Diana Gabaldon’s series, “Outlander,” began in 1988 when the author, a research professor, decided to write a novel for “practice, just to learn how.”  With her background she decided a historical novel would make the most sense, but was inspired by an episode of the “Doctor Who” BBC series in which a young Scot from 1745 named Jamie McCrimmon was a companion of the hero.  She renamed her hero, James Fraser, and set her book in 18th century Scotland.

 

Her heroine was an Englishwoman who Gabaldon complained just “took over her story” with a modern attitude and wit.  To compensate for the disparity, Gabaldon decided to use time travel to explain it.  It was intended to be a trilogy, but now is up to eight volumes.

 

The story involves a married nurse who goes to the Highlands on a belated honeymoon right after World War II.  When exploring the scenery, she finds some standing stones and ends up in Scotland in the early 18th century.  Pursued by the British, she is rescued by some Scots including a young man named James Fraser who gives her refuge and his name.  She eventually tells him the truth and reveals that the Battle of Culloden looms in the near future when the British destroy the clans.  The two set out to try to stop the rising and Bonnie Prince Charles.

 

Although there is a fantasy element in the “Outlander” series, it is a small part.  The real strengths of the books are the characters and the accurate depiction of real life in 18th century Europe and America.  The television series is currently in the midst of the second book, “Dragonfly in Amber.”

 

The books in order are: “Outlander,” “Dragonfly in Amber,” “Voyager,” “Drums of Autumn,” “The Fiery Cross,” “A Breath of Snow and Ashes,” “An Echo in the Bone,” and “Written in My Own Heart’s Blood.”

 

The second book series by George R. R. Martin numbers only five volumes with fans desperately hoping for the sixth book.  Inspired by real medieval history and mixed with elements of fantasy,  Martin’s “Game of Thrones,” is a rich, detailed, violent story of a group of families and their fiefdoms in a land known as Westeros.  The plot, characters and geography are so complicated that there is actually a book to explain it for readers.

 

House Stark rules in the north far from the towering wall which keeps out a savage race known as Wildings as well as even worse creatures.  Its leader is persuaded by his King to return to King’s Landing to help him rule catapulting his family into the internecine world of Westeros politics that will throw members of his family into war, assassination, the wall and beyond.

 

The current HBO series is moving beyond the written books since Martin is taking so long to write the sixth volume; so readers will be surprised at the newest plot twists.  The books in order are:

 

“A Game of Thrones,” “A Clash of Kings,” “A Storm of Swords,” “A Feast for Crows,” and “A Dance with Dragons.”

          

The library has all the available seasons of both “Outlander” and “Game of Thrones” on DVD for those who don’t subscribe to HBO or Starz.