Starz Chief Executive Officer, Chris Albrecht, announced today that Starz will partner with Sony Pictures Television to greenlight Outlander, an original series adapted from Diana Gabaldon's international bestselling books. The network has ordered 16 episodes of the series which will begin filming in Scotland this fall. It is slated to premiere in 2014.

The series adaptation for Outlander will be written by Ronald D. Moore (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation). Moore is best known for his work on Battlestar Galactica, which won him a Peabody Award in 2006. Ronald D. Moore and Jim Kohlberg are executive producers of Outlander, which is produced by Tall Ship Productions, Story Mining and Supply Company and Left Bank Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television.

Here's what Starz CEO Chris Albrecht had to say about the series in a statement.

"We are thrilled to be bringing Outlander to Starz next year. Diana has created an incredibly compelling heroine, thrust into a very complex world, not to mention, time. The books weave a fascinating tapestry of history, spirituality, love and honor, not to mention plenty of time travel, sex and warfare. With Diana's stories guiding us and Ron's mastery, we hope to bring Claire and Jamie to life for the millions of fans the world over."

Series creator Ronald D. Moore added his own statement about bringing these novels to life on the small screen.

"I'm very excited to have the opportunity to bring these books to life. Diana's created a rich and textured world filled with intriguing characters, and I believe that Starz is the perfect home for her story. I think we'll make something that the millions of fans of these books will enjoy and recognize as Outlander."

Diana Gabaldon's seven-book series has sold more than 20 million copies and has graced the New York Times best-sellers list six times. The eighth installment of the Outlander series is slated to be released in the fall of 2013.

The Outlander series spans the genres of romance, science fiction, history, and adventure in one grandiose tale. It follows the story of Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743, where she is immediately thrown into an unknown world where her life is threatened. When she is forced to marry Jamie Fraser, a chivalrous and romantic young Scottish warrior, a passionate affair is ignited that tears Claire's heart between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

Starz will retain all domestic multi-platform pay TV rights to the original series.