Outlander: Blood of My Blood has finally premiered, receiving a warm welcome from both fans and critics, reports the Daily Record.

Viewers were treated to a double bill special after Starz confirmed the release of the first two episodes together, with the third episode set to air next week.

The series serves as a prequel to the highly successful Outlander, adapted from the novels by American author Diana Gabaldon.

Each season of the original show has generally adapted one book in the series, albeit with some deviations.

However, the seventh season drew material from two novels, and it appears that the eighth and final series will diverge further from the source material

This significant deviation has occurred in the Outlander TV series because the show will end before Gabaldon has completed her book series.

The acclaimed author is currently working on the 10th and final novel in her epic saga, titled A Blessing For A Warrior Going Out.

Many fans of both Outlander and Blood of My Blood are keen to understand the basis for the prequel series. So, here’s the scoop.

Is Blood of My Blood based on a book?

No, Blood of My Blood simply draws inspiration from the Outlander novel series by Gabaldon.

Unlike Outlander, the story isn’t directly based on a novel.

The passionate romance between Brian Fraser (played by Jamie Roy) and Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) is merely mentioned in passing in the Outlander novels, rather than being a central plot point.

In the Outlander novels, Claire Fraser (Caitríona Balfe) mentions Henry Beauchamp (Jeremy Irvine) and Julia Moriston (Hermione Corfield), along with their heart-wrenching demise in a car accident.

However, Blood of My Blood largely lacks original text to draw from, granting the scriptwriters creative liberty to steer the narrative as they see fit.

A pivotal choice by Blood of My Blood’s showrunner Matthew B. Roberts in the prequel series was to envision a scenario where Claire’s parents survived and both journeyed back in time.

This speculative scenario forms the foundation for Blood of My Blood, with Henry and Julia playing a crucial role in sparking the romance between Brian and Ellen.

This, in turn, sets the stage for Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire Fraser’s eventual union in Outlander.

At last month’s San Diego Comic-Con, Roberts revealed that his alteration received the endorsement of author Gabaldon.

He shared: “She said to me it was a good idea. She didn’t want to explore it herself, but at least she said, ‘Go for it.’ I thanked her and I went for it.”

Roberts further elaborated: “But she’s so on board. She actually wrote on the show, so you’re going to see her episode too. So, I think she’s fully committed to the show.”

Gabaldon is deeply engaged with Blood of My Blood, serving as a consultant, penning an episode of the first season, and collaborating with Roberts on the finale.

Outlander: Blood of My Blood airs on Fridays on Starz in the USA and on Saturdays on MGM+ via Prime Video in the UK

Outlander season 8 will air on Starz and MGM+ via Prime Video in early 2026