Almost 3 1/2 stars 
 So...finally got around to this neo-classic that everyone in the romance community seems exceedingly familiar with. My feelings are a bit mixed. 
 Let me start out by saying that Outlander is beautifully written and well-researched from a historical angle. The prose was meandering but strong, and undeniably evocative. The character relational aspects were masterfully constructed. And this reader, for one, walked away with a significantly better feel for the day-to-day life of 18th-century Scottish people and their political plights. (Think what you like about the whole time-traveling pseudo-mystical aspect, there's something to be said for seeing 2 centuries of progressive difference through the eyes of someone far nearer to one's own modern day experience.) 
 When this book was first recommended to me some years ago, the friend in question was falling-all-over-herself swoony whenever describing the hero, James Fraser (i.e. Oh, Jamie!) I was curious and perplexed. Surely one muscular, plaid-laden, alpha-male protagonist is as good as another in this sort of context. (Okay, okay...so I was new to romance in general at the time.) >.> But by the time I got through those first 100 pages or so to the heart of the actual plot and Jamie, I was rapidly falling into agreement. A sensitive, temperamental, chivalrous, red-headed, and guileful young highlander with an unearthly capacity for pain tolerance? Not. Too. Shabby. Possibly more than most heroes I've ever encountered in literature, I came to adore Jamie. 
 But on the flip side...I never did connect to Claire--the heroine and sole POV character. I didn't imagine this would be an issue at first, being we shared the same profession (although granted, nursing looked a bit different in the 1950's than it does now.) I didn't understand her or her motives for too much of the story. (And it didn't help that I never got a solid feel for her alleged attachment to her first husband, Frank--and therefore couldn't relate to her determination to get back to him.) It's not that I hated her--I just didn't like her, or her sense of judgment, well enough to be stuck in her spit-and-vinegar head for an entire epic-length book and NOT be irritated by the fact. I kept thinking that Jamie deserved better. >.< 
 And then there was the prevailing theme of rape, and attempted rape, that kept making me walk away from this story for long periods. (I do realize that might not pose a problem for everyone. Just as the intro-level BDSM elements might constitute a sticking point to certain readers.) Some of that is understandable for accuracy of the 18th century, I'm sure. But to this reader it steadily began to feel like more of a preoccupation than homage to authenticity. By the last 1/5th of the book, I was all like: 
 I also had some complaints about consideration for the time continuum--which is part of the reason I would categorize this more under light historical fantasy than speculative fiction. There is surprisingly little concern expressed over the ethics and implications of altering the past/future. It's possible I missed it (and please correct me if I'm wrong) but it didn't seem even vaguely considered by the main character until inserted toward the very end as more of an afterthought. An "Oh, well if this happened, then how could the future as I know it still exist?" moment. The speculative fiction fan in me wanted to see a LOT more mulling over the cause-and-effect aspects that such a plotline would seem to demand. 
 -Seriously...what did she just break in the name of twu wuv? 
 -This same concept went really badly in like 5 different episodes of Star Trek... 
 -My head hurts, now. Somebody call The Doctor! 
 I was a bit afraid we were going to end up with a full-on tragic ending, but it did come to a somewhat satisfying conclusion--despite many strings left untied. 
 Was it a good, quality book? Yes. 
 Would I read more into the series? Probably not.