How to Read Outlander Books in Correct Chronological Order, Per Diana Gabaldon
What's better than a good TV show? The book it's based on!
Are you one of those fans who have followed Diana Gabaldon's magnificent time-traveling book saga Outlander from the beginning, only to find out there's an equally compelling TV adaptation later? Or instead, are you a fan of the Starz show willing to check out the book source to stay in touch with the beloved characters during the lengthy Droughtlander period?
In any case, now is the best time to revisit or discover for the first time one of the most fascinating historical fantasy series out there. And to make the reading experience more rewarding, the author herself has suggested the best way to read her books, not in their publishing order, but according to the events' chronology.
Diana Gabaldon has pointed out that the Lord John books, like the novellas, can be read separately from the main story, but the chronological list is recommended to grant you the most immersive experience.
How to Approach Outlander Series
The Outlander timeline begins with Virgins, which follows 19-year-old Jamie on his way to become a mercenary in France. Virgins is followed by the first two novels in the main saga, Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, set in 1743–1746 (not counting the 20th century), as well as the novella A Fugitive Green, about Lord John's older brother, and the novel Voyager.
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These are followed by the compelling stories of Lord John's adventures: Lord John and the Hellfire Club, Lord John and the Private Matter, Lord John and the Succubus, Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, Lord John and the Haunted Soldier, The Custom of the Army, The Scottish Prisoner, A Plague of Zombies, and Besieged. All events in the novels are set between 1756 and 1762.
Chronologically, you can then read the fourth through eighth Outlander novels, set between 1767 and 1778: from Drums of Autumn to Written in My Own Heart's Blood. Also from this time period are the short story A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows, which focuses on Roger MacKenzie's parents, and the novella The Space Between, about events in Paris in 1778.
The list is rounded off by Book 9 in the main series, Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, and the upcoming tenth novel (yet untitled).
Of course, let's not forget that while all the novellas and short stories add depth to the universe and its characters, the main novels are the core of the series. So don't worry if Gabaldon's list looks overwhelming — you are free to rearrange the order or skip some parts, focusing only on the key novels. Enjoy reading!
Source: Diana Gabaldon.