‘Outlander’ Season 2: Starz Renews for “Book Two” in 2015

Starz's adapted 'Outlander' series garnered considerable interest from fans of Diana Gabaldon's best-selling novels well before the series formally premiered, and it seems the cable network isn't waiting on its good fortune to greenlight another season. "Book Two" is officially a go for 'Outlander,' stretching the time-traveling romance into another season to come in 2015.

For those unfamiliar with the series, ‘Outlander’ tells the story of married World War II combat nurse Claire (Caitriona Balfe), who accidentally falls back in time to the year 1743 where she is “immediately thrown into an unknown world of adventure that sends her on the run and threatens her life.” Claire is forced to marry a chivalrous and romantic young Scottish warrior named Jamie (Sam Heughan), igniting a passionate affair that tears Claire’s heart between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

Bear with us on this one, as Starz's renewal confirms that Ron Moore's 'Outlander' will return for a second season ("Book Two," they're calling it) of "at least 13 episodes," to be based on Diana Gabaldon's second novel, 'Dragonfly in Amber.' The timetable for season 2 remains somewhat unclear however, as the first 16-episode season has been split into two, with the first eight installments running Saturdays through September 27, and the second half scheduled to continue sometime in early 2015.

Following a premiere watch of 5 million viewers, divided equally between men and women, here's what Starz had to say of the renewal:

The overwhelming support ‘Outlander’ has received from the fans, viewers and critics made the decision for us to go ahead with the second book a very easy one. Diana Gabaldon has given us years of great drama. With an incredible artist such as Ronald D. Moore at the helm and a cast as spectacular as this, we look forward to continue this spell-binding journey with Claire, Jamie, Frank, Brianna, Roger and everybody over the centuries.

'Outlander' will air its second episode this coming Saturday, but in the meantime, check out the series premiere in its entirety below, and give us your thoughts on a season 2 renewal in the comments!