The Official Guide to Seasons One & Two - The Making of Outlander

absolutely the best book series that I have ever read. I have read the whole series 3 times. I have always been an avid reader but never felt the need to reread a book but each time I go back I read something that I don't remember from before. I highly recommend it.

My pre-order arrived yesterday, and was even better than expected!

Love the format - not too large as some coffee table books can be, but large enough to showcase all the lovely photography well.
I like the way the episodes are reviewed with the actor "spotlight" sections interspersed - also agree with the other reviewer that the comments by actors & staff were really interesting too
Also nice to have pictures and commentary about those who will not be back in Season 3 and beyond...
This will help fill the Droughtlander gap a LITTLE bit ;-)

Buy this book - you'll LOVE it!! (I'm getting more for gifts too...)

I didn't expect such a beautiful book. Actually I expected a small one and not so well edited. A lot of pictures, interesting comments about all the episodes of both seasons, about the process of casting, the costumes, the writing,... All what you need to know is there. Well done!

I got a surprise when I got home and it arrived sooner than expected !! It's too beautiful and everything an outlander fan would want to have. Only a "but", the cover, perhaps for the trip comes something wrinkled and broken. Nothing else.

Fabulous companion to the first two series of Outlander. Would highly recommend it to fans of the series and the books. Very much enjoyed the background stories from the writers, directors, as well as the actors.

Lovely, predictable, but with great insight into the episodes. Most of the pictures have been seen a million times, if you are a fan. Did learn some things that I didn't know previously. BUT, not a lot that I didn't already know.

The book answers a lot of questions about the actors, the characters, differences between the actual books and the filming. One thing I was hoping for, was a section on the horses used. I see the same horses playing different roles (mounts for different characters) and things like that. I wondered why the grey that Claire rode toward the end of season 2, they had it's noseband wonky and didn't fix it. Also notes on the tack would be interesting. I love the (at least) two Friesians used, they were my favorites. To be fair, I haven't completed reading this, but no horse notes yet.....

This is a great book describing the inner workings of the Outlander TV Series. Perhaps as a fan of the books one might not realize all the details that needs to happen to present a professional adaptation of this series. It is a good way to withstand the Droughtlander down time. A great read for those who wonder why it takes so long for the show to be presented. I couldn't put this book down. I was glad I pre-ordered it. Not only are there behind the scenes comments from the staff but the actors as well. I recommend this book to all the fans of the books. It's well worth the read.

The pictures are gorgeous, but I really felt I had read everything in the book already. I love this show and was really hoping for more. I am limiting myself to a chapter a day or less during droughtlander, and its not a problem to put it down.
I had dinner w Grant O'Rourke shortly after the book came out, and while they had to give interviews, he hadn't seen the book. They should have been given a copy!

A wonderfully done guide to the first two years of the hit series on Starz, filmed from the first two immensely popular OUTLANDER books by Diana Gabaldon. Outlander/Dragonfly in Amber is an emotionally intense and humanitarian historical romance.

This is a large book, chock full of "spoilers," so a companion only for those who want to re-call or view the show again. Organized sequentially by episodes and topics, Bennett presents text, photos, actors, and quotes.

The "making" is found in the text, where Bennett delves into many subjects and backstories affecting the scripts, actors, and filming. You learn much about the process of shooting the show and shaping its episodes (and why some deviate shockingly from the books).

The numerous photos of actors (none with a caption) serve mainly to remind us of the palpable scenes and stunning costumes we enjoyed, as Bennett describes what went into the making of episodes and dresses (and avoidance of Computer Graphics). There's a small map of Scotland with locations for major places in the show.

Each principal character, or pair, gets a section on their actor, situations, development, or personal relationships.

Perhaps most fascinating and insightful are the many sidebars quoting the words of producers and actors as they spoke about the arc of episodes, about shaping scenes, and how they conceived of and developed their characters' motivations.

Bennett reveals fascinating details on casting, locations, and clothing. We get incredible insight into the reordering of scenes and the genesis of whole new episodes (and the fact that Diana Gabaldon approved them); disagreements between writers; short cuts taken; the maniacal attention to historical authenticity and respect for the novels; elegant eighteenth century fashions; how colors were chosen for Scotland and France; about plaids and tartans; dealing with the mentally tough scenes of rape; the subtle changes in music to accompany different episodes; composing the marvelous title song; the extent to which women dominate the filming; the strengths of the different script writers and directors; Tobias Menzies' terrific challenge to play such opposite and unloved characters; challenging shots; how they played intimate scenes; learning to ride horses; when doubles were used.

Questions unanswered:
gossip about the strong actors and crew on set; more detail of actors' previous training and roles; actual budgets; actors' salaries; defining movie jargon ("blocking," "breaking," "beats," let alone all the jobs scrolled in the final credits); how show people were housed, fed, scheduled, etc.; how different actors produce tears; how actors psyche themselves up for each take (particularly the day there were 25 takes for the same scene!); about all the wigs; sound and camera equipment and techniques used; the boats and ships; and more on the actors playing Sandringham and especially Laoghaire.

This is a laudatory and positive appreciation of the show, not a history or study of it. Very enjoyable.

When this came in the mail and I showed my daughter she snagged it right out of my hands! I did get it back and am so glad she allowed me the chance to browse through the book. This is a stunning book. It is full of pictures from the set. I loved being able to see up close the details that I missed on the TV. There were sections dedicated to the costumes of the show. That section was particularly interesting to me. I was unaware how much work goes into costume design. Additionally, there is a recap of each episode and a part of the actors chosen for many of the different parts. I am thrilled with the book. I am certain it will mysteriously disappear from my room and magically reappear in my daughter's.

I won this book as a Goodreads giveaway, but it did not affect my opinion.

I just loved the book so much! I loved seeing the pictures and reading quotes from the cast and getting an in-depth review of the making of each episode of Seasons 1 and 2. I loved all of it. Due to personal reasons it has been very difficult for me to read much in the last month or two. This book however I read in a day. I have watched both parts of Season 1 multiple times and just acquired Season 3 last month. Now I can't wait to go back and re-watch the whole series with all of this new information in mind. I am especially intrigued by the passages regarding the music created by Bear McCreary. I cant wait to go back and listen carefully to all of the beautiful he has created specifically for each character.

I had no problems with the Kindle version (I have a Kindle Fire HD 8.9). I bought the print version for my mom, who prefers paper over digital. She also doesn't web surf, so much of the content was new to her. I think the book is very well done, although there are a few typos and even funny errors in the text. To me, it's nice to have all this information pulled together in one place.

The behind-the scene information in this book was really interesting and added to the enjoyment of watching the episodes again. Learning what each writer went through for each episode and why they presented the material they did and how they chose to portray it was very illuminating.

A beautiful, high quality book with much to like for those obsessed by Outlander! Gorgeous pictures, interesting behind the scenes facts, actor spotlights, and information not found anywhere else. A great addition to my outlander collection!

It's a coffee table book, quite large, and excellent quality. I gifted this to a fan of the TV series and she was delighted. It's only been a week and already she's on her second read-through. Fantastic photos, terrific behind-the-scenes discussions, and a wealth of information for Outlander fans.

If you are a fan of the TV show Outlander, (who isn't?!!), this is a great coffee table book to have. Filled with behind the scenes photos and interviews, this book lets you get a close up look at everything Outlander.

This book goes into such detail and offers many behind-the-scenes tidbits about the show. It's a complete joy to read and I feel as though I have a deeper understanding of the process of making a show of this caliber.