INTO THE WILDERNESS (The Wilderness Series Book 1)

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Weaving a vibrant tapestry of fact and fiction, Into the Wilderness sweeps us into another time and place.

I did find it hard to get into at first (in fact, I read about 60 pages then put it down for quite a few months), but as it sat there on my nightstand I kept wanting to go back and I was glad I did. The fact is during the colonial and Federal period, school teachers in America were overwhelmingly under twenty-five, White and male. Just because I didn't fall in love with INTO THE WILDERNESS doesn't mean I don't appreciate well-written stories by authors other than DG.

Reminded me somewhat of Outlander, although not quite so steamy ( that one has a lot of sexual scenes). Their appearance solidified my decision on the book reminding me (painfully) of everything Donati's characters weren't: interesting, compelling, complicated, and imperfect.

The idea was simply a bit of an inside joke — characters wandering from one novel to another — and was never meant to be anything else. Interweaving the fate of the Mohawk Nation with the destiny of two lovers, Sara Donati’s compelling novel creates a complex, profound, passionate portrait of an emerging America. Her canvas isn't as broad as Gabaldon's but I enjoyed the intimate portrayals of gentle characters (and some less gentle) from all peoples represented. Fans of earlier titles will not be disappointed, as [Fire Along the Sky] contains the same combination of romance and adventure, not to mention the most intriguing mystery in the series yet. And she meets a man different from any she has ever encountered — a white man dressed like a Native American, tall and lean and unsettling in his blunt honesty.This is a series and I think my favorite was actually "Queen of Swords" which is set in New Orleans during the war of 1812. Whether you're a newcomer to OUTLANDER or you've been reading the books for 30+ years, one thing we all have in common is our love for these books and characters and this amazing story that Diana Gabaldon has created. And she hunkers down next to him and listens to his chest and then she forces something down his gullet, and she bundles him up.

The wilderness of the setting is rich, the varied people (not just white and "red" but every colour) are vibrant, the culture is compelling, the love undeniable. Gabaldon’s characters speak into your ear, so believable are their speeches – especially when she is putting weasel words and round-about talk into their mouths.

But she soon discovers that freeing Nathaniel will take every ounce of her courage and inventiveness. Elizabeth and Nathaniel have a number of adventures, both separately and together, but I never really felt drawn into their lives on an emotional level, the way that I do when reading Diana Gabaldon's books. Also, given that Claire and Jamie are kept so prevalent on the reader’s mind, I didn’t find Donati’s characterizations to be particularly unique. I have loved this book for years and had to be content with the printed version and a terribly abridged cassette. So similar to the post “Finding My Next Shura” where Beth enlisted several friends to find a new book boyfriend, I needed to replace Jamie and Claire’s place at our holiday dinner table conversations (I said don’t judge!