A Breath of Snow and Ashes (2005)

Set in 1772 on the eve of the Revolutionary War, events have been set in motion that will lead to the War. In this backdrop are Jamie Fraser and his time travelling wife Clare and their family. Jamie is still staying loyal to the Crown, even though he knows from his wife what the results of the war will be. To complicate matters, they had come across a clipping from the Wilmington Gazette which states that Jaimie and his family had died.

A Breath of Snow and Ashes is a well written and compelling novel. Gabaldon has done a good job of creating a story world. On the downside the novel feels slow and lumbering at times. The storyline is also a little disjointed in spots. This novel is not quite at the same level as some of the other novels in the series, but it is still enjoyable if you have read others in the series.

Carl Alves – author of Blood Street ( )

Although I enjoyed visiting with Jamie & Claire again, there wasn't a lot of action and there was a lot of words. A little bit of editing would have helped move this story along.
Despite that, there were some very interesting developments for the Fraser family & Fraser's Ridge. I'm curious how Diana Gabaldon will continue this series.
One of the new characters in this book had an interesting past and story to tell. I would have liked his storyline to have followed a different path and maybe brought some enlightenment to the time travel aspect of the story but, alas, it was not to be.
I do wish she'd hurry and finish this series. Time is going by, the books are getting longer & wordier. Jamie & Claire aren't getting any younger, their adventures must slow down with their age....and I'd like to see how this family's story ends.


Although I enjoyed visiting with Jamie & Claire again, there wasn't a lot of action and there was a lot of words. A little bit of editing would have helped move this story along.
Despite that, there were some very interesting developments for the Fraser family & Fraser's Ridge. I'm curious how Diana Gabaldon will continue this series.
One of the new characters in this book had an interesting past and story to tell. I would have liked his storyline to have followed a different path and maybe brought some enlightenment to the time travel aspect of the story but, alas, it was not to be.
I do wish she'd hurry and finish this series. Time is going by, the books are getting longer & wordier. Jamie & Claire aren't getting any younger, their adventures must slow down with their age....and I'd like to see how this family's story ends.

Although I enjoyed visiting with Jamie & Claire again, there wasn't a lot of action and there was a lot of words. A little bit of editing would have helped move this story along.
Despite that, there were some very interesting developments for the Fraser family & Fraser's Ridge. I'm curious how Diana Gabaldon will continue this series.
One of the new characters in this book had an interesting past and story to tell. I would have liked his storyline to have followed a different path and maybe brought some enlightenment to the time travel aspect of the story but, alas, it was not to be.
I do wish she'd hurry and finish this series. Time is going by, the books are getting longer & wordier. Jamie & Claire aren't getting any younger, their adventures must slow down with their age....and I'd like to see how this family's story ends. ( )

I thoroughly enjoyed this 6th book in the series. I think I enjoyed it more the third time I read it. Perhaps it has to do with reading the whole series again. I'm ready to start the next one, also a reread. ( )

Note: A Breath of Snow And Ashes is the sixth novel in the "Outlander Series." There will necessarily be spoilers for the first five books in the series.

This series tells the ongoing saga of English nurse Claire who travels back in time and takes up with hot Highland hunk Jamie. They have moved to America, it is now 1773, and war is afoot.

In A Breath of Snow And Ashes, Gabaldon finally lets all the vile evil nature of human beings unfettered by law come darkly forth, usually with fire in its wake. In this very long book, we have no less than three abductions (i.e., one approximately every 350 pages). And in addition to kidnap, gang rape, slave trading, and lynching, we now have a lesbian to go with the usual panoply of gay males. (It’s probably not necessarily that there is such a high percentage of gay individuals in the early American world, but rather a reflection of the fact that no one can resist either Jamie or Claire…..)

And of course, Jamie and Claire are still devoted to one another. Jamie, as sexy and heroic as ever, even confesses he likes Claire better when she gains weight than when she loses it! (It is clear why no one can resist this man!) More tenderly, he tells Claire, “If ye were no longer there - or somewhere … then the sun would no longer come up or go down.”

In other news in this family saga, mysteries get solved about both Jocasta and Ian; Fergus and Marsali are forced to make a big change; Roger finds his calling; Roger and Bree discover who the real father is of Jemmy; and Bree experiences a couple of big surprises that force her to make some life-altering decisions as the book concludes in 1776.

Discussion: This book is much darker than the previous ones, and yet, for that very reason, more realistic.

We still get details of almost every meal, every instance of sweating, belching, constipation, lusting, praying, sleepless nights, chores - you name it - and yet for the most part Gabaldon carries it off without being boring.

I’m also impressed that the series retains so many younger readers, even though there are complaints aplenty in blog reviews about the grossness of “geriatric sex.” Come on! I thought 50 or 60 was the new 40! And at any rate, Claire apparently looks like she is much younger, although she worries about the veins standing out in her hands and her breasts sagging and so on. But Jamie even has silver hairs you know where and besides, his devotion to Claire knows no bounds, so not to worry….

Evaluation: It’s fun to share the excitement of the characters from the future as the American Revolution approaches, and good to get clarification on a number of the plot mysteries. As with the other books, there is bitter and sweet in this long family tale, but you get caught up in it, and want to know what happens. ( )

I love this series! I stumbled onto Outlander by accident. How I don't recall, but it doesn't matter. I was hooked. You really need to read this in order. Thus is book #6.

In this book you have time travel, war in the 1770's, sex, murder, and most of all Jamie and Claire!

A true love story that grips your heart from book 1. How she struggles with right vs wrong. Where Jamie just does. Their daughter Brianna and her family are struggling as well with life in 1770's. What makes it great is the family bond. Jamie guides Roger through pre-America colonization. Brianna is a knock off the old block of Jamie and Claire. I love little Jem in this book. Nothing but all boy.

I can't say enough about this book. They are absolutely amazing! ( )