Readers of Diana Gabaldon’s ‘Outlander’ series have waited seven long years for this ninth instalment. Worth the wait? I’d say yes.

The book picks up only hours after the end of the previous one, with Brianna and Roger having arrived back at the Ridge. The American Revolution is in full swing and is coming close to Fraser’s Ridge. Jamie, having come out as a rebel, has to organise a militia and pay for its needs, and danger lurks, with some people in the area siding with the British.

As always, the writing is excellent. Keep a dictionary handy, as one of Gabaldon’s trademarks is using unusual words. There is plenty of interest, with action up and down the Atlantic seaboard, for private reasons and military matters. There were a couple of big surprises and, as always, Claire uses her medical skills, once in an unexpected way.

I suspect some readers may feel the plot hasn’t moved as far or as fast as they anticipated, but one of the delights of these books is the everyday details woven into the bigger story. A couple of characters didn’t get as much of an outing as I expected. We see plenty of the extended Fraser family on the Ridge, and Lord John Grey and William are prominent too.

I can definitely recommend this book for fans of the series, but it isn’t one that can just be picked up by a new reader. If you haven’t read this series, and enjoy a book with history, adventure, romance and action, it is well worth going back and starting with Outlander.

Reviewed by Kath Pigou

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Diana Gabaldon is the author of the award-winning, #1 NYT-bestselling ‘Outlander‘ novels, described by Salon magazine as ‘the smartest historical sci-fi adventure-romance story ever written by a science Ph.D. with a background in scripting ‘Scrooge McDuck’ comics’.

As of January, 2022, Diana’s books are published in thirty-eight languages and sold in one hundred and fourteen countries.

The adventure began in 1991 with the classic ‘Outlander’, and continued through eight more internationally bestselling novels in the series so far. These books feature the story of Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser and Jamie Fraser, and include elements of time travel and lots of real Scottish and American history.

The novel in ‘Outlander’ series of major novels is Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone debuted at number one on the New York Times list.

Diana serves as a co-producer and advisor for the popular ‘Outlander’ TV series, which is produced by the Starz network and Tall Ship Productions and distributed by Sony International. Th’

Dr Diana J Gabaldon holds three degrees in science: Zoology, Marine Biology, and a Ph.D. in Quantitative Behavioral Ecology. (Plus she was granted an honorary degree as Doctor of Humane Letters.

Diana worked a dozen years as a university professor before beginning to write her first novel. Through the late 1980s, she wrote scientific articles and textbooks.

Diana and her husband, Douglas Watkins, have three adult children, and two grandchildren.

Visit Diana Gabaldon’s website