The Deryni novels are a series of historical fantasy novels by the American author Katherine Kurtz. 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 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, 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 below, with a more detailed listing after. Publication order The Chronicles of the Deryni The Legends of Camber of Culdi The Histories of King Kelson The Heirs of Saint Camber King Kelson's Bride The Childe Morgan Trilogy Historical order: The Legends of Camber of Culdi The Heirs of Saint Camber The Childe Morgan Trilogy The Chronicles of the Deryni The Histories of King Kelson King Kelson's Bride The Chronicles of the Deryni Deryni Rising (1970) November