The Outlander Season 1 premiere does an outstanding job of bringing the book to life on-screen.

Months ago, I read a blurb about the development of Outlander and decided to pick up a copy of the book. Being a fan of period dramas, medicine, WWII, romance and time travel, how could I not love a story about a WWII nurse who accidentally time travels back to 17th century Scotland?

I did enjoy the book, but I didn't love it. The characters were well-drawn and the story was interesting, but the pace was maddeningly slow and overly convoluted in places. By the end of its 896(!) pages, I was ready for it to be over.

Yet I am still very excited about the TV series. I have always been one to enjoy TV/movie adaptations better than the original books, and Outlander is shaping up to be no exception.

The premiere (currently available free for view on Starz, online and On Demand) did an outstanding job of bringing the book to life on-screen. It was true to the story while also condensing it to something more befitting a TV narrative. The scenery was beautiful, the actors fit their characters perfectly, and the music was awesome. I look forward to next week.