Fun to read! Why else would you bother with 800+ pages? The ending, however, is unsatisfying - it begs you to read the second book in the series, which is a disappointing tactic. It leaves a few loose ends. Some of the sex and violence is a little overdone - not offensive, just unnecessarily repetetive and a little tiresome.Even so, Ms. Gabaldon is a marvelous story-teller.