How Does The Outlander Order Differ Between Editions?

Should one read Outlander in publication order or chronological order? (I've fought with my friends over this at coffee and at con panels.) First, publication order respects the author's strategy for the gradual revelation of her characters and the progression of her stories. That was a progression that grew as Ms. Gabaldon learned her craft with each new book.

From a practical perspective, the order of novels can also vary depending on a country or edition. Thus, there are novels published under different titles, collected in omnibuses that include extra material, etc. Collectors of the series are also interested in editions with corrections and expansions, which can eventually replace the initial print runs. For a new reader, I would recommend reading the novels in publication order in order to discover the events by surprise. For re-reading novels, chronological order or mixed order (inserting the novellas in the appropriate places) is more enriching. I generally mix both approaches depending on my mood: sometimes I prefer to re-read the novels in chronological order, while on other occasions I prefer to be transported back to the original reading experience.

Whether you enjoy audiobooks or are seeking to purchase a complete set of a series, be aware of how editions divide up or combine volumes. Some long novels may be released as two separate audiobooks, while others include a companion novella to the main story, often listed as a separate book by online book retailers, thereby jeopardizing your carefully plotted reading list.

Some editions differ from others even when they are an anniversary edition or have been corrected. This can be as simple as a few words having been changed in a paragraph, or an author having added a foreword, included a map or inserted a short story. It’s fun to read a sequence in publication order and then to read the novellas out of sequence for a second reading, as if you’ve discovered secret chapters.

I keep a kind of mental map to remember which of my series are published in chronological order and which in publication order. The variants can be a real minefield. Most fans keep a list of the four key differences between editions: title differences (‘Cross Stitch’ vs. ‘Outlander’) – omnibus editions of the series – special edition/anniversary editions containing extra material (novellas etc.) – audiobooks, which may be split or joined together for listening convenience.

Many of the later editions put extra material (such as short stories, etc.) at the end of the book, so the reader experiences the extra material after the main story. Examples of this are the Lord John novellas and short stories (some published as tie-ins) for Outlander, etc. These are often published in separate collections (Lord John books) but some editions include them in the main series in chronological order. For a new reader, I recommend reading the Outlander series in publication order to experience the story as it was originally published, but for a reader doing an in-universe read-through of the books, there will be a lot of moving around of material. Comparing editions is also fun because special editions have many extras, including author’s notes, which add much to the reader’s understanding of favorite moments in the books.

There are so many different editions of the Outlander books floating around online, and I’ve found that sorting through my shelf and online listings to see how they’re all organized is a pretty complicated business.

First: title, packaging. It's not unknown for publishers to change the title of a first book to ‘Cross Stitch’ for early UK editions, or, indeed, for later editions – but this is something to search for, when hunting down a particular edition. Publishers also produce ‘omnibus’ editions of the series – where two or three books are bound up in one large hardcover or slim mass-market paperback. These can make a big difference to how you physically read the series, and some editions include Gabaldon’s author notes, a map of the area and even a novella or two at the back of the book.

Third: reading order. Most people know about publication order vs. in-universe chronological order, but many special editions of Outlander novels also include short stories or even ‘Lord John’ novellas, which can be inserted anywhere in the reading sequence. Some audiobooks of long novels are even split into two downloads or include short works and other extras, which can greatly affect how one reads a series. For me, I stick with publication order in order to have the characters reveal themselves as Gabaldon intended, but I keep an eye out for special editions, which contain added extras and sometimes even restored text that makes re-reading those sections so very worth it.

The physical differences between edition versions of a book are so much fun to me that I thought I’d mention them: the cover art, the binding, how the publisher packages the books. Some trade paperbacks are tall and slender, while others are mass-market sized to fit in the palm of your hand. And then there are the very impressive hardcover omnibus editions that pack multiple novels in one very large and impressive book. (And often rearrange the sequence of the novels in order to be the most logical.)

Some countries may even title the novella as a main novel, putting it in the main book list instead of a companion collection of novellas. When looking for editions to buy as a collector, be sure to check the table of contents and the ISBN number to make sure you are getting the correct version of the novel. For first time reading of a novel, I prefer to read it in the cleanest publication first, and then look for special editions that have extras in them, like new artwork and author notes that make re-reading the novel worth while.