Diana Gabaldon’s Seven Stones to Stand or Fall Expands the Outlander Universe

Seven Stones to Stand or Fall contains, as the title suggests, seven stories. While two (“Besieged” and “A Fugitive Green”) are new, the rest have previously been published in various anthologies—but standing together, they remind the reader just how vast and complex Gabaldon’s world is. A story prefaced on the sweeping romance between a woman who travels back in time to the Scottish Highlands and falls in love even though she has a husband waiting for her back in her own time has become so much more; this collection weaves in and out of the major narrative to tell the story of supporting or minor characters at various points in their lives. Most important of those characters is Lord John Grey, the subject of another set of mystery novels written by Gabaldon, and a fan favorite; his complex and unrequited attraction to Jamie leads to many an angst-filled moment in the major books.
Lord John stars in many of these novellas, including the new one, “Besieged”. This wartime, action-packed, swashbuckling escapade takes place in Jamaica and Havana during 1762. While Outlander readers are no stranger to magic, the addition of new types (zombies, to be specific) keeps the tension taut and the pages turning. Readers eager for Easter eggs will learn the fate of a character the major books have not yet revealed, and of course, any mention of Jamie Fraser is worth reading when it comes from John’s complicated inner monologue.

The second new novella tells the love story of two minor characters from the books—Hal Grey, John’s older brother, and his wife Minnie. Being the sucker for romance that I am, I loved this story—especially given what we knew about Hal and Minnie’s origins from the major books (a one night stand can result in true love!), this was a lovely interlude to fill in the blanks of that story. Minnie is a raw and headstrong heroine in a collection mostly punctuated by the stories of men, and for those who love Outlander because of Claire’s journey, this will be a welcome tale.
The other stories were entertaining as well, and brought back many familiar faces: Jamie’s brother-in-law, Ian, when they were young; the Comte St. Germaine, whom Claire warred with in France and who was presumed dead by many readers; Master Raymond, an ancestor of Claire’s with the same gift of time-travel, and many more. These characters are why people return to this universe time after time, followed by Gabaldon’s prose, which remains as detailed and lush as it is in the main stories.

What I loved most about this collection, however, were Gabaldon’s introduction and closing notes to each story, as well as the general timeline she provides as to where they fit in the gargantuan Outlander universe. History buffs will devour her perspective on the real-life context to each fictional story (in her customary humorous way of explaining things) and Outlander nerds will appreciate the additional information.
While there’s nothing like holding the next big Outlander novel in your hands, Seven Stones to Stand or Fall is a worthy substitute to spend the summer reading while we wait.