It's only fitting a great fantasy series like Outlander would produce arguably the classiest tie-in coloring book ever. Outlander is based on the novel series by writer Diana Gabaldon, which follow a married nurse named Claire who travels back in time from 1946 to 18th century Scotland; this is where she meets and falls in love with Highlander Jamie and gets taken on a ride through history. The novels are a blend of historical drama, fantasy, and romance, and have attracted a devoted following.
Outlander was adapted into a TV series in 2014 by the Starz Network, with Jamie played by Sam Heughan (The Spy Who Dumped Me) and Claire portrayed by Caitriona Balfe. Outlander has received critical acclaim for its performances, production design, and the central romance, and the show has already received a greenlight for seasons 5 and 6.
While it's not uncommon for successful movies or TV shows to receive a coloring book, Outlander doesn't seem like the obvious candidate for one. That said, everything from Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock to Die Hard have both received high-profile coloring books in recent years, and few can match the surprising class of the Outlander book. It features some genuinely gorgeous artwork from renowned illustrators like Yvonne Gilbert, Craig Phillips, and Juan Alarcón.
The Outlander coloring book brings to life some of the key moments of the show such as Claire and Jaime's wedding. Fans of Frank Randall, played by Tobias Menzies (Underworld: Blood Wars), are also in for a treat as there's more than one picture of him standing next to his car. Most of the characters look quite intense or downtrodden too, but given the source material, it would have looked out of place if they were smiling.
While not every illustration in the Outlander coloring book is memorable, the quality of some of the art is outstanding and rivals the visuals of the TV show. Television's other major fantasy series Game Of Thrones also received an official coloring book version in 2015, depicting everything from Daenerys dragons soaring through the sky to the Night King bringing the dead back to life at Hardhome.
While the concept might sound strange, the Outlander coloring book is worth seeking out for fans of the series. Most of the images are of high quality and it does a good job of capturing the romantic feel of the series. Some of the illustrations are so nice it almost feels like a shame to color over them too.