HCG bags Bardugo's graphic novel Shadow and Bone prequel

Hachette Children’s Group has inked a deal for Demon in the Wood by bestselling Shadow and Bone series author Leigh Bardugo, the first graphic novel set in the Grishaverse universe, with illustrations by Dani Pendergast. 

Senior commissioning editor Tig Wallace and group publisher Ruth Alltimes negotiated the deal for UK and Commonwealth rights with Kristin Dulaney, vice-president of subsidiary rights at the Macmillan Publishing Group in New York. Demon in the Wood will be published simultaneously in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand on 27th September 2022. 

The publisher said: “With exquisite illustrations by Dani Pendergast, the origin story of fan favourite character The Darkling comes to life in this prequel to 'Shadow and Bone', the hit Netflix original series. With over 55 million households across the globe having tuned in to watch Season One of Netflix’s 'Shadow and Bone' series, readers are flocking to the books.”

The Grishaverse collection has been published in 115 countries and in over 50 languages, according to Hachette. Bardugo said the new graphic novel will “delight die-hard fans as well as entice new readers as they explore a brand-new format and learn more about this beloved character”. 

The Los Angeles-based author added: “Demon in the Wood is a glimpse into the Darkling's childhood, the events that led him to become a leader and some would say a tyrant. It's a story of first love, friendship, the bonds we form when we struggle to find our place in the world, the way that the cruelty of others can twist those bonds and our own sense of right and wrong. I hope this expanded prequel story, brought to life through Dani Pendergast's lush, action-packed illustrations, will not only be a gift for long-standing fans of the Grishaverse, but a unique way to welcome new readers to this world.”  

Pendergast, who lives in Boston, said: “I'm so excited to finally talk about Demon in the Wood. This beautifully tragic story is my first book and I found myself captivated by its themes of magic, deception and survival.”