Series · historical fiction
Outlander
The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon has 14 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Outlander (1991).
- Books
- 14 books
- First published
- 1991
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: Outlander (1991) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Outlander
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Outlander - Book 2:
Dragonfly in Amber
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dragonfly in Amber - Book 3:
Voyager
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Voyager - Book 4:
Drums of Autumn
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Drums of Autumn - Book 5:
The Fiery Cross
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Fiery Cross - Book 6:
A Breath of Snow and Ashes
Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Breath of Snow and Ashes - Book 7:
An Echo in the Bone
Alternative text for cover: Cover of An Echo in the Bone - Book 8:
Written in My Own Heart's Blood
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Written in My Own Heart's Blood - Book 9:
Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone - Book 10:
Lord John and the Private Matter
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Lord John and the Private Matter - Book 11:
Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade - Book 12:
Lord John and the Hand of Devils
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Lord John and the Hand of Devils - Book 13:
The Scottish Prisoner
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Scottish Prisoner - Book 14:
Seven Stones to Stand or Fall
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Seven Stones to Stand or Fall
About the Outlander series
Diana Gabaldon's Outlander saga begins with one of fiction's great hooks: in 1946, former combat nurse Claire Randall touches a standing stone in the Scottish Highlands and wakes in 1743, where survival soon binds her to a young Jacobite warrior named Jamie Fraser. What started in 1991 as an experimental 'practice novel' grew into nine doorstop volumes and counting — a genre-defying blend of historical fiction, romance, adventure, and a dash of science fantasy that has sold tens of millions of copies and spawned a long-running television adaptation. The series sweeps from the Jacobite rising of 1745 and the catastrophe of Culloden through pirate-infested Caribbean waters and, eventually, to the American colonies on the eve of revolution, following Claire and Jamie across two centuries, two continents, and a sprawling family tree that includes their time-traveling daughter Brianna and her historian husband Roger. Gabaldon writes at a scale few novelists attempt: each installment covers years of story, dense with battlefield surgery, colonial politics, herbal medicine, and domestic life on Fraser's Ridge. Alongside the main sequence sits a substantial companion universe — the Lord John Grey novels, a mystery-flavored spin-off starring the series' most beloved supporting character, and the Seven Stones to Stand or Fall novella collection that fills gaps between the big books. A tenth and final novel, A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out, is in progress.
How to read this series
Start with Outlander and take the nine main novels strictly in order — each picks up where the last left off, and the series is one continuous story. The spin-offs are optional but rewarding: the Lord John Grey books (beginning with Lord John and the Private Matter) slot chronologically between Voyager and An Echo in the Bone, and most readers sample them after book three, when Lord John's role in the main series expands. The Scottish Prisoner is the standout of that set. The novellas collected in Seven Stones to Stand or Fall can be read whenever the mood strikes, though a few assume knowledge through book eight. If the 850-page first book feels daunting, know that Dragonfly in Amber's framing twist and Voyager's reunion arc are where many readers become lifers. Skipping the companions costs you texture, not plot.
Frequently asked questions
How many Outlander books are there?
Nine main novels so far, from Outlander (1991) to Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone (2021), plus companion works: four Lord John Grey books and the novella collection Seven Stones to Stand or Fall. A tenth main novel is in progress.
What order should I read the Outlander books in?
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, Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone. Lord John books fit between Voyager and An Echo in the Bone.
When is Outlander book 10 coming out?
Diana Gabaldon has confirmed the title — A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out — and that it will be the final novel of Claire and Jamie's story, but it is still being written and has no release date. She has said 2026 is dedicated to working on it.
Do I need to read the Lord John books?
No — they're optional companions. But events from them (especially The Scottish Prisoner) are referenced in later main novels, and Lord John becomes a major character, so fans of book three onward tend to enjoy them.
Is the series finished after book 10?
Book 10 will end Claire and Jamie's arc, but Gabaldon has said she plans further books in the universe, including a novel about Jamie's parents and one about Master Raymond.
Reading order last verified .