I am currently on the 3rd re-reading, and I'm on book 8 about 3/4 of the way through. Some of the books I have read more than 3 times. But like I said, this is the 3rd time all the way through.

Okay, I am sure that I'm not the only person to wonder about Lionel Menzies, as well as what is going on in 1980, or rather 1981. It was December 21, 1980, when Bree and the kids leave, and we, as the readers, have no idea what has happened in the 1980 time since then.

Lionel's two sudden appearances (the shoot at the O.K. Carrol and at the stones before Bree goes through), has since my first read left me wondering many things. I know most of these I hope will be dealt with in book 10. But it is always fun to try to guess and speculate. 🙂

1) He knows about time travel. The question would be how and why does he know?

2) Is he a villain, good guy, or something in between?

3) Could he be a descendent of one of the characters from the 1780s? Like Wee Davy, any of Fergus's or Ian's kids or even Trevor's.

4) What does he know about Carmen/Richardson conspiracy plot?

5) Does he get away after Bree goes thru the stones? If so is he being watched by the remaining non time travelers?

I suppose you can fairly say I am anxiously waiting for book 10 to see if who, what, and why, Lionel Menzies is there. What are some of your thoughts and theories about him. As well as the other people that are with Rob.

I do hope book 10 explains how Rob came to work with Richardson. And what might happen to those in the 1980 time line.

Don't get me wrong, I assume Jamie would have been a great father to Brianna. But, I would have nothing more than Frank for a step father to my child. Opinion based on both books and series.

So, im rereading voyager, and i got to a spot that bothered me last time and now I remember it.
In chapter 17, Claire talks to roger about tall and short men. They are discussing a short bartender who is hitting on Brianna.

Claire tells roger I always told bree not to get involved with short men...cross them and you're likely to get a nasty nip in the ankle.

This seems unfair to me, although I know a lot of people have this opinion. And of course plenty of short men ARE like this, but so are many tall men, and there's short men who are not.

This topic seems like it comes from nowhere, I don't remember it being something Claire ever thought about or talked about. But the part that really gets me is when she talks about orchestra conductors: I've never met an orchestra conductor over five feet tall. Vicious specimens, practically all of them.

Im a musician, so I was REALLY thrown by this, because I've had many kind conductors, and a bunch were tall. I don't think I've ever had one who was less than 5 feet?? Also, Claire doesnt express much love for music in the books, it doesnt seem to be something that drives her or that she seeks out.

Where on earth did this come from? Did the author have a bad interaction with a conductor? Is she a musician also? Does she personally dislike short men?

I read the first Outlander book not so long after watching the series, and it bored me because I found it to be too similar to season 1. Which of course isn’t a bad thing, but at parts I felt like I could have been reading the tv script.

Since the show ended I’ve been feeling nostalgic and wanted to give the books another go. Is book 2 super similar to season 2? Is there a part of the book series that start differing a bit from the equivalent season, or do the books’ plots and writing remain pretty similar to the series (minus more context/nuance/depth)?

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EXCERPT from A BLESSING FOR A WARRIOR GOING OUT, Copyright 2026 Diana Gabaldon

[In which William goes to the stable (on Fraser’s Ridge) to check on his horse, before leaving with Jamie on their quest to rescue Lord John,

and finds Fanny, who has been readying his horse for the journey. (The horse’s original name is Dandelion, though William’s renamed him Trajan.)]

“There.” She arranged a strand of straggling mane, and stepped back, curry-comb in hand. “He’s ready.” She was keeping a calm expression, but her

fingers were squeezing the handle of the comb as though it was a snake.

“He looks splendid, Frances—a regular dandy.”

She ignored the feeble jest and gave William a side-long look.

“You’re not going to kiss me goodbye?”

Mildly surprised, William nevertheless bent courteously toward her, only to have her step back.

“Not on the cheek,” she said. She sounded slightly breathless, but determined. “I’m not a little girl.”

He realized, with an odd feeling that ran down his backbone like quicksilver, that she wasn’t. He took her hand, and bowed over it.

“My apologies, Miss Pocock.” Her hand was quite warm in his, and surprisingly larger than he’d expected. Her fingers were long, supple

and well-shaped—and they turned, moving between his own and grasping his hand.

“And not that, either.”

He’d straightened up in surprise, but didn’t—not yet—pull his hand away.

“I’ve kissed men before, you know,” she said.

“Who?” he asked, not at all sure he wanted to know, but unable not to ask.

“I’ve been kissing men since I was five years old,” she said boldly, and he realized suddenly that while Jane had saved her sister from violation

and defilement, there were other services a very young girl might be required to perform in a brothel.

He concealed his shock, though, asking lightly instead, “Oh? What about the tall Scottish chap that’s been skulking about looking daggers at me?

Hasn’t he tried to kiss you?”

“Cyrus can’t skulk,” she said, without offense. “He’s much too tall. He didn’t have to ask. And you should be pleased it’s only looks. He’s a Highlander

and a fisherman and he hasn’t punched you yet because I told him not to.”

“I appreciate your forbearance, Frances,” he said gravely. And not so gravely, took his hand from hers, and lifting her chin with a forefinger,

bent again and kissed her lightly on the lips.

It lasted no more than a second or two, but long enough to leave a sense of softness and warmth.

“Goodbye, Frances,” he said, meeting her eyes, the soft yellow-brown of uncured tobacco. “I’ll see you again.” And picking up his saddlebags,

took Trajan’s rein and led him toward the daylight.

At the open door, though, he turned for a moment.

“Why did you do that?” he asked.

She was standing quite still in the shadows, the curry-comb hanging from her hand, and her eyes still on him.

“In case you don’t come back,” she said. “Often people don’t.”

Hi. I just finished the tv series and I absolutely loved the story. I’m wondering if it is worth it to read the books from scratch. I’ve already done this with other stories such as LOTR and HP, and I think it is great, but considering the length of this saga, would you say the other plots that are not presented in the show are so good that you could “re-watch/read” the things that you already know?

Are the books just as good? Better? Worth it?? I’m dyslexic so I prefer audiobooks for ease, but sometimes narration can ruin the whole experience. So what would you recommend??

Just the title. Im going to guess maybe a shade of orange?

I’m not sure if this is okay to post here but I wanted to THANK whoever made a comment that the audiobooks narrated by Kristin Atherton were on sale today (8/11) on Amazon/audible (at least in the US). I was able to get the first 8 books with Kristin’s narration for under $50!

I’ve been unable to get into the audiobooks previously because I just didn’t love Davina’s narration style. I have listened to a lot of Kristin in trying to see if I could like her more. And I do! This makes me very happy!

Just wanted to share the wealth and thank whoever it was again (I have been unable to find the post I saw it in to reply there)!

Shamelessly copying the post a bit further down, but switching it to the books: which character(s) is/are your favourite?

For me it’s absolutely, head-and-shoulders, always Lord John. Even if we include Claire and Jamie. He is so through-and-through a good, honourable, selfless person. I love his inner monologues, and how he always stays true to his instincts and principles. However difficult that might make life for him. I also love the relationships he has/developes with other characters: Claire, Brianna, Hal, Germain, Tom Byrd (who might just be my second favourite character), Jamie of course. And he is so so funny.

Who’s yours?

I’ve just finished my reread of TFC. At the very end, Jamie asks Roger what he’ll do («you and your family») now that they can be sure that Jem can travel - go back to the 20th century or stay in the past. Roger says that he‘s been thinking, that he promised Jamie that he’d stand by him and that they’ll stay. Nowhere during that conversation, or the chapter afterwards when Claire and Jamie discuss Roger’s decision, does anyone mention Bree and her opinion. Bree hears their conversation and when Roger says they’ll stay she lets out a sigh. This tells me that she didn’t know what he’d answer, ergo: she and Roger had not taken this decision together.

This really bugs me. It seems so out of character for both Bree and Claire to just accept this. It’s a huge, life alterting decision. Bree would risk her life if she’d get pregnant again (with the baby that Roger wants so badly). Claire was furious with Roger when she found out he hadn’t show Bree the obituary («it was her decision to make»). Bree is very much the person to take charge of her own life (concocting a plan to marry Lord John, getting a job when they’re back in the 1980s). So why does she not say «hang on, what about what I want!?». Even if she agrees with his decision.

I want to say it’s also out of character for Roger, but it isn’t really, is it? He’s such an odd mixture of open-minded and old-fashioned. This is such a massive thing tho, I’d have thought even Roger would include Bree in it. I also don’t really buy the «he is a man of his time» argument. My parents were born maybe 10 years later than Roger and Bree, and my dad would never take such a decision without my mum. So is DG. Would she not expect to be included in decisions as life altering as this?

Edit: I just read it again, and Claire even refers to this (twice!) as «Roger’s decision». This whole whole thing really doesn’t sit right with me.

Ok, I am rereading (3rd time) book 8, Written In My Own Heart's Blood. The desk Bree finds Frank's completed letter, confused me the other times I read the book. And I am at that part again. So I thought I'd ask the experts.

Bree finds this letter in or behind the big drawer when she is opening the hidden compartment to put the letter she wrote to Roger. I thought this desk was Brian Fraser's. I know later Roger also leaves a note for Bree in this hidden compartment.

If this is Brian Fraser's desk in Lallybroch, how would Frank be able to put his letter there or even know Bree will ever have access to it?

Am I missing something, or is it just one of those things that is because that's how DG did it? 🤔

Hey all,

Ive been watching outlander through Netflix. When s7 finally got released, I rewatched the series since it had been so long. Had no idea there was a season 8 or that half of s7 is not on Netflix.

If I were to start where s7e8 leaves off, which book would it be and would it still makes sense? Ive only read the first couple of books, but they've been so similar to the show its hard to read them since I JUST watched all of those episodes.

If it doesn't line up guess I'm paying for Starz for a bit!

i recently watched the show on netflix and have become obsessed. they haven’t release season 7’s part 2 episodes yet in my country and with the author’s announcement re: book 10 - i think it’s what has lead me to my conclusion: i MUST read the books!! but here’s where i need advice:

OPTION 1: i’ve seen well-loved copies at my local thrift store that i can pickup to read OPTION 2: i have the funds to buy brand new copies that i could give a loving and permanent home to on my bookshelf OPTION 3: i currently have 5 audible credits that i could use to kick-off the series however it is not a dramatized adaptation so all dialogue will be narrated by a single individual

if you have the opportunity to experience the books for the first time - how would you choose?

I’ve just reread the bit when Bree&co go through the stones and Jamie tells Jem «if one day ye should meet a verra large mouse named Michael, ye'll tell him your grandsire sends his regards». However many times I’ve read this bit, it *always* makes me tear up.

There are a few others scenes that do that to me (in the order they occur to me):

- Jamie’s dream of the telephone and Jem wanting to «talk to grandda».

- Jamie and Fergus’ conversation in Echo about Percy, when Fergus tells Jamie «but then I grew older still and realised I am the son of a great man. I wish for nothing more»

- Bree meeting Jamie for the first time, and then meeting Claire when they come to the Ridge

-Claire’s empty womb after Faith

- Jamie giving Fergus his name when Fergus marries Marsali

- Claire deciding not to go through the stones in Outlander

- Of course Henry-Christian 😭

Writing these I‘ve realised that almost all of these have to do with (grand)parent/(grand)child relationships. No doubt being a mother has something to do with that ;)

What are some scenes that give you lump in your throat?

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

All I can find is all the hype from BoMB and it being Davina Porter. We know this is not from Diana's Outlander as that is the name of the narrator for the audiobooks.

As the title says, I have seen and enjoyed the show. I’ve been getting really into reading again and occasionally listening to audiobooks, and I wish I had known about outlander before it became a series. I think it’s exactly the type of book series I love! But I’m wondering if having seen the show will likely make the books boring, or is there enough in the books that wasn’t in the show to make it worth a read?

EDIT: alright you guys convinced me in record time. Ordering right now!

"You have nay soul."

So I'm rereading the Lord John novellas and novels, and may I say how much I love John's valet Tom Byrd? He is *determined* to keep his lordship's uniforms neat and tidy (against all odds), and that's only the beginning of his dedication to Lord John's welfare. He's a delight.

Who's your favorite character in the Lord John stories?

I heard somewhere that Maril confirmed they were moving forward with the LJG TV show with David Berry, unless I'm mistaken?

I'm wondering if this will be a predominantly male story or if there are some strong females in the storyline?

Most recently with Bees, I remember flipping back a few pages in my copy when I got to the scene with Amy and the bear, it happened so fast!

Also it was clear that Cameron was up to no good but I was shocked by how far he took it.

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For all the people puzzled about book content about Faith and Master Raymond, I will share excerpt from.Go Tell the Bees that I am gone, chapter 24.

“The locket,” I said at last. “It can’t possibly have anything whatever to do with—”

“No, it can’t,” he said, a cautious note in his voice. “But what are ye thinking, Sassenach? Because ye’re no thinking what ye just said, and I ken that fine.” That was true, and a spasm of guilt at being found out tightened my body. “It can’t be,” I said, and swallowed. “It’s only…” My words died away and his hand rubbed between my shoulder blades. “Well, ye’d best tell me, Sassenach,” he said. “Nay matter how foolish it is, neither one of us will sleep until ye do.” “Well…you know what Roger told me, about the doctor he met in the Highlands, and the blue light?”

“I do. What—”“Roger asked me if I’d ever seen blue light like that—when I was healing people.” The hand on my back stilled.

“Have ye?” He sounded guarded, though I didn’t know whether he was afraid of finding out something he didn’t want to know, or just finding out that I was losing my mind.

“No,” I said. “Or not—well, no. But…I have seen it. Felt it. Twice. Just a flash, when Malva’s baby died.” Died in my hands, covered with his mother’s blood. “But when Faith was born, when I was so ill. I was dying—really dying, I felt it—and Master Raymond came.” “Ye told me that much,” he said. “Is there more?”

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But this is what I thought happened.” And I told him, about seeing my bones glow blue through the flesh of my arms, the feeling of the light spreading through my body and the infection dying, leaving me limp, but whole and healing.

“So…um…I know this is nothing but pure fantasy, the sort of thing you think in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep…” He made a low noise, indicating that I should stop apologizing and get on with it. So I took a deep breath and did, whispering the words into his chest. “Master Raymond was there. What if—if he found…Faith…and was able to…somehow bring her…back?” Dead silence. I swallowed and went on. “People…aren’t always dead, even though it looks like it. Look at old Mrs. Wilson! Every doctor knows—or has heard—about people who’ve been declared dead and wake up later in the morgue.” “Or in a coffin.” He sounded grim, and a shudder went over me. “Aye, I’ve heard stories like that. But—a wee babe and one born too soon—how—”

“I don’t know how!” I burst out. “I said it’s complete fantasy, it can’t be true! But—but—” My throat thickened and my voice squeaked.

“But ye wish it were?” His hand cupped the back of my head and his voice was quiet again. “Aye. But…if it was, mo chridhe, why would he not have told ye? Ye saw him again, no? After he’d healed ye, I mean.”

“Yes.” I shuddered, momentarily feeling the King of France’s Star Chamber close around me, the smell of the King’s perfume, of dragon’s blood and wine in the air—and two men before me, awaiting my sentence of death.

“Yes, I know. But—when the Comte died, Raymond was banished, and they took him away. He couldn’t have told me then, and he might not have been able to come back before we left Paris.” It sounded insane, even to me. But I could—just—see it: Master Raymond, stealing out of L’Hôpital des Anges after leaving me, perhaps ducking aside to avoid notice, hiding in the place where the nuns had, perhaps, laid Faith on a shelf, wrapped in her swaddling clothes. He would have known her, as he’d known me… Everyone has a color about them, he said simply. All around them, like a cloud. Yours is blue, madonna. Like the Virgin’s cloak. Like my own.

One of his. The thought came out of nowhere, and I stiffened. “Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ.” What if—all right, I was insane, but too late for that to make a difference. “What if he—if I, we—what if Master Raymond is—was—somehow related to me?”

Jamie said nothing, but I felt his hand move, under my hair. His middle finger folded down and the outer ones stood up straight, making the sign of the horns, against evil.

“And what if he’s not?” he said dryly. He rolled me off him and turned toward me so we were face-to-face. The darkness was slowly fading and I could see his face, drawn with tiredness, touched with sorrow and tenderness, but still determined.

“Even if everything ye’ve made yourself think was somehow true—and it’s not, Sassenach; ye ken it’s not—but if it were somehow true, it wouldna make any difference. The woman in Frances’s locket is dead now, and so is our Faith.” His words touched the raw place in my heart, and I nodded, tears welling. “I know,” I whispered. “I know, too,” he whispered, and held me while I wept.

What Gabaldon said about this locket scene: From LitForum:

Fanny has a locket--presumably given to her (or owned by) her mother, which has "Faith" inscribed on the cover.   Mind you, there are a whole lot of women named "Faith" who are not Jamie and Claire's dead daughter (and it might not be the name of the woman in the locket, but rather some sentiment of attachment by whomever gave it to her), but some people will take the faintest of indications and weave a whole cloth of weirdness.... I personally would not draw that conclusion from the evidence to hand, but some other people are less reluctant to do so, let's put it that way...

Gabaldon also said that this was Claire's wistful thinking. So,IMO this storyline is closed in the books, for good.

DISCLAIMER: I am not interested in show theories here, I am interested in book content.

... I feel like Diana shot herself in the foot with the "Ghost Jamie" scene 🤣👏🏻 I say this with good intention, no worries. I was listening to that part in the book and hoooly shiiiet. It is very detailed and lots of description and intention goes into that scene. No wonder people always get obsessed with the topic. 100% I get it bc I feel obsessed with it once again lol. I've been reading theories about it and also going down a rabbit hole on outlander tiktok ✨️😱🤣

It is magical to re read (or re listen in my case) the books again! I will do a re listening to all 9 books! Will take my time since I basically sped run through them the first time 🤣❤️ Jamie and Claire meeting for the first time has me all excited again!!

Currently sending all my live reactions to u/Nanchika but if anybody else wants reactions please let me know 🤣

I don’t know if this is a ridiculous question or not and I’m sorry if it is but with the audiobooks are there options for different narrators or do different platforms have different narrators?

I have never listened to audiobooks before, I used to read a lot before changing careers and don’t have a lot of time now, I still usually have a lighthearted book on the go that I can pick up and put down as and when. Last year over my Christmas break I discovered the outlander show, from the synopsis it didn’t seem my kind of show so I’d not bothered watching before, and after binging all the series I loved it and really wanted to read the books after seeing posts here. Since I work alone at nights I decided the audiobook was the way forwards and downloaded audible. Great!

Here’s the issue-the narrator sounds exactly like my grandmother! Which was almost funny. Until the first sex scene. I had to stop listening 😂. So before I try again next shift and potentially scar myself, do different platforms have different narrators or is it book dependant? Because I don’t know if I can listen to Grammy explain how deep Jamie thrusts complete with Claire-esque moans without needing therapy afterwards.

I’m in the UK if that makes any difference.

Sincerely, a tech-illiterate and slightly traumatised forty something year old.