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As an aspiring writer, I blog about whatever happens to move me at the moment -- though some posts contain serious content, my big-picture goal is to bring a little humor into an often humorless world! Welcome, y'all, and make yourself at home! Please make sure you update your bookmarks!


When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger...Epictetus





Monday, September 28, 2009

Smile, it's Jamie Fraser time!

Have you ever wanted to read a particular book and couldn't wait to get it but, when you did, you almost didn't want to read it? That's how I feel right now.

The book in question is Diana Gabaldon's An Echo in the Bone -- the sixth novel in the Outlander series. I had ordered it from Amazon and here it sits, waiting. I'll finish the book I'm reading before I start but there's a part of me that just doesn't want to know how it all ends.

Oh, I know, Echo isn't the last one -- unless something has changed, there will be at least one more -- but, Lord knows, I don't know if I can take the demise of the series much less the possible demise of my all-time favorite character, Jamie Fraser. But how can I not read this one and then the next? Well, of course, I'll read them -- and I'll love them -- and they might even make me cry, though I'm not one who usually tears up when I'm reading novels.

I read a novel once called Olivia & Jai -- it became one of my favorites and one of those which I won't give away or put on Paperbackswap. But, then I read the sequel and I wished that I had never known of its existence. The writing was excellent but it took the story into an area I wish it had not. But, being someone who writes, I understand that the story is whatever the story is -- and if an author remains true to what's in her head, she's not going to change it to satisfy someone else's idea of happily ever after. Which the sequel to Olivia & Jai certainly was not.

Anyway, I guess that's what I'm a little afraid of with Echo -- and the one after -- that something I don't want to see happen will happen and will leave me with a bittersweet memory of the series as a whole. And I don't want bittersweet -- I want sweet.

On a lighter note, several years ago, when I was told that I had to read the Outlander series, I began collecting all of the books -- but they sat on my shelf for a long time before I finally decided I'd tackle the first one. I figured that what I'd do was read one, then read something else, then read the second one, etc. Wrong! Once I started, I could not stop -- I read all four books (which were published at that time) in a row and was quite pleased that I'd accomplished this just in time for what I thought was the last one (A Breath of Snow and Ash). Then I realized that Breath was not the last one after all -- that there would be one, probably two more. I remember thinking, back then, that I'd be fifty by the time the sixth one came out.

So, here I am, fifty, with Echo beckoning me to return to the world of Jamie and Claire.

I'm sure I'll forget my momentary hesitation immediately. Probably after the very first sentence.

Or when Jamie Fraser smiles.

7 comments:

  1. Oh, I know exactly how you feel. You don't want to start 'cause you don't want it to end. :D

    BTW, I think I mentioned on your forum that I met Diana Gabaldon at a little book shop signing when she was just getting started. Very down to earth lady. I don't think she had any clue what was going to happen. None of us did. I only bought a signed copy to help out my friend who owned the shop. It's in my boxes of books somewhere. If I ever find it again, I'll send it to you.

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  2. Yeah, that, too -- if I start it, I'll have to finish -- when it IS the last one, it'll break my heart!

    I've had a couple of missed opportunities to meet DG -- once because I was too lazy and the other two because I was either a week early or a week late to a particular bookstore (in Asheville, NC).

    Isn't your signed copy something you'd like to keep?!

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  3. I know exactly how you feel. I discovered the series in late May this year and read the first six books voraciously and back-to-back. I got the new one last week and it's just sitting there. Well, I did read about 10 pages, but then real life got in the way. I just don't want to finish it and then have to wait YEARS for the next one!!

    I'm still starting it this week anyway. ;)

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  4. I remember thinking, after BREATH, that I'd never make it until this new one came out...now, I'm procrastinating about reading it. I do want to finish what I'm already reading...then, we'll see. I'm going to try very hard not to pick at the last page!!

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  5. I haven't bought it yet for exactly the same reasons as you talked about. In the end with Breath I ended up listening to it, but that was going too slowly so then I read the last couple of hundred pages. I am also loathe to see who gets tortured or kidnapped or whatever this time, but then I know that I HAVE to know what happens! Catch 22.

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  6. Yes, exactly -- Catch-22. Damn if I do, damn if I don't. Yeah, the kidnappings, tortures and rapes do get old after awhile -- I know those kinds of things happened -- then and now -- but sometimes, it's just too much to keep reading about in one series.

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  7. Still haven't started it, even though I finished the books I was reading...in fact, I've listed another book to read first...I don't know why. I took ECHO out of the box but it still has the plastic wrapper around it. Maybe I'll read it next. What's wrong with me? But, at least, I know I'm not the only one.

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