We have discussed, reviewed, and proclaimed our love of the Outlander series at least a half dozen times here at AudioGals. I have long considered it to be the golden standard of romance audiobooks with Diana Gabaldon’s outstanding storytelling and Davina Porter’s superb narration and I’m not alone in that opinion. Although there’s some debate out there about Outlander‘s official categorization, it has all the elements of a romance and romance listeners claim it as their own.
And although we adore the entire Outlander series in audio format, this week is actually inspired by the upcoming Starz TV series scheduled to begin on August 9th with 16 episodes dedicated to the first book in the series – Outlander
The Outlander Podcast’s Interview with Lea
We’re starting our week with The Outlander Podcast‘s recorded interview with yours truly, Lea. Ginger and Summer of The Outlander Podcast are not only devoted fans of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, but lovers of All Things Scottish (and the upcoming Starz series). They publish weekly podcasts that feature The Books or some tie-in to Scotland. Today, Ginger and Summer are interviewing me and we’re talking about the background of AudioGals and romance audio fans’ love of the Outlander series. Wednesday, I’m interviewing Ginger and Summer and we’ll discuss the Starz series. Alert – these ladies are very informed and know how to spread their enthusiasm!
Our BIG Outlander Giveaway
We’re giving away a bag full of Outlander goodies! Just look at what the winner will find in their Sassenach bag!
The complete package includes the tote bag, The Outlandish Companion
Now for Outlander Inspiration via Starz
We’ll be tempting you all week with trailers of the upcoming Starz series and still shots as well!
Time to Enter
We’re giving away to one winner a package including a Sassenach tote bag, the hardback version of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlandish Companion, kilt pin from TheMagpizeNest, Proud to be an Outlander Addict mug, and Stuart Reid’s The Scottish Jacobite Army 1745-46. It’s simple – just enter by midnight (CST) Friday, July 11th. Complete the easy entry form below. No comments are necessary for entry although we’d love to hear your thoughts in the discussion area. You may only enter once. We’ll contact you the morning of the 12th so watch your emails as we must have acknowledgement of your win within 24 hours. If we don’t hear from you, we’ll select another winner. Due to the cost of postage, the giveaway is limited to those living in the United States. It may be several weeks before you receive your prize package.
Contest closed.
Our Week’s Schedule
Monday July 7th
Outlander Podcast Interviews Lea
GIVEAWAY of Outlander Goodies Begins
Tuesday July 8th
A Romance Lover’s Guide to the Outlander Series
Wednesday July 9th
Interview with Ginger & Summer of Outlander Podcast
Thursday July 10th
The World of Diana Gabaldon and Outlander
Friday July 11th
Review of Written in My Own Heart’s Blood
Giveaway Ends
And a Final Temptation for the Day (more tomorrow)
Happy Outlander Week to you!
Lea Hensley
I have never been a big reader. I’ve always tried to avoid it as MUCH as I possibly could. But, when one of my good friends put this series into my hands and I began to read them… I could NOT put them down. They are an incredible series filled with everything! Romance, adventure, folklore, time travel.
I love them!!!
Can’t wait for the TV series! :)
Kathryn – have you ever listened to one? I’ve never read one – only listened so I’m always curious to hear readers’ opinions who read first and listened later.
I have not listened to one on tape. I have this really weird fear of the voices on tapes. They kinda creep me out for some reason haha.
I love reading the books :)
She always writes in incredibly specific detail that its so easy to paint a picture in your mind of what everything would look like and everyones movement.
Love lying down in bed and just enjoying the story!
HI Lea – I always read first and then get the audio books and listen over and over again. (But I have been reading Outlander for 19 years).
Hi Lea, I have only listened to the first volume of Outlander on disc. After reading the seven volumes three or four times I found it difficult to listen to it. Often, the reader put emphasis on words and even on sentences differently than I had for so many years, sometimes giving the scene a whole different feeling. I was not comfortable with it. I think if I were to listen before, or immediately after reading a particular book, it might be more enjoyable to me.
You have an awesome site here. So many interests and fun things to read and listen to. I have been reading this series for the last 15 years. My family knows to expect loud outbursts of emotion at random times when I’m reading these. Can’t wait for the series!!!
Thanks Fern! I’m glad you found us. :)
In my interview with Outlander Podcast (it was so much fun visiting with Ginger and Summer!), I stated something about An Echo in the Bone that was incorrect. I stated that the unabridged version was unavailable for purchase by consumers for a while after it was released just as was the case with The Fiery Cross and A Breath of Snow and Ashes. That is true of the unabridged versions of TFC and ABOSAA – both were unavailable for years to consumers after their release in audio format (they may have been released in cassette or CD versions initially but were considered hard-to-finds as consumers were unable to buy new hard copies). However, AEITB was available for purchase in unabridged format as soon as it was released in late 2009. Unless one purchased a used copy, new unabridged versions of TFC and ABOSAA were not available for purchase by consumers until 2011 although they were published in audio format in 2002 and 2005 respectively.
ETA: Melinda remembers the situation more clearly than I do. This is from her 7/08 article:
“The original books were recorded both as unabridged and as abridged. Unfortunately, the rights for the abridged had some component that made it impossible for retailers to sell the unabridged at the same time for 10 years after publication. That meant that early on, you could get Outlander and then later DIA, at Audible or from other retailers, but later titles were not [yet] available direct to the consumer. As time marched on, and technology changed and we all started jumping on the download-audiobook bandwagon, it was frustrating that you could get the abridged versions (WHAT?? GABALDON IN 3 HOURS?) but not unabridged. That issue has finally been resolved by time – the options ran out and were not renewed and Gabaldon no longer has that clause in her contract!”
My explanation is a little, er, glib but close enough, and Gabaldon explains it better on her FAQ
http://www.dianagabaldon.com/resources/faq/faq-about-the-books/#audioformat
I know some people paid $$$ to get unabridged copies before the 10-year-curse was up on the abridged, so it was *possible* if you could afford it and knew where to look. Now they’re a credit each at download sites which is how the world should be!
Nice site. Will look forward to reading more of what you have to say. Always fun to share the excitement of a good book. DG is tops but there are others to fill in the in between times, eh? I don’t see Kim Harrison listed. She spins a great story too.
I’m not familiar with Kim Harrison. It looks as though Marguerite Gavin narrates her books?
I so agree on the other titles to fill in for the in-between times! Hope you can find lots of those here.
OMG – best giveaway ever! So looking forward to the Starz series … even if it is bad … or just not too good! From the clips it doesn’t look to be bad but one never knows. I have a reminder on my calendar to order Starz’s from my cable company in exchange for HBO by 8/1/14!
Delighted you like our Giveaway!!
I’m just so relieved that they didn’t make Outlander into a movie. Each time I thought that might happen, I shuddered. At least with 16 episodes, you can tell a good deal of the story.
I’m am so excited for this new Starz series! I just picked up the Outlander series a few months ago and purchased all the audiobooks as well as the LJG novels and the novellas. I listened to all of them in a month. So addicting this series is. Thanks gals for this amazing giveaway chance! :)
Now that is some serious listening. I listened to four once in two months and I felt like that was such an accomplishment! However, I’m known as a slow listener. I constantly reverse and listen again. I’m listening to The Fiery Cross right now and fortunately I’ve advanced to Immersion Reading on my Kindle Fire. I listen but as soon as I want to back up and play again, I look down at the screen and can read that which was unclear.
Girl that’s gotta be more than 400 hours of audiobooks! When did you sleep?? It took me almost the entire month just to get through MOBY! Worth every nanosecond (ok, I had a couple of quibbles with some timeline/continuity issues and a few pronunciations, but overall LOVED)
Gonna cost me to add STARZ to my cable package but it will be completely worth the investment.
We have STARZ on our cable but we have discussed several times over the past year just letting all the premium channels go. However, I love HBO and if STARZ continues with the series, we’ll just have to keep it all in the budget!
Awsome post and giveaway! I love the Outlander series and JAMMF is my ultimate book dream man. I am very excited about the TV series and a little bit scared too. Will it live up to such huge expectations? Catriona and Sam are adorable and I’m sure they’ll do an amazing job portraying our beloved characters, let’s just hope for a great adaptation.
I’ve psyched myself into believing I’m going to love it!
Great giveaway! I’ve only read the books. Best series ever!!
I love seeing print readers over here celebrating with us audio fanatics. :D
Nice! I’ve read them all but even though I’ve had MOBY since the Retreat in Seattle, I haven’t finished my reread of some of the preceding books yet. I’ve read almost all the LJG books, having found a new appreciation for him. :)
I haven’t read or listened to the LJB books. I guess that’s next after I finish the series which may be next year!
I just found your site and am so happy to have found you. I am an AVID audio book listener…AND…a HUGE fan of all things OUTLANDER!. August 9 is not coming fast enough (the date I will be able to watch OUTLANDER on Starz). I think Sam Heughan and Catriona Balfe are perfect as Jamie and Claire. I wish people would quit nit-picking everything about them being cast as Jamie and Claire. I have also finished MOBY. It seems that as long as Diana keeps publishing more Outlander books, we will still keep buying them. It’s a never ending story. I love your site and will be reading everything you write. Keep it up!
I wish people would quit nit-picking everything about them being cast as Jamie and Claire.
AMEN NANCY! Really – the trailers and early photos and videos have been so incredible! I shake my head at commenters on other boards kvetching about the color of Catriona’s eyes, as if that is the entire focus of Outlander! and thanks for the kudos!
Nancy – we are so happy you found our site! Hope to see more of you.
I, too, had this fear! But, was very pleasantly surprised…Davina Porter does as absolutely fantastic job of it, the best part being that you get a different point of view with a different focus and interest; amazing stuff really! I hope you give it a go.
Carolyn
I love reading the book first and then listening to the unabridged audio. I love Davina Porter narrating. I have listened a few times. I have not listened to Diana’s other books but will give the Lord John Grey series a try next.
this is also my favorite way to listen to audiobooks – read the book first, then get the audio! I don’t always have the time for it, but I find once I have the story in my head, I can follow the narrator even better. The narrator for the Lord John books is just as good in his own way as Porter with Outlander.
Having a fabulous narration makes the experience even deeper than the reading. I always listen to Outlander entries – I’d only be envisioning Davina Porter’s voice as I read anyway.
I have been a fan of Outlander since reading the book when it first was published I read the books in print. I began listening to the series before Echo came out and LOVED them. I am reading and listening to MOBY.
I think that’s the best way to fully experience them – read them and get the outline in my head, then listen and let Davina Porter weave the story around me.
The Outlandish Companion has been on my wishlist for years!
I am listening to the audiobooks as a follow-up to having read the series. I did at first think, ew, no, how can I hear Jamie’s voice as read by a woman? But within a short time, Davina Porter has you in the palm of her hand. I enjoy listening to the books while I take my (what should be daily) walk.
The gift of wonderful narration – the narrator’s voice disappears, and the story just comes alive! I think I like her voice of Jamie better even than Sam’s!! (that may change after the show starts, but she is good!!)
This is an amazing giveaway. I’m new to your site and it’s great! The Outlander series is my favorite. It had certainly enhanced my life. Read thru all 7 multiple times and finished MOBY 2 weeks ago. Have started listening to the audio books too. Can’t get enough!
Congrats to Patricia, the winner of our bag of goodies! And thanks to all who stopped by to celebrate with us.
Congratulations to the winner. :)
wow A surprise for me! I just found you .I have only found outlander this year a friend of mine told me about them and I went to the audio books and have listen to them all. and now I found you gals who love them just like me. so so so happy, I have all the books and the audio versions on my phone. The last book is autographed I am telling anyone who will listen about.
I enjoy reading the books first then listening to the unabridged audio. I have only listened to the Outlander series, not the Lord John or other novellas yet.