The Fiery Cross: Read some chapters of Drums of Autumn first

By Alexandria Ingham | Feb 23, 2019

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly /

If you’re going to start reading from The Fiery Cross ready for Outlander Season 5, you may want to go back to Drums of Autumn. There are a few chapters that you need to read.

Those who started the Outlander show first will not be thinking about reading. If you’d have started with Seasons 1-3, you could have picked up the next book and found your way easily. Picking up from “The Fiery Cross” with just Outlander Seasons 1-4 in mind isn’t going to be as easy.

I know I previously said that starting with “The Fiery Cross” is a viable option, but I’ve thought more about it and how Outlander Season 4 and “Drums of Autumn” don’t quite match. There are parts at the end of “Drums” that never made it to the show, parts that are important to understand for “The Fiery Cross.” Sure, Diana Gabaldon has written each book so it’s possible to pick up one in the middle and mostly get it, but you’re not just starting from scratch.

More from Opinion

The show took so long getting Brianna to Fraser’s Ridge and getting Claire and Jamie to Roger that a lot of the ending needed to be cut out. If you’re not ready to read all of Book 4 and simply want to continue the current story instead of looking back right now, I’d at least recommend reading (or listening through Audible) the last 10 chapters or so. This will pick up the story enough from the end of the fourth season to help run into the fifth book.

You’ll certainly enjoy the reading from the very beginning but I get that you want to keep going with the current storyline. Because of the two-season renewal, the writers had the chance to stretch out storylines, giving the story room to breathe, which is why some of the ending has been skipped for now. However, with the last 10 chapters of “Drums of Autumn” or so, you should find the beginning of “The Fiery Cross” makes more sense.

Next. The chronological order of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander books. dark

Which book are you currently reading? Did you start from the beginning or pick up reading part way through after watching the series? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Like Claire and Jamie on Facebook for more posts to get through Droughtlander.