Which Outlander book is Season 6 based on?

Outlander Season 6 filming is underway, which means the storylines have been developed and (mostly) written. Which book will this season focus on?

Knowing which book storylines will be used is important for many fans. The book-first fans want to be able to reread and select the scenes they’d love to see play out. Some scenes will be missed because they don’t speak the same to the writers and producers as they do to the fans (or because there just isn’t the time), but for the most part, the important scenes make it.

The show-first fans want to know which book to read up to so the show remains ahead for them. For some people, this is important so they don’t have thoughts about the scenes that should make it to the show and avoid disappointment or expectations.

Then there are the show-first fans who want to become book-first fans. They want to know which Outlander books to read next to get ready for the new season.

So, which book will Outlander Season 6 follow? This is not going to be easy to answer!

The seasons have started to use material from multiple Outlander books

When the show first started, there was the focus on one book per season. The first season was adapted extremely close to the books, only changing small parts due to locations, timing, or cost.

Things started to change largely with the third book, Voyager, which isn’t that surprising. There’s a lot going on and there were only 13 episodes to adapt it into. Then in Season 5, the show pulled some parts of the sixth book, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, into the story. There were also some bits of the third book added in there and twisted to suit the storytelling.

For the most part, Season 6 will follow the sixth book. There are still plenty of storylines to cover, and we know that the Christies will show up on the Ridge, so can expect that storyline to happen. However, there is a chance storylines that weren’t used in earlier books will be included. There is also a chance storylines from the seventh and eighth books will be used.

It’s going to depend on which stories the producers want to tell from the books, and what works for pandemic-friendly storytelling—not that Matt B. Roberts knows how to do COVID-friendly scenes!

For the most part, it will likely be A Breath of Snow and Ashes you’ll want to read (or not, depending on your preferences for watching the show).

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