Summary: This companion volume to Diana Gabaldon's wildly popular Outlander series covers the first four books (through Drums in Autumn). It's got detailed synopses of the books, a listing of all of the characters and their role in the books, detailed horoscopes for Jamie and Claire, family trees and geneological histories for Jamie, Claire, and Roger, a glossary and Gaelic pronunciation guide, pictures and illustrations of some of the places and objects in the stories (stone circles, Claire's rings, etc.), some FAQ about the series, an excerpt of The Fiery Cross and King, Farewell (which was the original title for A Breath of Snow and Ashes), an extended bibliography and list of resources, and quite a bit of commentary about the books, writing the books, and writing in general.

Review: I checked this book out of the library on the basis of an argument with a friend that I've gotten hooked on the Outlander series - he insisted that Wentworth Prison had to be further south, while I was pretty sure it was in Scotland - and we needed a map. (Turns out I was right.) Additionally, because I took a break of six weeks or so after reading Voyager, I wanted to read the summaries to refresh myself before diving into Drums of Autumn. After finishing that book, I browsed the rest of it, which was of varying interest. The "exciting new preview of Diana's next novel!" was less exciting when I have the finished copy of the novel in question sitting on the floor next to me, and so that part got skipped. On the other hand, Gabaldon's discussion of how the series originated and evolved was interesting, as were the comparisons between the events and people of the series and those from actual history. The most useful sections from a reference point of view were certainly the cast of characters and the glossary and pronunciation guide (I'd been pronouncing Laoghaire like LAH-go-hair, turns out it's more like L'Heery; on the other hand, even the author is unsure how Geillis's name is pronounced, which is reassuring). Other sections were less useful - the web resources are almost certainly out of date, and my eyes glazed over at some of the (very) extended genealogies and clan histories. In general, though, I'd say it's probably best for those who are planning to re-read the books; I wouldn't want to give it to someone just starting, for fear of (major) spoilers, but for those who are just passing through, it's probably way too much information. 3 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: An interesting but not essential addition to the Outlander series; major fans will probably want to check it out, but it's not necessary to the enjoyment of the books. ( )

For those of you that have read the Outlander series but need to know more this book is for you. The Companion gives background information about the times, places, people, etc. It is a must to have around especially during a reread. ( )

This one book attempts to give a synopsis of sorts to the rest of the books in the series and some author inside tidbits complete with a fan's star chart for the 2 main characters. It was OK but I ended up skimming for something I didn't know after reading the series. ( )

A little daunting, but necessary if you are truly interested in the Outlander series. ( )

Perhaps you have to be a hardcore fan to really appreciate this tome. I did find some of the information interesting, but just skimmed the majority of the book. Part of the problem for me is that I've actually seen and met Gabaldon so I already knew much of this information. Also, it only covers part of the series, so now some of it is null and void. It was really great of her to put this together. If you really want to get into her mind, this is the book for you. I think she should have waiting until she was done with the entire series before putting something like this out. However, if you are just like to read her books but aren't a hardcore Outlander fan, this book is really not for you. ( )