5 Key Details We Already Know About Outlander's 10th and Final Book
If you're missing the show right now, take a look at what's in store for the book series.
The final instalment of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander book series is expected to be published sometime between 2024 and 2026.
Here's what we know so far:
1. It will have a happy ending
The series will end in 1800 and have a 'happy ending' that the author says she is confident will 'leave readers... in floods of tears anyway'.
Without giving anything away, she wrote in the FAQ section of her website: 'If this (revelation of the year) tells you anything, more power to you.'
2. Excerpts are already available to read on the author's website
Although the book's publication date is still some time away, excerpts from it have been appearing on Diana Gabaldon's website since February last year. These tend to be glimpses into the daily lives of the characters rather than major plot revelations. But there are few hints as to what readers might be in for.
3. We will get answers to questions about Jamie's ghost
Anyone who has read the books or watched the series has probably wondered how and why Jamie's ghost was watching Claire in 1945, way back (or forward) before she travelled through time.
One thing Gabaldon has confirmed is that the ghost is indeed Jamie. But she hasn't given any more information on this. Curiously, she revealed in 2014 that Jamie's ghost is 'about 25', which seems odd given that we know he doesn't die at 25.
4. The book and TV series are likely to have different endings
Season 8 will be produced and released before the final book is published. And as the show will now be an adaptation of the 9th book, we can safely assume that the show will have one ending and the final book will have another.
However, it's worth remembering that Gabaldon is also involved in the TV adaptation. So she will have some influence on how it ends.
5. Sam Heughan knows how the story ends but is 'sworn to secrecy'
While Caitríona Balfe (Claire) has no idea how the story ends, Sam Heughan (Jamie) told Esquire that Diana Gabaldon had emailed him 'the last few pages of what will be the very last book', but that he's 'sworn to secrecy' about how the story ends.
Source: dianagabaldon.com, The Outlander Podcast, Esquire.