The Exile: An Outlander Graphic Novel by Diana Gabaldon

Diana Gabaldon’s brilliant storytelling has captivated millions of readers in her bestselling and award-winning Outlander saga. Now, in her first-ever graphic novel, Gabaldon gives readers a fresh look at the events of the original Outlander: Jamie Fraser’s side of the story, gorgeously rendered by artist Hoang Nguyen.

 

After too long an absence, Jamie Fraser is coming home to Scotland—but not without great trepidation. Though his beloved godfather, Murtagh, promised Jamie’s late parents he’d watch over their brash son, making good on that vow will be no easy task. There’s already a fat bounty on the young exile’s head, courtesy of Captain Black Jack Randall, the sadistic British officer who’s crossed paths—and swords—with Jamie in the past. And in the court of the mighty MacKenzie clan, Jamie is a pawn in the power struggle between his uncles: aging chieftain Colum, who demands his nephew’s loyalty—or his life—and Dougal, war chieftain of Clan MacKenzie, who’d sooner see Jamie put to the sword than anointed Colum’s heir.

 

And then there is Claire Randall—mysterious, beautiful, and strong-willed, who appears in Jamie’s life to stir his  compassion . . . and arouse his desire.

 

But even as Jamie’s heart draws him to Claire, Murtagh is certain she’s been sent by the Old Ones, and Captain Randall accuses her of being a spy. Claire clearly has something to hide, though Jamie can’t believe she could pose him any danger. Still, he knows she is torn between two choices—a life with him, and whatever it is that draws her thoughts so often elsewhere.

   

Step into the captivating, passionate, and suspenseful world of The Exile, and experience the storytelling magic of Diana Gabaldon as never before.

 

Series: Outlander .5 | Publisher: Del Rey| Genre: Graphic Novel | Source: Purchased | Rating: 3.5 Cups

Okay, I was a little late to the game with The Exile. I mean, I love Outlander but I’ve never been one to hop on the graphic novel/comic book train and I wasn’t really sure that I would enjoy Outlander in graphic novel form. Then, finally, I broke down and ordered a copy from Amazon.

 

I’m really glad that I finally gave in. The Exile, while vastly different from my normal reading material, was actually interesting. It’s told from the perspectives of Dougal, Colum, Murtagh, Geillis, and Jamie and I enjoyed getting the different points of view. We also see a new character, which intrigued me.

 

The timeframe of this starts before Outlander and ends right before they get to Lallybroch. So readers will recognize certain scenes while others have been added to round out Outlander. There is some Gaelic thrown in, which is another thing I was glad to see in the graphic novel, and the translations are actually included on the same page.

 

The illustrations are gorgeous and expressive although, apparently, every woman in graphic novel land has an overflowing bosom.

 

Overall, this was an interesting read. I liked that it offered different POVs and showed a bit more of what was going on. Although I wanted more.

What’s your take on graphic novels?