Review By Veronica
Goodreads Synopsis:
Two Men. One Country. And a lot of whisky.
As stars of “Outlander”, Sam and Graham eat, sleep and breathe the Highlands on this epic road trip around their homeland. They discover that the real thing is even greater than fiction.
“Clanlands” is the story of their journey. Armed with their trusty campervan and a sturdy friendship, these two Scotsmen are on the adventure of a lifetime to explore the majesty of Scotland. A wild ride by boat, kayak, bicycle and motorbike, they travel from coast to loch and peak to valley and delve into Scotland’s history and culture, from timeless poetry to bloody warfare.
With near-death experiences, many weeks in a confined space together, and a cast of unforgettable characters, Graham and Sam’s friendship matures like a fine Scotch. They reflect on their acting careers in film and theatre, find a new awestruck respect for their native country and, as with any good road trip, they even find themselves.
Hold onto your kilts … this is Scotland as you’ve never seen it before.
I love listening to travel books on my Audible app, especially ones narrated by the author(s). There is just something so wonderful about listening to an author read their book. I love Outlander, both the book series and the TV series. So, when I heard that Sam and Graham were writing a book, I knew I needed to get my hands on it. Now, this book is a fabulous book to read, but I would highly recommend listening to this story instead. Listening to Sam and Graham narrate their book added so much richness and character to it–which is something a reader wouldn’t get if they just read the book on their own. Also, you get to spend ten plus hours listening to fabulous Scottish accents, so, win-win. I will admit that I might have gotten those swoony feelings at times.
For those unfamiliar with the Outlander series, Sam plays Jamie Fraser, and Graham plays Dougle MacKenzie. I do feel like I need to say that you don’t need to be a fan of or have watched the Outlander series to enjoy this book. Clanlands is a beautiful blend of Highland history, the acting lives of Sam and Graham, and of course, whisky talk. Since I am a fan of Outlander, I just loved listening to the behind-the-scenes parts of the show. It was interesting listening to how the history of the Highlands connects to the Outlander series.
The road trip that Sam and Graham went on was so much fun! Lord, I don’t know how these two guys could function with all the drinking they did. People would have to roll me from place to place; I think I would just die, or my liver would quit and leave my body. It was hilarious listening to Graham complain about Sam’s terrible driving or the number of times Sam had to be naked on the Outlander, or when Sam would come up with plans that he knew would drive Graham nuts, or when he would call him a latté drinking diva.
Sam and Graham are a hoot to listen to. I loved that dry, sarcastic banter between these two. They were constantly poking fun at each other; it really was like listening to two good friends talk about their trip and their lives. I do have to say that Graham’s voice was the one that was making me swoon. I hadn’t realized how smooth and rich his voice was. It made listening to this book such an enjoyable experience.
If you are looking for a fun adventure travel book that takes you to the Scottish Highlands, I would highly recommend Clanlands.
