG! Bravo.

2nd Read Notes:

I completed my second reading of this book this morning, and I can't stop thinking about how amazing it is. So many significant things occur, and I found myself completely engrossed, unable to put it down, even though I already knew what was going to happen. I shed tears several times and laughed out loud at so many parts. I truly love this book. The last quarter of it is definitely one of my favorite sections among all the books in the series. I'm still in disbelief at how incredibly talented a storyteller DG is. This is an absolutely FANTASTIC book.

1st Read: June 9 - July 4, 2014

2nd Read: July 20 - Aug. 4, 2015

May 30, 2016: Read the last 40% along with Jennie

3rd Read: October 6 - 28, 2017. Buddy read with Abbey