Outlander Book Club: The Scottish Prisoner Chapter 17 breakdown

After some drama in the previous chapter, Lord John Grey and Jamie Fraser make it to Athlone Castle in The Scottish Prisoner Chapter 17. It’s time to talk about Siverly.

Quinn doesn’t stick around in this chapter. He likely knows that he has been made, and he needs to get out of dodge for now. However, we also know that she’s sure to be back.

John needs to keep the focus on Siverly, though. That’s what brings him to Castle Athlone in the first place.

Breaking down The Scottish Prisoner Chapter 17

The two men get to Athlone Castle to visit Sir Melchoir Williamson, the Justiciar. As we remember from a previous chapter, John knows that the Justiciar could be necessary to be able to arrest Siverly quickly, so it makes sense to be here.

We get to know a little more about John’s ancestry in this chapter. It turns out that his ancestor, John de Grey, was a Justiciar in this very same castle in the 13th century.

Since Sir Melchoir will be leaving for France soon, John jumps straight into questions about Siverly, who is at a place called Glastuig. Siverly’s father was one of the Wild Geese, a band of Irish brigands who were Jacobites. Those sympathies are well documented, and this whole area is a Jacobite stronghold. That doesn’t bode well for John and Jamie.

On top of that, Siverly has come into quite a bit of money, which is a surprise to John.

Jamie decides to ask about the Wild Hunt poetry, which Melchoir says he’s never seen the piece but he has heard of it. He recommends that they head out to see Michael Fitzbibbons, the abbot at Inchcleraun.

Well, it’s clear that Jamie knows something about this abbot. Is it just the name Fitzgibbons, or will this lead to some more issues for Jamie and John?

Could the chapter be used in a TV adaptation?

If there was an adaptation of The Scottish Prisoner, we would certainly need to see this chapter. I could just imagine the way Sam Heughan would play the look on Jamie’s face when the name Fitzgibbons is mentioned. It’s just too important in the world of Outlander.

There would need to be a slight change for the TV show considering the way the Outlander series changed things. John doesn’t know of Murtagh in the books, but he does in the show. The name Fitzgibbons is going to mean something to both of them.

This chapter is too important for the overall plot, so yet, it needs to be adapted if there was a series.

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