Pan Mac splashes seven figures on Cassandra Clare

Pan Macmillan has acquired two books from fantasy author Cassandra Clare in a seven-figure deal. The books will be the first adult titles from Clare, who up until now has written young adult (YA) fiction.

Publisher Jeremy Trevathan and editorial director Bella Pagan bought UK and Commonwealth rights excluding Canada in a deal brokered with Danny Baror of Baror International.

Part of a new Sword Catcher series of books, which Clare said had been "a long time coming", both will be works of adult fantasy fiction and promise "a dramatic epic of power, intrigue and magic". 

"Here, a boy is born to rule a divided city. A girl is destined to return lost magic to the world. And a prince will betray his people to win a crown. They’ll discover the dark side of themselves and those they love, as their kingdom faces war, plague and the end of hope. But the blackest night comes before the dawn," reads the publisher's marketing material for the new series.

Clare commented: “This series is something that has been a long time coming for me. For so many years I've been dreaming of these characters and their adventures. To finally get to share these characters and this world with my readers in my first adult fantasy series is a joy, and in Pan Macmillan I've found the perfect UK partner to bring this dream to fruition."

Trevathan said Clare was a perfect fit for Pan Macmillan's fantasy list that had been looking for "the ideal major brand author". "The story is everything you’d expect from an author who breathes excitement and magic into everything she writes," he enthused.

Pagan said likewise: "Cassandra Clare has that rare talent which draws you, heart and soul, into her stories. I just can’t wait to work with her on these books – and bring this new world to an even bigger audience."

Clare, who is now based in the US, worked for several years as an entertainment journalist for the Hollywood Reporter, before turning her attention to fiction. Her bestselling YA novels include the Mortal Instruments series, the Infernal Devices trilogy and the Dark Artifices series which she is currently writing for Simon & Schuster UK. She has also co-written books with other authors, including Sarah Rees Brennan and Holly Black.

Pan Macmillan plans to publish the first in the new series, Sword Catcher, in spring 2021, following the author's current commitments.