THE EXILE

Author: Diana Gabaldon ISBN:9780345505385 10/2010 GRAPHIC NOVEL Publisher: DEL REY
Time Period: Scotland 1743

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.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

THE EXILE is a splendid way to reunite with the first third of Diana Gabaldon’s epic 1991 novel OUTLANDER. The author, with a former career in the comic book industry, was heavily involved in bringing this graphic version of her story to life. The characters are how she sees them, and she refreshed the material by adding new bits of the story along with the old.

This graphic novel is clearly targeted toward fans of the source material. I’ve read OUTLANDER twice myself and feel that it would be hard for a non-reader to understand the graphic novel. So if you haven’t read OUTLANDER, give it a try first before attempting the graphic novel.

I thought some of the artwork was especially beautiful, and while I found the images of Jamie and Claire to be a bit inconsistent, certain portraits of Jamie were ummm…lovely. I mean that in a good way. In case you are wondering, I would rate the art at a PG level. Some of the “boobage” is a bit too much, but there’s nothing more revealing that a naked backside shot of Jamie. The one sex scene is fairly tasteful.

Gabaldon hadn’t been to Scotland at the time she wrote the source material, and when I listened to the audio version a few years back, I noticed how limited the descriptions of Scotland were. It is nice to have the visual depiction since I haven’t been there myself. Also, it is fun to visit 1743 in picture form!

I hope there is a movie or mini-series version someday, but meanwhile, I would be happy to read another graphic novel installation. Fans of OUTLANDER and graphic novel art will get a real kick out of THE EXILE!

Heather Hiestand