Outlander Book 9 Anticipation

Warning: this post contains spoilers. If you haven’t read the previous books in the series yet, please consider this before you read, or don’t read, this post.

I’m really looking forward to reading Diana Gabaldon’s next Outlander book: Go Tell the Bees that I am gone. The release date hasn’t been announced yet, but I expect it to be near the end of this year or early next year. The following is a list of some of the things I’m looking forward to seeing in this book.

update: we now have a publication date! BEES will be available from the 23rd of November 2021.

Jenny meets Roger

In the last book, Written in My Own Heart’s Blood (MOBY), Roger spends time in 1739 and while there meets Jamie’s sister Jenny. Back in 1779, Jenny has aged 40 years but for Roger it has only been 6 months since he last saw her.

Jenny has been told about the whole time-travel thing, but I’m not sure how much she believes it. I want to see what happens when Jenny and Roger meet again. Does she remember him? How long does it take for her to realise who he is and the implications of his presence?

Jamie’s Reaction

Bad things have been happening to Brianna and her family in the 20^th century causing them to escape back to the past. I think that Jamie has thought of the 20^th century as somewhere that his family can be safe if anything happens to him (America being particularly dangerous during this time).

Recent events have shown that this is not true; the 20^th century is not safer than the 18^th. I want to see how Jamie reacts to this.

The Title

The title has been announced as “Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone.” This is in reference to a custom where you’d tell the bees if anyone comes or goes so that they don’t fly away. It makes me wonder which character leaves for it get that title.

Fraser Prophecy

While she is sorting the family belongings prior to returning to the past, Brianna finds a letter written by Frank. This letter details a prophecy made by the Brahan Seer about the Fraser family. How does this pan out? Does something come of it? How does it affect the family?

Ian’s Child

Young Ian’s new wife, Rachel, has just given birth to a son. The child does not yet have a name but is referred to as Oggy. It’s not a pressing desire, but what do they call him? I must know!

Fergus’s Father

Lord John’s ex-step-brother, the slimy Percy Beauchamp, has been sniffing around with the story that Fergus is the son of a rich French baron. Does Fergus turn out to be the son? How much does Percy keep hounding the family? Does Fergus eventually get the family fortune?

William and Jamie

William has known for a while now that Jamie is his biological father. At the beginning of MOBY he wasn’t coping with it very well, but at the end he had come to terms with it enough to ask Jamie’s help and entrust Fanny to him. I want to see how their relationship continues to develop.

Brianna and William

With the MacKenzies back in the 18^th century, Bree and William have a chance of meeting again, and this time William can know who Bree is. Perhaps Bree will help William come to terms with his parentage.

Roger’s Voice

In MOBY, Roger meets a time-travelling healer who has discovered a new method of healing. This method has great potential to slowly fix (or at least improve) Roger’s voice, previously ruined by a hanging. It would be idiotic for Claire not to try this method, so I want to know how it works out. Will Roger ever sing again?

Benjamin Grey

Benjamin is Hal Grey’s eldest son (and Lord John’s nephew). So far, he has disappeared, presumed dead. Hal and John have tracked down the woman he supposedly married, and William has dug up his grave, only to find that the body in it is not Benjamin. So what has happened to Benjamin? Do they find him?

Brianna’s Bag

When Brianna and the kids join him in 1739, Roger wonders what makes Brianna’s bag “heavy as lead.” What does she have in it that makes it so heavy? I want to know.

Have you been following these books? Do you plan to read Go Tell the Bees that I am Gone when it’s published? What are you anticipating about it? Let me know in the comments.