Orbit buys five books from Kingfisher

Orbit UK has acquired five books from award-winning self-published author T Kingfisher.  

This includes the previously self-published cult hit Saint of Steel series, beginning with Paladin’s Grace, as well as standalone cosy romantasy Swordheart.   

Helen Breitwieser at the Cornerstone Literary Agency sold UK and Commonwealth rights in five of Kingfisher’s books to Nadia Saward, commissioning editor at Orbit.

The e-books of Paladin’s Grace, Paladin’s Strength, Paladin’s Hope and Swordheart are now available, with Paladin’s Faith scheduled for early December. Orbit will be redesigning the covers and will be releasing paperbacks of all five books in spring 2025. 

Orbit described the books as “utterly refreshing fantasy: by turns cosy and heart-warming but with a darker edge, appealing to romantasy readers as well as fans of classic fantasy and Dungeons & Dragons”. 

Saward said: “T Kingfisher has always had a lifelong, devoted fan in me; I’ve read the Saint of Steel books more times than I can count. T Kingfisher has the rare ability to write characters that I would willingly walk across coals for and create peculiar and utterly memorable fantasy worlds. We’re so excited to be working on these amazing books in the UK.” 

Kingfisher said: “Seeing a weird little series I mostly wrote at my kitchen table go global is both wonderful and surreal. I’m delighted to work with Orbit UK on bringing these books to a wider audience.” 

T Kingfisher is the pen-name author Ursula Vernon uses when writing for adults. She also writes children’s books and comics. As Kingfisher, she has won the Hugo, Nebula, Locus and Dragon Awards.