Sept. 22, 2010
BOOK REVIEW: 'The Exile': Diana Gabaldon's Popular 'Outlander' Series Recast in Form of Graphic Novel
Reviewed By David M. Kinchen
One of the advantages -- and pleasures -- of fiction is that a novel or short story allows a reader to envision the characters that an author presents on the printed page, based on internal clues and descriptions -- and the narrative.
For instance, if you read Anne Tyler's wonderful novel "The Accidental Tourist" when it was published in 1985, you formed mind pictures of travel writer Macon Leary, his wife, Sarah, his crazy mixed-up siblings and Muriel Pritchett, his dog trainer. Fast forward to 1988, when you're at a movie theater seeing the movie version, directed by the very talented Lawrence Kasdan. Can you possibly reconcile your mind pictures with William Hurt's portrayal of Macon, Kathleen Turner's Sarah or Geena Davis's Muriel? The movie is outstanding, as is the novel. This is the dilemma.
This mind-picture advantage is blurred when the movie version comes out, or when the author, in the case of best-selling author Diana Gabaldon, extracts characters from a previous series and creates, with artist Huang Nguyen, the graphic novel "The Exile" (Del Rey Hardcover, a Random House imprint, 224 pages, $25.00).
I've never read Gabaldon's "Outlander" books, which debuted in 1991 with "Outlander," so it wasn't a problem with me to see how the artist portrayed Jamie Fraser and his time-traveling lover Claire Randall. Gabaldon tells us in "The Exile" how she worked with Nguyen to portray Jamie, Claire, Murtagh, Captain Randall and the other characters in this latest "Outlander" volume.
In "The Exile" 22-year-old 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. I found this aspect very believable because the older Claire, a British nurse from World War II is quite a babe! She's trapped in 18th Century Scotland and her very survival depends on her relationship with Jamie Fraser. "Cougartown" comes to 18th Century Scotland!
Jamie is thinking with an organ other than his brain and his godfather 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.
Gabaldon's fans are the obvious target for the graphic novel, but it will also serve to initiate the unwashed -- including the present reviewer -- into the Outlander universe. It could also serve as a teaser to draw readers unfamiliar with Gabaldon to her many novels, all of which are in print and readily available.
Artist Hoang Nguyen was born in Vietnam and emigrated to the U.S. with his parents at the age of nine. He's not a novice illustrator: He has worked for Marvel, Dark Home and other comic publishers and his original project, "Metal Militia", was optioned by Dino De Laurentiis for feature film development. His website is www.liquidbrush.com.
So, after all this description, did I like "The Exile"? Yes, if only because I love graphic novels and novels with pictures like Sara Gruen's 2006 "Water for Elephants" or Jack Finney's 1970 time-travel fantasy "Time and Again."
My advice to fans of Gabaldon's Outlander novels: Give "The Exile" a chance. You just might like it!
Diana Gabaldon's website: www.dianagabaldon.com
Publisher's website: www.delreybooks.com
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BOOK REVIEW: 'The Exile': Diana Gabaldon's Popular 'Outlander' Series Recast in Form of Graphic Novel
Reviewed By David M. Kinchen
One of the advantages -- and pleasures -- of fiction is that a novel or short story allows a reader to envision the characters that an author presents on the printed page, based on internal clues and descriptions -- and the narrative.
For instance, if you read Anne Tyler's wonderful novel "The Accidental Tourist" when it was published in 1985, you formed mind pictures of travel writer Macon Leary, his wife, Sarah, his crazy mixed-up siblings and Muriel Pritchett, his dog trainer. Fast forward to 1988, when you're at a movie theater seeing the movie version, directed by the very talented Lawrence Kasdan. Can you possibly reconcile your mind pictures with William Hurt's portrayal of Macon, Kathleen Turner's Sarah or Geena Davis's Muriel? The movie is outstanding, as is the novel. This is the dilemma.
This mind-picture advantage is blurred when the movie version comes out, or when the author, in the case of best-selling author Diana Gabaldon, extracts characters from a previous series and creates, with artist Huang Nguyen, the graphic novel "The Exile" (Del Rey Hardcover, a Random House imprint, 224 pages, $25.00).
I've never read Gabaldon's "Outlander" books, which debuted in 1991 with "Outlander," so it wasn't a problem with me to see how the artist portrayed Jamie Fraser and his time-traveling lover Claire Randall. Gabaldon tells us in "The Exile" how she worked with Nguyen to portray Jamie, Claire, Murtagh, Captain Randall and the other characters in this latest "Outlander" volume.
In "The Exile" 22-year-old 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. I found this aspect very believable because the older Claire, a British nurse from World War II is quite a babe! She's trapped in 18th Century Scotland and her very survival depends on her relationship with Jamie Fraser. "Cougartown" comes to 18th Century Scotland!
Jamie is thinking with an organ other than his brain and his godfather 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.
Gabaldon's fans are the obvious target for the graphic novel, but it will also serve to initiate the unwashed -- including the present reviewer -- into the Outlander universe. It could also serve as a teaser to draw readers unfamiliar with Gabaldon to her many novels, all of which are in print and readily available.
Artist Hoang Nguyen was born in Vietnam and emigrated to the U.S. with his parents at the age of nine. He's not a novice illustrator: He has worked for Marvel, Dark Home and other comic publishers and his original project, "Metal Militia", was optioned by Dino De Laurentiis for feature film development. His website is www.liquidbrush.com.
So, after all this description, did I like "The Exile"? Yes, if only because I love graphic novels and novels with pictures like Sara Gruen's 2006 "Water for Elephants" or Jack Finney's 1970 time-travel fantasy "Time and Again."
My advice to fans of Gabaldon's Outlander novels: Give "The Exile" a chance. You just might like it!
Diana Gabaldon's website: www.dianagabaldon.com
Publisher's website: www.delreybooks.com
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