Voyager - By Diana Gabaldon

Please discuss Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber and Voyager ONLY in this thread. Thanks!
The SPOILER Thread can be found here.

PART 1 – Battle, and the Loves of Men
CHAPTER 2 – The Hunt Begins


It is May 2, 1968 and Claire says “Of course he’s dead!” Roger explains that he doesn’t think so because he found a quote saying one officer, a Fraser of Lovat’s regiment, escaped the slaughter. He has a list of the officers of the regiment and has verified that none of the others could have been in the farmhouse, so he concludes that it must have been Jamie. Claire points out that even if he didn’t die at Culloden he must be dead now, 200 years later, upsetting Bree with her vehemence. Roger puts his arms around Bree, knowing she has learned a lot of difficult things in a short time. Roger asks if he should try to find out what happened to Jamie after Culloden and eventually she realizes what he already knows: if they find him, she might be able to go back through the stones to be with him again. The chapter ends with her saying “Yes. Find out for me. Please. Find out.”


- What do you think of Roger’s excitement about finding out what happened to Jamie? Is it because he now cares about Claire and Brianna and wants to find him for them? Or because the historian in him is excited about the challenge of discovering what happened? Or both?

- How do you think Claire feels knowing that Jamie may have survived, but she never tried to find out?

- What about Bree’s feelings? She’s certainly been on quite the rollercoaster ride from disbelief to belief and now the possibility that the father she never knew might have survived Culloden.

- It was never likely that Claire would say No to Roger’s offer of trying to find Jamie because then there wouldn’t likely be much of a book. But, did you think the chapter title sort of gave it away?

What I thought was most interesting in this chapter is that Claire says "Find out for me" not for "us" (her and Brianna). She had sacrificed so much the past 20 years for Brianna (well, any parent willingly plays second fiddle to their kids but she had been asked to give up more than most) and this seemed to be her first stirrings of becoming me-centric again. I wonder how Claire's statement impacted Brianna - since after all it was her father and she could well have been unsettled that her mother was not focused on her feelings.

Also, I think Roger was initially primarily motivated by scholarly curiousity but as he thought about it and probably by the time he asked the question above, his excitement was also tinged with excitement over what he could be doing to help Brianna learn about her heritage because of his feelings for her.

That is a really good point, Bloom. I hadn't thought about the fact that Claire said "me" rather than "us". To be fair, I think she was so shocked by the possibility that she wasn't thinking of the broader implications and Roger asked her if she wanted him to search - rather than asking both of the women - so I don't think she was necessarily being inconsiderate of Brianna. For Claire, it's more "real" because she knew and loved Jamie, whereas Brianna had never met him. But, I could certainly see Bree being hurt that she wasn't included in the statement about finding her biological father.

, the use of "me" vs. "we" was interesting! It was rather brave of Roger to continue on the quest, especially given Brianna's reaction to the news. It seems he is having to get used to the volatile Fraser temper rather quickly, as Claire did. Maybe Claire didn't want to push Bree into the search by using "we", while she got used to the fact that Jamie was really her father? Hard to say, but I think Claire's decision to go ahead was made the minute she heard that he had maybe escaped his intended purpose at Culloden.

Bree's reaction was an interesting one to watch, at one point in DiA I thought she just might book a flight back to Boston alone - but her love for Claire and no doubt piqued curiosity kept her there - as well as her growing interest in Roger.

- What do you think of Roger’s excitement about finding out what happened to Jamie?

BOTH! Scholarly excitement at being the FIRST to discover some great historical unknown would fuel his quest, while the gallant lad would want to achieve something for these two intriguing and beautiful women. It gives Roger a chance to be the knight-in-shining-armor to their maidens-in-distress. How often does a 20th century historian get that opportunity!


- How do you think Claire feels knowing that Jamie may have survived, but she never tried to find out?

Intriguing emotional component never touched upon in the text. We don't ever hear Claire questioning herself for this, do we?


- What about Bree’s feelings?

I actually felt sorry for Brianna in this part of the book. She's had her world turned upside-down and inside-out in a matter of days.


- Did you think the chapter title sort of gave it away?

Yes, it did! And I think every reader out there _wanted_ the hunt to begin - and NOW! It's the beginning of the race to the reunion....

Good point about Roger having the chance to play the role of the knight in shining armor. Hadn't thought about it that way, but it fits.

I think it's a little unusual that we don't really hear about Claire's emotions as she realizes that Jamie may have survived and she never checked. I know why she hadn't tried reading about him after her return because it would have hurt so much, but I'd think she'd be an emotional wreck at this point and yet we don't get her thoughts on it. Maybe she very quickly gets too involved in the hunt to take the time to wallow in regret, guilt or any other emotions she is feeling.

It is definitely a time to feel bad for Bree. That's a lot for a young woman to absorb in a short time. And, if they find Jamie in this hunt, she might be losing her mother to a different time after having lost Frank a couple of years before. Scary stuff, really.

The only time that I recall Claire feeling regret is near the end of DiA when she realizes their fate on the eve of Culloden. She thinks that if she had returned through the stones when Jamie took her to Craigh na Dun, this tragedy might have been avoided. Jamie dissuades her.

There are other times when Claire regrets not having more ability to help those around her, but that is a different question.

Of course, we know that Claire's answer will be "Yes!' And, we can only work to find the future in the past.

I was shocked by Brianna's reaction at first. I agree with the opinions here that this has been a very traumatic experience for her. What a vacation! Thanks a lot, Mom!

I think that Claire is in shock also. We see that her reaction is reserved as opposed to Brianna's fiery response. Would it matter that he survived Culloden? Dare she hope?

Yep Repoman, shocked and stunned!!

At the end of the chapter, after Roger asks her if he should find him, Claire looks directly at Bree and knows that if Jamie is still alive, she will have to make a choice, him or her. Roger sees this too, Bree probably does as well. I wouldn't want to be in Claire or Bree's shoes at that point.

I see Brianna maturing so much since she first found out about Jamie. She thinks Claire has died for a moment at the standing stones. That experience would surely make one see things with a new prospective.

ABL, thank you for a job well done!

Awww, thanks Nina. And, I completely agree that I wouldn't want to be in either of their shoes at that point. Heart-wrenching stuff, no matter what they find.

Claire is almost certainly in shock. She's lived 2 years fully convinced that Jamie died the day she left him and all of a sudden she discovers that he might have survived. That's got to be a big blow. And, of course what happens if they can find him in the past is another big question. But, I couldn't imagine them not looking (and then there wouldn't be a book).

Which would be the TRUE tragedy of events. *just kiddin'*

I love that Roger realizes, even before Claire does, what the full implications might be of searching for information about what happened to Jamie. This is the moment where his research changes from an academic pursuit to something that will actually change lives, including the life of the woman he's falling in love with.

In a way, you could see this as Roger's first step into the action and into the heart of the Fraser family. As readers, it's one of our first clues that Roger is someone who will become integral to the story to come, rather than just being a conduit for information as the Reverend was.