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.
I'm a huge Outlander fan, so I couldn't resist this
graphic novel. The Exile covers the first third of Outlander, mainly told from
Murtagh and Jamie's viewpoints. The first part covers the time when Jamie first
returns from France, briefly mentioned in Outlander. Jamie comes across as a
bit headstrong though not reckless and is kept on track by his godfather,
Murtagh. Murtagh witnesses Claire's arrival through the stones, making him
suspicious of her and why she is there. Unlike the original, there is an
additional character in Kenneth, another time-traveler and cohort of Geillis. I
never quite understood his purpose. The events that occur during their time at
Castle Leoch and on the rent collecting journey were well done. The wedding
scene was also good.
Having read Outlander several times, I never had a
problem following the story in this book. The graphic novel format is more
condensed, without the signature descriptive prose of the original. I didn't
care much for many of the illustrations. The men all looked enough alike that
it was sometimes challenging to figure out who was speaking. Claire's portrayal
isn't so good either. I thought she looked harsh. I also agree with other reviewers
that her proportions were highly exaggerated.
Overall, I enjoyed the graphic novel. I think it helps
that I'm familiar with the story. I'm not sure that it would be a good
introduction to the Outlander world.
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