Deryni novels

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The Deryni novels are a series of historical fantasy novels by the American author Katherine Kurtz.

Contents

The first novel in the series to be published was Deryni Rising in 1970, and the most recent, The King's Deryni, was published in 2014. As of 2016, the series consists of five trilogies, one stand-alone novel, various short stories, and two reference books.

Most of the series is set in the land of Gwynedd, one of the fictional Eleven Kingdoms (portions of King Kelson's Bride take place in the rival kingdom of Torenth). Gwynedd itself is a medieval kingdom that roughly parallels 10th, 11th, or 12th-century England, Scotland, and Wales [1] with a powerful Holy Church (based on the Roman Catholic Church), and a feudal government ruled by a hereditary monarchy. The population of the Eleven Kingdoms includes both humans and Deryni [ circular reference ], a race of people with inherent psychic or magical abilities. Throughout the course of the series, relations between humans and Deryni result in ongoing political and religious strife that is often interconnected with the individual lives of the main characters.

While the plots of the novels often involve political, ecclesiastical, and military conflicts on a grand scale, they are counterbalanced by details of the characters' personal lives. Neither race is depicted as inherently "good" nor "evil", as both humans and Deryni are depicted as protagonists and antagonists at various points of the series. Additionally, the novels often depict the characters engaging in various forms of magic, and such scenes vary in importance from minor events to significant plot points.

Novels

The five Deryni trilogies were published in an order which does not match the internal literary chronology of the series. The first four trilogies alternated between the 12th and 10th centuries, while the fifth trilogy is set immediately prior to the events of the first trilogy. The stand-alone novel, King Kelson's Bride , takes place after the third trilogy. The trilogies are briefly listed by publication date and historical order below, with a more detailed listing after.

The Chronicles of the Deryni

The Legends of Camber of Culdi

The Histories of King Kelson

The Heirs of Saint Camber

The Childe Morgan Trilogy

Other novels

Short stories

Reference books

Setting

Eleven Kingdoms
Deryni novels location
Eleven.kingdoms.jpeg
Map created by Grey Ghost Press for a role-playing game
Created by Katherine Kurtz
Genre Historical fantasy
In-universe information
Type Fantasy world
Locations Gwynedd, Torenth
Characters Kelson Haldane, Camber MacRorie

Most of the books are set in the fictional Kingdom of Gwynedd, one of the Eleven Kingdoms. The other kingdoms are Bremagne, The Connait, Howicce, Llannedd, Kheldour, Meara, Mooryn, Orsal, Tralia, and Torenth.

Citations

  1. "Official website of Katherine Kurtz". Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2011-07-29.

General sources

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katherine Kurtz</span> American fantasy writer (born 1944)

Katherine Irene Kurtz is an American fantasy writer, author of sixteen historical fantasy novels in the Deryni series, as well as occult and urban fantasy. Resident in Ireland for over twenty years, she moved to Virginia in 2007.

<i>Deryni Rising</i> 1970 novel by Katherine Kurtz

Deryni Rising is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books as the nineteenth volume of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series in August 1970, and was reprinted at least ten times over the next three decades. In 2004, the author released a revised and updated edition of the novel that was published by Ace Books. Deryni Rising was the first of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, though some of her later works served as prequels, detailing events that occurred before the time period of Deryni Rising. As a result, the storyline of the Childe Morgan Trilogy immediately precedes Deryni Rising, despite the fact that it was published over thirty years after the first novel.

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<i>High Deryni</i> 1973 novel by Katherine Kurtz

High Deryni is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books as the sixty-first volume of the celebrated Ballantine Adult Fantasy series in September, 1973, and has been reprinted a number of times since. A revised and updated edition of the novel was released in 2007 by Ace Books. High Deryni was the third of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the final book in the Chronicles of the Deryni Trilogy. The next Deryni book to be published was Camber of Culdi, which details events that occur two centuries before High Deryni. However, the internal literary chronology of events in the Deryni series is continued in The Bishop's Heir.

<i>Camber of Culdi</i> (novel) 1976 novel by Katherine Kurtz

Camber of Culdi is fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books on June 12, 1976. It was the fourth novel in Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the first book in her second Deryni trilogy, The Legends of Camber of Culdi. The Legends trilogy serves as prequels to The Chronicles of the Deryni series that Kurtz wrote from 1970 to 1973, and it details the events that occurred two centuries before the Chronicles trilogy. Therefore, although it was the fourth Deryni novel to be published, Camber of Culdi is the earliest novel to occur within the series' internal literary chronology.

<i>Saint Camber</i> 1978 novel by Katherine Kurtz

Saint Camber is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Ballantine Books in 1978. It was the fifth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the second book in her second Deryni trilogy, The Legends of Camber of Culdi. The latter trilogy serves as prequels to The Chronicles of the Deryni series that Kurtz wrote from 1970 to 1973, and it details the events that occurred two centuries before the Chronicles trilogy.

<i>Camber the Heretic</i> 1981 novel by Katherine Kurtz

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<i>The Bishops Heir</i> 1984 fantasy novel by Katherine Kurtz

The Bishop's Heir is a fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Del Rey Books in 1984. It was the seventh of Kurtz's Deryni novels to be published, and the first book in her third Deryni trilogy, The Histories of King Kelson. Although The Legends of Camber of Culdi trilogy was published immediately prior to the Histories trilogy, The Bishop's Heir is a direct sequel to Kurtz's first Deryni series, The Chronicles of the Deryni.

<i>The Kings Justice</i> 1985 novel by Katherine Kurtz

The King's Justice is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Del Rey Books in 1985. It was the eighth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the second book in her third Deryni trilogy, The Histories of King Kelson. Although The Legends of Camber of Culdi trilogy was published immediately prior to the Histories trilogy, the Histories trilogy is a direct sequel to Kurtz' first Deryni series, The Chronicles of the Deryni.

<i>The Quest for Saint Camber</i> 1986 historical fantasy novel by Katherine Kurtz

The Quest for Saint Camber is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Del Rey Books in 1986. It was the ninth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the third book in her third Deryni trilogy, The Histories of King Kelson. Just as the Histories trilogy is a direct sequel to the first Deryni trilogy, The Chronicles of the Deryni, the next Deryni trilogy to be published, The Heirs of Saint Camber, is a direct sequel to Kurtz' second Deryni trilogy, The Legends of Saint Camber. In 2000, Kurtz published her thirteenth Deryni novel, King Kelson's Bride, which is a direct sequel to the events of The Quest for Saint Camber.

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The Harrowing of Gwynedd is a historical fantasy novel by American-born author Katherine Kurtz. It was first published by Del Rey Books in 1989. It was the tenth of Kurtz' Deryni novels to be published, and the first book in her fourth Deryni trilogy, The Heirs of Saint Camber. Although the Heirs trilogy was the fourth Deryni series to be published, it is a direct sequel to the second trilogy, The Legends of Camber of Culdi.

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<i>King Kelsons Bride</i> Historical fantasy novel by Katherine Kurtz

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<i>Childe Morgan</i> 2006 novel by Katherine Kurtz

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Alaric is a masculine Germanic given name that, broken into its parts means Ala "everyone's" and ric "ruler". This has various forms in the several Germanic languages, such as Alareiks in the original Gothic and Alrekr in Old Norse. Most modern Germanic languages render it as Alarich or Alarik but Alaric is the form used in modern English, an adaptation of the Latinization (Alaricus) of the Gothic one—there is also the alternative Latinization Alarichus from Greek Ἀλάριχος --. In Italian, Galician, Portuguese, and Spanish it is Alarico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deryni Adventure Game</span> Tabletop fantasy role-playing game

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