If I could be completely honest, the fact that this book had anything to do with Scotland was one of the biggest selling points for me. And no. I've never seen nor read Outlander. I just simply have a love affair with all things Scottish (or Irish for that matter). It's on the top of my "to-visit- places.
This book isn't the easiest of reads, but its one that you'll be thankful you stuck it out for. You can tell right from the start that Michael Phillips really knows what he's writing about. The reader isn't thrown into an unknown world, but instead, is eased into it with rich writing and deep character building.