Outlander is a series of historical fantasy novels written by American author Diana Gabaldon. Gabaldon started writing the first book in the series, titled Outlander, in the late 1980s. It was published in 1991. She has written nine books out of ten planned for the series. The ninth book, Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, was released on November 23, 2021.

The Outlander series follows Claire Randall, a 20th-century British nurse who time travels to 18th-century Scotland. There, she experiences adventure and romance with Jamie Fraser, a handsome Highland warrior. As of 2021, the books have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide.

Works based on the series include two short stories, three novellas, a novel series about a recurring character named Lord John Grey, a graphic novel, a musical album, and two television series.

Publishing history

The Outlander series includes the following books:
1. Outlander (1991), published in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia as Cross Stitch
2. Dragonfly in Amber (1992)
3. Voyager (1993)
4. Drums of Autumn (1996)
5. The Fiery Cross (2001)
6. A Breath of Snow and Ashes (2005)
7. An Echo in the Bone (2009)
8. Written in My Own Heart's Blood (2014)
9. Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone (2021)

In May 2025, Gabaldon shared on social media that the tenth book in the series, which may be the last one, will be called A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out.

The Outlander books are available in audiobook formats. The full versions are read by Davina Porter, while shorter versions are read by Geraldine James. Kristin Atherton, who plays Jenny Murray in Season 7 of the Outlander TV series, also reads the full versions. Audiobooks of some Lord John books are read by Jeff Woodman.

Short stories and novellas in the Outlander universe include:
– "A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows" (2010), part of the anthology Songs of Love and Death, later included in A Trail of Fire (2012) and Seven Stones to Stand or Fall (2017). It tells the story of Roger MacKenzie Wakefield’s parents, Jerry and Dolly, during World War II.
– "The Space Between" (2013), part of The Mad Scientist's Guide to World Domination, later included in A Trail of Fire (2012) and Seven Stones to Stand or Fall (2017). It follows Joan MacKimmie (Jamie Fraser’s stepdaughter) and Michael Murray (Jenny Fraser Murray’s son) on a journey.
– "Virgins" (2013), part of Dangerous Women, later released as a standalone e-book and included in Seven Stones to Stand or Fall (2017). Set in 1740 France, it introduces 19-year-old Jamie Fraser and his 20-year-old friend Ian Murray as young mercenaries.
– "Past Prologue" (2017), part of the anthology MatchUp. It is a collaboration between Steve Berry and Diana Gabaldon, featuring a crossover between Berry’s character Cotton Malone and Jamie Fraser.
– "A Fugitive Green" (2017), part of Seven Stones to Stand or Fall. It features Hal Grey, brother of Lord John Grey, and his future wife, Minerva.

In 2010, Gabaldon created a graphic novel version of the first part of Outlander, illustrated by Hoang Nguyen.

The Lord John series is a separate collection of books and shorter works that focus on Lord John Grey, a character who appears in the Outlander novels. This series includes five novellas and three novels, all set between 1756 and 1761, during the events of Voyager. These stories are usually historical mysteries and are shorter than the main Outlander books. Audiobooks of some Lord John books are read by Jeff Woodman.

Additional resources related to the Outlander series include:
– The Outlandish Companion (1999), a guide with summaries, character information, and other details. It was revised and updated as The Outlandish Companion (Volume One) (2015).
– The Outlandish Companion (Volume Two) (2015).

Inspiration

Gabaldon got the idea from the Doctor Who character Jamie McCrimmon to set her story in Jacobite Scotland and to name the main character Jamie.

Frazer Hines, who portrayed Jamie McCrimmon, appeared in one episode of the first season of the TV series Outlander.

Characters

Core characters include:

• Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser, the main character of Outlander, a nurse in the 20th century who time-travels to the 18th century
• James "Jamie" Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, Claire's husband in the 18th century
• Frank Randall, Claire's husband in the 20th century
• Brianna Mackenzie, Claire and Jamie's second daughter, an engineer who is married to Roger
• Roger Wakefield Mackenzie, a historian in the 20th century who later becomes a minister and is married to Brianna
• Lord John Grey, a supporting character in the main series and the main character in the spin-off series Lord John

Musical

In 2010, a set of 14 songs based on the book Outlander was released under the title Outlander: The Musical. Kevin Walsh composed the music, and Mike Gibb wrote the lyrics. The project was approved by author Diana Gabaldon after Gibb shared the idea with her in Scotland. Gabaldon said, "I laughed and said, 'That’s the strangest idea I’ve heard yet – go ahead.' They followed through, and the results were impressive." While the stage version is still being developed, the 14-song collection is available as a CD on Amazon.com and for download on iTunes.

In 2012, Broadway composer Jill Santoriello joined Gibb and Walsh to work on the project. She wrote the music and helped write the lyrics for a new song called "One More Time." The song was performed by Rebecca Robbins.

Television series

In June 2013, Starz decided to make 16 episodes of a television show based on a book. Production started in October 2013 in Scotland. The series first aired in the United States on August 9, 2014, with Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan playing the roles of Claire and Jamie. Starz continued the series for a second season on August 15, 2014, and for third and fourth seasons on June 1, 2016. On May 9, 2018, Starz announced that the series would return for fifth and sixth seasons. Later, in early 2021, Starz approved a seventh season, and in late 2022, an eighth season was confirmed.

In January 2023, Starz approved a new series called Outlander: Blood of My Blood, which will have 10 episodes and focus on Jamie’s parents. Diana Gabaldon is one of the people helping to create this new series.