“Ellen MacKenzie, eldest of the children of Jacob Ruadh MacKenzie, chief of Clan MacKenzie—well, the late chief, if only by moments, but she’d think about that later—grabbed Ailidh Watt from behind and dragged her out of sight, clapping a hand over her slobbering mouth to stifle her cries,” Gabaldon shared in a Feb. 3 Facebook post, along with the hashtags “#DailyLine” and “#Prequel.” It’s one of the biggest peeks she’s offered so far into the project. She previously told Town and Country about the prequel, “[It’s] the story of Jamie Fraser’s parents, Brian and Ellen… I’ve been carrying that one around in my head for quite a while, so I know quite a bit about it. And I’ve just started serious work on it, you might say. So, I have actual scenes, things like that.” Gabaldon first unofficially announced the prequel novel in a June 2020 tweet to a fan, confirming, “Yes. It’s in progress.” Intrigued? Here is everything we know so far about the Outlander prequel, including when it may hit bookstore shelves and more.
What is the name of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander prequel book?
Gabaldon has just started writing the novel, so it seems she’s nowhere near revealing a title for it.
How will the Outlander prequel begin?
In response to a fan question, Gabaldon posted on Facebook what could become the first line in the book: “Ellen MacKenzie, eldest of the children of Jacob Ruadh MacKenzie, chief of Clan MacKenzie—well, the late chief, if only by moments, but she’d think about that later—grabbed Ailidh Watt from behind and dragged her out of sight, clapping a hand over her slobbering mouth to stifle her cries.” [Copyright 2022 Diana Gabaldon] And then she added, “Yes, there’s more written than that, but I’m not posting much of this book for some time; I’ve barely begun working on it.”
What is the Outlander prequel about?
The Outlander prequel is the love story of Jamie Fraser’s parents, Ellen MacKenzie and Brian Fraser, who died before the Outlander story began.
What characters will be in the Outlander prequel?
It’s 100 percent confirmed that Murtagh will play a role in the story, according to Gabaldon, because he was in love with Ellen—which is why, as Jamie’s godfather, he promised to look after her son. We also know that as a token of his love, Murtagh gave Ellen bracelets made from the tusks of a boar he killed at the Gathering. Even so, she ran away with Brian.
Will there be more Outlander spinoff novels?
Yes! Gabaldon said that in addition to the prequel novel about Jamie’s parents, she is considering writing a book about Master Raymond, the time-traveler Claire met in Paris in Dragonfly in Amber at the apothecary shop. The book on Master Raymond is on the back burner for now. But for readers who want more Outlander spinoffs, check out the novels starring Lord John Grey. Outlander Season 6 will premiere Sunday, March 6, 2022 on STARZ. Next, Find Out What Sam Heughan Says About Jamie Fraser’s Season 6 Journey on Outlander—Plus, Which Co-Star Calls It His Fave Season Yet
