‘Outlander’: Diana Gabaldon in Davenport today

Diana Gabaldon's 'Outlander' series is red-hot at the moment. In August, a television show based on the books debuted on Starz. Just this week, the latest entry in the series, 'Written in My Heart's Own Blood,' won the Goodreads Choice Award in the romance category, besting its nearest competitor by more than 21,000 reader votes.

The book that started it all was 1991's 'Outlander,' which introduces us to our narrator, Claire, a woman on a second honeymoon in Scotland in 1946 who magically finds herself transported in time to 1743. Swept up by a group of Highland Scots — who loath an English officer who is Claire's husband's ancestor — Claire must use her wits and perseverance to protect her life in the past while looking for a way to return to her present. 'Outlander' might be called a historical romance with a time travel twist.

'Outlander,' like subsequent entries in the main series (Gabaldon has penned a number of related works), is a sizeable novel, coming in at more than 600 pages. The story is quick paced, however, and Claire is an engaging narrator, sharing her fears, hopes, and fierceness in the face of the many dangers encountered as she navigates her new world. There are quite a number of characters and connections to keep straight (an issue which no doubt expands with each entry; a second volume of 'The Outlandish Companion' is currently in progress to help readers sort it all out), but Claire helps us keep track of the important details.

While historical detail is important to the tale and there is plenty of action, Gabaldon keeps her characters front and center. Each major character — with perhaps the exception of the central villain of the piece — is complicated in ways that ring true. It's easy to see why this exciting, nuanced story has captured the imagination of so many readers.

AUTHOR VISIT

What: Diana Gabaldon appears at 'Thru the Stones' festival

Where: River Center, 136 E. Third St., Davenport

When: 7:15 p.m. today For more information: Thruthestones.com