Katherine Kurtz Books in Order
See all Katherine Kurtz books in order, with quick summaries, background on the Deryni and related series, reading order help, and suggestions on the best books for new readers.
Last updated: January 12, 2026
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Publication Order
35 books
The Temple and the Crown
by Katherine Kurtz
2016
In this sequel to The Temple and the Stone, Arnault de Saint Clair and Torquil Lennox fight through the Scottish Wars of Independence. As Edward I and Philip IV move against the Templars, a demonic Black Swan order manipulates kings and battles from the shadows.
The King's Deryni
by Katherine Kurtz
2014
Concluding the Childe Morgan trilogy, this novel follows Alaric Morgan and Brion Haldane from youth into the roles readers know from the Chronicles. As Brion becomes king and Alaric matures into his champion, both must face prejudice and looming war.
Childe Morgan
by Katherine Kurtz
2006
Set in an earlier generation of Gwynedd, this book traces the childhood of Alaric Morgan, a half Deryni noble marked out to guard the royal house. His unusual gifts and heritage draw both royal favour and deadly suspicion as enemies circle King Donal.
In the King's Service
by Katherine Kurtz
2003
King Donal Haldane quietly enlists trusted Deryni to breed and train a future protector for his heirs, even as open persecution continues. Court intrigues, border wars, and the lives of Alyce de Corwyn and her kin all feed into the birth of Alaric Morgan.
Deryni Tales
by Katherine Kurtz
2002
This collection gathers fan written stories set in the Deryni universe, chosen and introduced by Katherine Kurtz, along with one new tale of her own. The pieces explore side characters, hidden moments, and what life looks like between the major novels.
St. Patrick's Gargoyle
by Katherine Kurtz
2001
When vandals desecrate Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral, its gargoyle guardian Paddy takes to the streets to seek justice. Teaming up with elderly Knight of Malta Francis Templeton, he uncovers a demonic plot that threatens far more than stolen silver.
King Kelson's Bride
by Katherine Kurtz
2000
Kelson Haldane has secured his throne but still lacks a queen and heir. Diplomatic journeys, assassination attempts, and Torenthi plots complicate his courtship of Princess Araxie, forcing him to balance personal desire with the fate of two kingdoms.
The Temple and the Stone
by Katherine Kurtz
1998
As the thirteenth century ends, Templar knights Arnault de Saint Clair and Torquil Lennox are drawn into Scotland’s succession crisis. Visions, sacred relics, and a pagan conspiracy around the Stone of Destiny force them to defend both faith and realm.
On Crusade: More Tales of the Knights Templar
by Katherine Kurtz
1998
A second anthology of original fiction about the Knights Templar, edited by Katherine Kurtz. Contributors imagine the Order at history’s turning points, from sieges and sea voyages to hidden missions in new lands, blending documented events with mystical speculation.
Codex Derynianus
by Katherine Kurtz
1998
An in world encyclopedia of the Deryni setting, this volume offers entries on people, places, and institutions, backed by maps and genealogical charts. It is designed as a companion for readers who want to track families, titles, and history in detail.
Two Crowns for America
by Katherine Kurtz
1996
During the American Revolution, Freemasons, Jacobites, and an ageless occult mastermind all seek to shape the new nation’s destiny. George Washington’s strange vision and the schemes of exiled Stuart loyalists intertwine in a tale of magic and rebellion.
Death of an Adept
by Katherine Kurtz
1996
While Sir Adam Sinclair is in America preparing for his wedding, an old enemy in Scotland gains control of a sinister Pictish dagger and plots to unleash a legendary sorcerer. Adam’s Hunt Lodge must race to stop a ritual that could cost him his life.
Tales of the Knights Templar
by Katherine Kurtz
1995
The first of Kurtz’s Templar anthologies, this collection gathers original stories by multiple authors about the Knights Templar. The tales range from Crusade era battles to later legends, exploring miracles, curses, lost relics, and the Order’s enduring mystery.
Dagger Magic
by Katherine Kurtz
1995
When occult texts are salvaged from a sunken Nazi U boat, a murderous dagger cult seizes them to fuel dreams of a new Aryan empire. Sir Adam Sinclair and his Hunt track the relics from Scottish sea caves to deadly rituals before the magic turns global.
The Bastard Prince
by Katherine Kurtz
1994
Years after Javan’s fall, puppet king Rhys Michael Haldane is tightly controlled by his regents. When a Festilian pretender invades Gwynedd, Rhys Michael finally has a chance to act as a true king, if he can outwit both foreign foes and his own council.
At Sword's Point
by Katherine Kurtz
1994
In this sequel to Knights of the Blood, LAPD detective John Drummond is drawn deeper into a centuries long war between Templar vampires and their Nazi counterparts. As the secret conflict erupts again, he is determined to end the bloodshed for good.
The Templar Treasure
by Katherine Kurtz
1993
An urgent summons draws Sir Adam Sinclair into a hunt for the Seal of Solomon, a bronze talisman once guarded by the Knights Templar. Stolen by a ruthless sorcerer, it could unleash demons and expose the hidden Templar treasure if Adam fails.
Knights of the Blood
by Katherine Kurtz
1993
Investigating a series of brutal killings, Los Angeles cop John Drummond uncovers immortal Knights Templar who became vampires during the Crusades. Their clandestine war against equally undead Nazi foes pulls him into a dark battle spanning centuries.
The Lodge of the Lynx
by Katherine Kurtz
1992
A forgotten occult society, the Lodge of the Lynx, resurfaces in Scotland armed with a Druidic artifact and remnants of Nazi black magic. As storms gather, Sir Adam Sinclair and his Hunt must outmaneuver enemies who now know exactly how to strike back.
King Javan's Year
by Katherine Kurtz
1992
Called from his monastery to a dying king’s bedside, Prince Javan must claim the throne from regents who would prefer a more pliable ruler. His brief, harrowing reign pits a gifted young Haldane against entrenched nobles, church terror, and betrayal.
The Adept
by Katherine Kurtz
1991
In modern Scotland, psychiatrist and laird Sir Adam Sinclair secretly serves as an Adept, guardian of the Light. A stolen wizard’s sword and a disturbed medieval grave lead him and psychic artist Peregrine Lovat into battle with a murderous occult cult.
Deryni Magic
by Katherine Kurtz
1990
Part grimoire and part sourcebook, this companion explains how Deryni powers work, from telepathy and Healing to complex ritual magic. Essays, examples, and appendices explore both the history of the Deryni and the ethical questions their gifts raise.
The Harrowing of Gwynedd
by Katherine Kurtz
1989
In the bloody aftermath of Camber’s condemnation, Gwynedd’s regents launch a purge of Deryni across the realm. Camber’s children and the Camberian Council scramble to save lives and unravel the mystery of his uncorrupted body while the noose tightens.
The Quest for Saint Camber
by Katherine Kurtz
1986
As Kelson’s reign matures, rival princes, restless nobles, and churchmen all tangle around the contested legacy of Saint Camber. A royal pilgrimage, a dangerous spiritual quest, and a young man’s ambition threaten to destabilise both throne and altar.
The Legacy of Lehr
by Katherine Kurtz
1986
A luxury starship is ordered to carry four blue furred, telepathic lionlike beings revered as gods on their homeworld. When passengers begin dying in savage attacks, the crew must decide whether the killers are loose beasts, saboteurs, or something worse.
The Deryni Archives
by Katherine Kurtz
1986
A collection of short stories set at many points in Gwynedd’s history, from early Healers to Alaric Morgan’s circle. These tales fill in key moments, expand on familiar figures, and show how small events ripple through the larger Deryni saga.
The King's Justice
by Katherine Kurtz
1985
Preparing to crush a Mearan revolt, King Kelson faces a rebel queen allied with his old enemy Archbishop Loris. As war and heresy intertwine, he must decide how far to push his Haldane powers and what true justice looks like for traitors and zealots.
The Bishop's Heir
by Katherine Kurtz
1984
A disputed bishopric and a charismatic claimant to the Mearan throne draw Kelson into a web of rebellion, romance, and church politics. His bid to secure peace in the border province may cost him allies, reputation, or the fragile balance in his realm.
Lammas Night
by Katherine Kurtz
1983
During the dark days of 1940, British intelligence officer Gray Graham and his friend Prince William work with covert witches to shield Britain from Nazi occult assault. Their effort to unite disparate covens for a great Lammas ritual demands terrible sacrifice.
Camber the Heretic
by Katherine Kurtz
1981
As young King Cinhil’s health fails and fear of magic surges, Camber MacRorie struggles to guide Gwynedd from behind his disguise as Bishop Alister Cullen. Church and crown turn against Deryni, and the man once hailed as a saint faces betrayal and doom.
Saint Camber
by Katherine Kurtz
1978
In the uneasy years after the Haldanes regain the throne, Camber sees his role shift from kingmaker to potential saint. Miracles, mistaken identities, and mounting tensions between humans and Deryni push him toward a fateful decision about how best to serve.
Camber of Culdi
by Katherine Kurtz
1976
Deryni lord Camber MacRorie lives under the rule of the Festil kings, who seized Gwynedd’s throne decades earlier. Horrified by King Imre’s cruelty, he seeks out a hidden Haldane heir and plots a coup that will change both magic and monarchy forever.
High Deryni
by Katherine Kurtz
1973
With rebellion at home and a powerful Deryni king threatening invasion from Torenth, young Kelson Haldane must risk a magical Duel Arcane that could cost him his throne and his life. Allies and enemies alike are forced to reveal their true loyalties.
Deryni Checkmate
by Katherine Kurtz
1972
Months after Kelson’s coronation, a fanatical archbishop moves to excommunicate Duke Alaric Morgan and Father Duncan McLain, while mobs hunt Deryni and a foreign enemy prepares war. Kelson struggles to hold his realm as both Church and rebels close in.
Deryni Rising
by Katherine Kurtz
1970
When King Brion dies suddenly, fourteen year old Prince Kelson must claim the throne before a rival Deryni sorceress seizes it at his coronation. To survive, he must awaken his hidden Haldane powers with the help of Duke Alaric Morgan and Duncan McLain.
Where should I start?
If you want her central Deryni story: Deryni Rising → Deryni Checkmate → High Deryni.
If you like sweeping, older history prequels: Camber of Culdi → Saint Camber → Camber the Heretic.
If you want to see the lead up to Kelson’s era: In the King’s Service → Childe Morgan → The King’s Deryni.
If you're in the mood for modern occult thrillers: The Adept → The Lodge of the Lynx → The Templar Treasure.
If you prefer stand alone historical fantasy: Lammas Night → Two Crowns for America → St. Patrick's Gargoyle.
Author bio
Katherine Kurtz was born in Coral Gables, Florida, in 1944 and grew up under the bright heat and storms of south Florida. From early on she was drawn to both science and story, a mix that would shape the worlds she later built on the page.
She won a four year science scholarship to the University of Miami and earned a degree in chemistry, then went on to spend a year in medical school. Medicine was fascinating, but it was not quite the right fit. She discovered that what she really wanted was to write about people, history, and the way belief works in a life.
That realisation sent her west to graduate school in medieval history at UCLA. While she was working on her master’s degree, holding down jobs with the Los Angeles Police Academy and in technical writing, she began drafting a fantasy novel set in a secondary world that felt very close to real medieval Europe. The book became Deryni Rising, published in 1970.
The Deryni novels grew from that first spark into an intricate sequence of trilogies and stand alone volumes. Instead of leaning on mythic quests and invented religions, she anchored her stories in feudal politics, church councils, and the daily business of ruling a kingdom. Magic in these books is formal, ritual, and risky, and it sits alongside liturgy and canon law in a way that feels deliberately grounded.
Over the years she expanded the timeline in both directions. The Camber books reach back to the bloody transfer of power that made Saint Camber a legend, while the Heirs of Saint Camber and King Kelson sequences follow the long fallout of persecution and compromise. Later, the Childe Morgan trilogy turns the clock again to show how Alaric Morgan and King Brion grew into the figures readers meet at the start of the Chronicles.
Kurtz has never stayed only in one corner of her universe. With Deborah Turner Harris she co created the Adept novels, contemporary occult thrillers set in Scotland in which Sir Adam Sinclair and his allies hunt metaphysical crime. The same partnership produced the Templar novels, which imagine an alternate history in which the Knights Templar carry secret magic and hidden agendas into the wars for Scottish independence.
She has also written stand alone works of what she calls “crypto history”, such as Lammas Night, which blends the Battle of Britain with ceremonial magic, and Two Crowns for America, which reimagines the American Revolution through Freemasonry and occult intrigue. Books like St. Patrick’s Gargoyle and The Legacy of Lehr show her turning the same careful eye on modern Dublin streets or deep space.
For more than twenty years Kurtz and her husband, Scott MacMillan, lived in a gothic revival house in County Wicklow, sharing the space with cats, old furniture, and a fair number of ghost stories. Both became Irish citizens before returning to a historic house in Staunton, Virginia, in 2007. MacMillan, a former film worker and later a herald in the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland, remained a close collaborator until his death.
These days, Kurtz continues to talk with readers, often in informal weekly online chats where conversation moves easily from liturgy to cats to heraldry. Her work has inspired fan scholarship, roleplaying games, and a generation of writers who grew up on her careful mix of faith, power, and responsibility.
Across all of it runs a consistent thread. Her stories ask what it costs to hold power ethically, how communities live with difference, and what happens when belief and politics collide. She does it not by declaring big answers, but by letting readers live alongside characters who wrestle with those questions in the middle of their own very human lives.
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