Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Very Late To The Craze

I never seem to be one of the first people to join in any sort of trend.  In fact, I usually seem to be one of the last.  That’s fine with me.  I don’t typically choose things based on their popularity.  Honestly, there have been a few too many “must see” or “must read” movies or books that have disappointed me.

For example, I will never understand the craze over The Help.  The book that is.  I absolutely understand the craze over the movie.  It starred Viola Davis.  Enough said, right?

So I didn’t start reading the Outlander series until last fall.  I had heard of them, of course.  I think you have to be living under a rock not to have heard of them.  I had thought about reading them, but time travel stories aren’t typically among my favorites.  I didn’t want to read books I didn’t think I would enjoy just because they were popular.

Then one of my co-workers, Kim, found out that I hadn’t read them, and said I needed to.  She was actually very surprised to find out that I hadn’t read them.  In my defense, though, I was nine years old when the first book was published.  If you’ve read the series, you know that it is in no way appropriate reading material for a nine year old.  If you haven’t read the series, and you’re in charge of a nine year old’s reading material, you do not want them reading Outlander.  Trust me on that one.

Lots of time has passed since I was nine years old and the first book being published, but I was still pretty stuck on not liking the time travel aspect.

Kim is who recommended Alan Bradley’s Flavia de Luce series, which I love, so I tend to trust her recommendations.  I didn’t think I’d enjoy that series, either, and it has become one of my favorites.  If she says I’m missing out by not reading a certain book or author, I tend to believe her.

The waiting list at the library had about a million people on it, so I ordered a paperback copy from Amazon.  I don’t typically buy books by authors I haven’t read, but Kim’s recommendation carried a lot of weight.

I just started The Fiery Cross, which is the fifth book in the series.  I’m totally hooked.  Voyager was a little dry and drug in places in my opinion, but overall the series has been great so far.  I haven’t watched the show yet.  I’m told it’s good, but we don’t have Starz.  I’m sure I’ll watch it one day, but probably not until after the craze has died down.

So what about you?  Have you read the Outlander series?  Or watched the show?  Do you read or watch something because it’s popular?


11 comments:

  1. Officially living under a rock here - I've never even heard of the books or the series. But I do love me a good time travel story, so I might have to check it out. I don't actually know if we have Starz or not... Living under a rock, covered by a cabbage leaf, somewhere out in left field!

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  2. Under a rock as well. And not a fan of Viola, though no one can cry and blow snot bubbles on que like she can.

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    1. ha! Just about spit coffee all over my computer screen...

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  3. I am not a huge fan of the series. I have read the first and parts of the second book. The violence gets harder to read as I get older. I saw season one of the series and the same applies. There are brutal scenes but I watched because of the acting. I won’t watch any more.

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  4. i have never heard of the Outlander series books or tv.

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  5. I'm later to the craze than you are, Danielle. I've never read them or seen the series. But like you, I often fall into things a little past their prime! And that's OK!

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  6. I haven't read or watched the series yet, or even decided if I will.

    I don't generally watch or read something just because it's popular. I have a couple of times because certain friends enjoyed it, our tastes are similar, and they kept raving about it or saying I'd enjoy it, but I'm not one to follow the herd, so to speak.

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  7. You just made me feel so old. I randomly picked up book 1 from the library one day. I'm not sure why. I was looking for something to read, and it was new... No one had heard of it when I read it. Then was the long wait for book 2. Then book 3. Somewhere around there I started making many moves and I stopped reading for a time...

    I can't remember if I read book 4. I know I wasn't reading anything at all by the time book 5 came out, so I'm woefully behind.

    I won't watch or read something just because it's popular. It has to sound like something appealing. In this case, alas, I am one of the ones who was "into it before it was popular".

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  8. I have not read the Outlander books and am patiently waiting for Season 3 to come out on Netflix so I can binge watch it.

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  9. I think there was an Outlander movie about this many years ago. I saw it on TV, but have never read the books or seen the TV series.

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  10. I haven't watched the show, but did read the series when the books were first coming out. I think I stopped after about the sixth one. They were just too long and it became boring to me.

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