Reading Order
Outlander Books in Order
Quick answer
Read the Outlander books in publication order, starting with Outlander (1991). There are nine main novels as of October 2026; the newest is Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone (2021). Book 10, A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out, is being written and has no publication date announced as of October 2026. The Lord John Grey novels and novellas are optional side stories; Diana Gabaldon's own chronology places most of them between Voyager and Drums of Autumn, so read them after book three if you want them at all.
Outlander is one long story told across nine very long books (most run 800 to 1,400 pages), following Claire Beauchamp Randall and Jamie Fraser from the Scottish Highlands of the 1740s to the American Revolution, with Claire's 20th-century family pulled in along the way. Unlike most series on this site, the main novels cannot be read out of order. Below is the main sequence, Gabaldon's full chronology including the Lord John books, where things stand with Book 10, and what the Starz shows have covered.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Book titles below link to Amazon.
Outlander Books in Order of Publication
| # | Title | Year | Hook (no spoilers) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Outlander | 1991 | In 1946, former combat nurse Claire Randall touches a standing stone in the Highlands and wakes up in 1743. |
| 2 | Dragonfly in Amber | 1992 | Opens in 1968 Inverness with Claire and her grown daughter, then goes back to Paris and the Jacobite rising. |
| 3 | Voyager | 1993 | Twenty years after Culloden, Claire goes looking for the records of one Scottish life. |
| 4 | Drums of Autumn | 1996 | A new start in colonial North Carolina, and the founding of Fraser's Ridge. |
| 5 | The Fiery Cross | 2001 | Life on the Ridge as the War of the Regulation pulls the backcountry toward violence. |
| 6 | A Breath of Snow and Ashes | 2005 | A newspaper notice from the future names a date, and 1775 is coming fast. |
| 7 | An Echo in the Bone | 2009 | The American Revolution reaches the family, with threads in Scotland, London and the 1980s. |
| 8 | Written in My Own Heart's Blood | 2014 | Philadelphia, summer 1778, picking up the moment the last book stopped. |
| 9 | Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone | 2021 | Back on Fraser's Ridge with the whole family as the war closes in on North Carolina. |
| 10 | A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out | No date announced | The planned final Jamie and Claire novel; Gabaldon is still writing it. |
Each novel picks up where the previous one left off, often within days or months. Skipping one leaves real gaps in the story, so read all nine in order.
Outlander Books in Chronological Order (Gabaldon's Own Timeline)
Diana Gabaldon publishes an official chronology on her website, and it is the one to follow. She sorts the universe into three kinds of book: the nine big novels, the shorter Lord John Grey books, and novellas she calls "bulges" that fill in gaps. She also says plainly that the shorter novels and novellas are written so they can be read on their own, without the others. Here is her order:
| # | Book or novella (first published) | Set in | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Virgins” (novella, 2013) | 1740, France | Young Jamie and Ian Murray as mercenaries, before the first novel. |
| 2 | 1. Outlander | 1743–44 | |
| 3 | 2. Dragonfly in Amber | 1744–46 | |
| 4 | “A Fugitive Green” (novella, 2017) | 1744–45 | Lord John's brother Hal and his future wife, Minnie. |
| 5 | 3. Voyager | 1766–67 (with earlier years) | The Lord John books below fit inside Voyager's time-skip years. |
| 6 | “Lord John and the Hellfire Club” (novella, 1998) | 1756, London | |
| 7 | Lord John and the Private Matter (novel, 2003) | 1757, London | |
| 8 | “Lord John and the Succubus” (novella, 2003) | 1757, Germany | |
| 9 | Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade (novel, 2007) | 1758 | |
| 10 | “Lord John and the Haunted Soldier” (novella, 2007) | 1758, London | |
| 11 | “The Custom of the Army” (novella, 2010) | 1759, Quebec | |
| 12 | The Scottish Prisoner (novel, 2011) | 1760 | Half Jamie, half Lord John. |
| 13 | “A Plague of Zombies” (novella, 2011) | 1761, Jamaica | |
| 14 | “Besieged” (novella, 2017) | 1762, Jamaica and Havana | |
| 15 | 4. Drums of Autumn | 1767–70 | |
| 16 | 5. The Fiery Cross | 1770–72 | |
| 17 | 6. A Breath of Snow and Ashes | 1773–76 | |
| 18 | 7. An Echo in the Bone | 1776–78 | |
| 19 | 8. Written in My Own Heart's Blood | 1778 | |
| 20 | “A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows” (story, 2010) | 1941–43 | The real story of Roger MacKenzie's parents. |
| 21 | “The Space Between” (novella, 2013) | 1778, Paris | Michael Murray, Joan MacKimmie and the Comte St. Germain. |
| 22 | 9. Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone | 1779–80 |
Main novels are in bold. Years in the first column are first publication; the "set in" column is the 18th-century timeline (the novels also have 20th-century threads, which run later).
Where to Start, and the Order We Recommend
Start with Outlander and read the nine main novels straight through. That is how the story was built, and the novels are full of payoffs to earlier books.
Add the side books only if you want more, and only after Voyager. Lord John is introduced in the main series, and the Lord John books are richer once you know his history with Jamie. A practical route:
- Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager.
- If you are hooked on Lord John: Lord John and the Private Matter, Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, then The Scottish Prisoner (the one side book we would call close to essential, since it is half Jamie's story).
- Drums of Autumn through Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone.
- The novellas any time after that, in the collections listed below.
Choosing Outlander for a group read? Books 1 and 2 split nicely into book-club-sized chunks; see our best books to read with your book club and how to start a book club guides.
What's Next: Outlander Book 10
Confirmed The tenth main novel is titled A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out, and Gabaldon describes it as the final major Jamie and Claire novel. Her official Book 10 page says no publication date has been announced because she is still writing it; she has been posting excerpts there (DianaGabaldon.com, checked October 2026).
Confirmed Gabaldon has said there will be books about Jamie's parents, and her chronology lists a prequel and a Master Raymond novel as future projects. Neither has a title or date.
Not confirmed Retailer listings that show a 2026 or 2027 date for Book 10 are placeholders, not announcements. Until Gabaldon or her publisher names a date, the honest answer is: no date announced as of October 2026.
Lord John Grey Books, Novellas and Companions
Lord John Grey is a British officer with a long, complicated history with Jamie. His books are 18th-century mysteries with a lighter, more military feel than the main series.
- Novels: Lord John and the Private Matter (2003), Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade (2007), The Scottish Prisoner (2011).
- Lord John and the Hand of Devils (2007) collects three novellas: "Lord John and the Hellfire Club," "Lord John and the Succubus" and "Lord John and the Haunted Soldier."
- Seven Stones to Stand or Fall (2017) collects seven shorter pieces: "The Custom of the Army," "A Plague of Zombies," "A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows," "The Space Between," "Virgins," and two first published there, "A Fugitive Green" and "Besieged."
If you read only one collection, make it Seven Stones to Stand or Fall: "Virgins" shows Jamie before he ever meets Claire, and "A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows" answers a question about Roger's family that the main books leave open.
Outlander on Screen: The Starz Series and Blood of My Blood
Only confirmed facts. The main show stars Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan and ran for eight seasons.
| Season | Aired | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2014–2015 | Outlander |
| 2 | 2016 | Dragonfly in Amber |
| 3 | 2017 | Voyager |
| 4 | 2018–2019 | Drums of Autumn |
| 5 | 2020 | The Fiery Cross (plus the start of A Breath of Snow and Ashes) |
| 6 | 2022 | A Breath of Snow and Ashes |
| 7 | 2023–2025 (two parts) | An Echo in the Bone and Written in My Own Heart's Blood |
| 8 (final) | From March 6, 2026 | Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, plus pieces of the unfinished Book 10 |
Outlander: Blood of My Blood is the prequel series about Jamie's parents, Ellen MacKenzie and Brian Fraser, and Claire's parents, Julia and Henry Beauchamp. Season 1 premiered on Starz on August 8, 2025, and season 2 premiered September 18, 2026, with ten episodes. Gabaldon co-wrote episodes, and the show draws on material from her planned books about Jamie's parents. There is no Blood of My Blood novel yet.
A note for TV-first readers: the show's ending, which comes before Book 10 exists, does not tell you how the books will end. Gabaldon is writing her own finale.
For more historical page-turners after Outlander, see our best historical fiction books.
Printable Checklist
Outlander Books FAQ
What is the correct order to read the Outlander books?
Read the nine main novels in publication order: Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone, Written in My Own Heart's Blood and Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone.
Is there going to be a 10th Outlander book?
Yes. Book 10 is titled A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out and Diana Gabaldon says it will be the last big Jamie and Claire novel. It has no publication date as of October 2026 because she is still writing it.
Do I need to read the Lord John books?
No. Gabaldon writes the Lord John novels and the novellas so they can be read alone. They add depth, especially The Scottish Prisoner, which is half Jamie's story, but you can skip them and follow the main novels without missing anything essential.
When should I read the Lord John books?
After Voyager. They take place between 1756 and 1762, inside Voyager's time-skip years, and they read best once you know who Lord John is from the main series.
How many Outlander books are there?
Nine main novels as of October 2026, with a tenth in progress. Counting the three Lord John novels and the novellas collected in Lord John and the Hand of Devils and Seven Stones to Stand or Fall, the universe is much bigger.
Which book does Outlander season 8 cover?
The final season, which aired on Starz from March 6, 2026, draws on Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone plus material Gabaldon shared from the unfinished tenth book, so the show ends before the books do.
Nine books, two centuries and one standing stone. Start with Outlander, and when you are ready for your next series, browse all our reading-order guides.
Want a free set of printable bookmarks?
Made for cozy readers working through a long series in order. Print at home, cut, and slip one into whatever you're reading tonight. They're free. Then browse all our reading-order guides.
Get the free bookmarks →As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.