Outlander Book Club: Drums of Autumn Chapter 1 breakdown

Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter

There is a little bit of foreshadowing in this chapter, and not through the plot point of the prisoner (who we now know as Stephen Bonnet) turning up later. That part is plotting and not foreshadowing.

The foreshadowing is in Young Ian’s story. He doesn’t want to go back to Scotland. He wants to remain in the colonies and experience life there, even if it means facing up against the skunks. I love how he thinks skunks are dangerous creatures, but Claire points out they’re not.

We know Young Ian doesn’t go back to Scotland. In fact, not only does he remain in the colonies, but he becomes a member of one of the tribes. We get little hints of that happening in his fascination of the Natives throughout this chapter and later in the book.

We also get the foreshadowing of Rollo becoming an important member of the family. Young Ian and Jamie immediately take to him. Others will eventually.

Adapting the Drums of Autumn chapter

There was no way this chapter wouldn’t be used in the TV show. There’s so much going on that is important for the future of the story. After all, we have Stephen Bonnet’s escape, Jamie thinking of a way to send Young Ian home, and the introduction of Rollo.

I will admit that I felt more of a connection to Gavin Hayes in the show than in the book. I guess the lack of connection to the character was intentional, keeping it all told from Claire’s point of view. I just wish that we’d get more of these types of chapters from Jamie’s point of view. We just get told what Jamie is saying to Claire, rather than learning what he’s really thinking.

In the show, we’ve already got to know Gavin throughout Outlander Season 3. Looking back, it makes the episode involving Gavin being the Jonah all the more important. Jamie saved his life there just for Gavin to be hanged in the colonies.

Duncan Innes isn’t a character at this point, though. We don’t get to know that much about Duncan on the show. Instead, Lesley takes on the role as the friend, and we all know what happened to him at the end of the episode. It did make Bonnet’s story all the more harrowing for Claire and Jamie.

Rollo’s introduction and the singing in the tavern were kept in, which is something I enjoyed seeing. The show also kept Marsali on the screen from the beginning of the season, which is where she and Fergus share they’re expecting their first child. This was already hinted at in the books.

The one thing missing was the mention of the skunk. The show found a way to add that in, though, and it was a lot of fun to watch.

What did you spot while reading Drums of Autumn Chapter 1? Let us know in the comments below.

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