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Kate Daniels — by Ilona Andrews
Kate Daniels Series in Order: 21 books
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A Questionable Client
Book - 0.5
It was a dark and stormy knight, and nine dark defenders embarked upon a most perilous quest....
They're the ultimate defenders of humanity―modern day knights who do dark deeds for all the right reasons. In this all-star collection, nine o...
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Magic Bites
Book - 1
Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren't for the magic... When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as ...
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Magic Burns
Book - 2
Down in Atlanta, tempers -- and temperatures -- are about to flare... As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like...
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Magic Strikes
Book - 3
When magic strikes and Atlanta goes to pieces, it's a job for Kate Daniels... Drafted into working for the Order of Merciful Aid, mercenary Kate Daniels has more paranormal problems than she knows what to do with. And in Atlanta, where magic comes a...
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Magic Mourns
Book - 3.5
From New York Times bestselling authors Charlaine Harris and Nalini Singh and national bestselling authors Ilona Andrews and Meljean Brook, tales of man's worst friend... In these hound-eat-hound worlds, anything goes... and everything bites. F...
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Magic Bleeds
Book - 4
Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren't for the magic. When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpre...
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Magic Dreams
in HexedBook - 4.5
Four of the bestselling names in romance and fantasy come together in this collection of thrilling novellas featuring powerful women who know how to handle a hex or two... New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews spins "Magic Dreams," Shape...
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Magic Slays
Book - 5
Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job. Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Merciful Aid, but she's still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she co...
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Magic Tests
Book - 5.3
Includes a never-before-published Sookie Stackhouse story!
What could be scarier than the first day of school? How about a crash course in the paranormal from Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner, editors of Home Improvement: Undead Edition?... -
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Magic Gifts
Book - 5.4
Now available individually for the first time, a Kate Daniels novella from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Magic Triumphs.It isn't often that Kate Daniels and the Beast Lord Curran get to take a break from protecting their pack and enjoy ...
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Gunmetal Magic
Book - 5.5
Ilona Andrews delves deeper into Kate's world, and reveals its untold stories... After being kicked out of the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid, Andrea's whole existence is in shambles. She tries to put herself back together by working for Cut...
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Retribution Clause
in Hex AppealBook - 5.6
A spellbinding new paranormal anthology edited by P.N. Elrod featuring never-before-seen stories from New York Times bestselling authors Jim Butcher, Carrie Vaughn, Ilona Andrews, and more! In the magical world that lies hidden beneath our own, wi...
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Magic Rises
Book - 6
Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them--no matter the cost. Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts...
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Magic Steals
in Night ShiftBook - 6.5
When people start going missing, shapeshifting tigress Dali Harimau and jaguar shifter Jim Shrapshire must uncover the truth about the mysterious creatures responsible. ...
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Magic Breaks
Book - 7
In the latest novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews, no matter how much the paranormal politics of Atlanta change, one thing always remains the same: if there's trouble, Kate Daniels will be in the middle of it... As the ma...
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Magic Shifts
Book - 8
Magic is coming and going in waves in post-Shift Atlanta -- and each crest leaves danger in its wake... After breaking from life with the Pack, mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate -- former Beast Lord Curran Lennart -- are adjusting to a very d...
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Magic Stars
Book - 8.5
From award-winning author, Ilona Andrews, an original novella, set in the NYT #1 bestselling Kate Daniels World and featuring fan-favorites Derek and Julie, Curran and Kate's very independent ward. Scarred, solitary Derek Gaunt has separated from...
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Magic Binds
Book - 9
Mercenary Kate Daniels knows all too well that magic in post-Shift Atlanta is a dangerous business. But nothing she's faced could have prepared her for this... Kate and the former Beast Lord Curran Lennart are finally making their relationship of...
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Iron and Magic
Book - 9.5
No day is ordinary in a world where Technology and Magic compete for supremacy... But no matter which force is winning, in the apocalypse, a sword will always work. Hugh d'Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, serve...
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Magic Triumphs
Book - 10
Mercenary Kate Daniels must risk all to protect everything she holds dear in this epic, can't-miss entry in the thrilling #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series. Kate has come a long way from her origins as a loner taking care of paran...
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Curran POV Collection
We've received numerous requests from our readers asking us what this or that character thought about certain scenes from the books. However, nobody has garnered as many requests as Curran. Finally, in the summer of 2009, Gordon decided to write a sc...
Series Premise
The series is set in a post-apocalyptic Atlanta where, decades ago, magic returned in force after humanity's technological overreach triggered "the Shift." Magic and technology now alternate in unpredictable waves: when magic surges ("magic up"), cars stall, guns fail, spells ignite, and mythical creatures roam freely; when technology dominates ("tech up"), modern conveniences return but supernatural threats recede. This volatile balance creates a fractured, dangerous world where humans, shapeshifters, vampires, mages, and ancient gods vie for power. At the center is Kate Daniels, a tough, sword-wielding mercenary who scrapes by solving magical problems for hire. Trained from childhood in combat and secrecy by her guardian, Kate hides a powerful bloodline that makes her a target for gods, immortals, and power-hungry factions. Her investigations often uncover larger threats—ancient deities awakening, apocalyptic prophecies, or rival supernatural powers—drawing her deeper into Atlanta's paranormal underbelly, including the Pack (a massive shapeshifter clan), the People (vampire-controlling necromancers), the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, and various mythological pantheons. The overarching premise traces Kate's journey from lone-wolf survivor to reluctant leader and family member. Early books focus on standalone cases laced with personal revelations; later ones build toward a grand confrontation with her heritage and a world-ending prophecy. Themes of found family, loyalty, power's corrupting influence, and balancing independence with connection drive the narrative. Kate's sarcastic voice and moral code—protect the weak, stab the deserving—anchor the escalating stakes, blending monster-of-the-week adventures with epic mythology.
Kate Daniels Series Characters
Kate Daniels anchors the series: a lethal, foul-mouthed mercenary in her mid-20s at the start, expert with her saber Slayer, and possessor of immense but suppressed power from her bloodline. Raised in hiding, she's independent to a fault—sarcastic, resourceful, and fiercely protective—yet gradually learns to trust and love. Her growth from isolated fighter to family leader forms the emotional core.
Curran Lennart, Beast Lord of the Pack, is Kate's primary love interest: a powerful, golden-haired lion shapeshifter who rules with iron control and dry humor. Arrogant yet honorable, he evolves from adversarial alpha to devoted partner, balancing dominance with vulnerability in their slow-burn romance.
Supporting cast forms a vibrant found family:
- Derek Gaunt, a young wolf shapeshifter scarred by trauma, loyal and heroic.
- Julie Lennart-Olsen (Kate's adoptive daughter), a teenage ward with precognitive gifts.
- Andrea Nash, sharpshooting former Knight, best friend with her own spin-off.
- Jim Shrapshire, jaguar alpha and security chief.
- Raphael Medrano, bouda (hyena) alpha, charming and volatile.
- Roman, a Slavic volhv (priest) with chaotic magic.
- Ghastek, Master of the Dead (vampire navigator), intellectual rival-turned-ally.
- Aunt B, bouda matriarch; various Pack members, gods, and villains.
Antagonists range from monstrous gods (Roland, Kate's father) to scheming immortals, providing escalating threats.
Setting of the Kate Daniels Series
The primary setting is a transformed, post-Shift Atlanta, Georgia, reimagined as a battleground between magic and tech. Skyscrapers stand alongside fortified castles; highways host horse-drawn carts during magic waves; the city pulses with ley lines, magical flare-ups, and supernatural territories. Key locations include the shapeshifters' fortified Keep, the People's vampire stables, the Mercenary Guild hall, Kate's office at Cutting Edge Investigations, and various ruined or enchanted sites around the metro area.
The world expands beyond Atlanta in later books—journeys to the Black Sea region, European locales, or remote Georgia wilderness—but Atlanta remains the heart, its diverse neighborhoods reflecting cultural and mythological melting pots. Mythical elements draw from global pantheons (Celtic, Norse, Slavic, Hindu, etc.), manifesting as gods, demigods, and creatures that interact with modern survivors. The fluctuating magic-tech waves add unpredictability: sudden blackouts, monster outbreaks, or tech failures heighten tension and force creative problem-solving.
Tone & Themes of the Kate Daniels Series
The tone is snarky, fast-paced, and fiercely entertaining, with a distinctive mix of dark humor, visceral action, and heartfelt emotion. Kate's first-person narration delivers razor-sharp wit, self-deprecating commentary, and profane inner monologues that lighten even the grimmest moments—think "feral grin" combat glee paired with deadpan one-liners. Battles are brutal and bloody, featuring creative swordplay, magical carnage, and high body counts, but the violence serves the story rather than gratuitous excess. Beneath the sarcasm lies genuine warmth: friendships form slowly but loyally, romance builds with tension and tenderness, and characters grow through vulnerability. The series balances grimdark elements (loss, betrayal, apocalyptic threats) with optimism—Kate and her allies repeatedly defy overwhelming odds through ingenuity, teamwork, and sheer stubbornness. Humor often arises from cultural clashes (shapeshifters' pack politics vs. Kate's independence), absurd situations (fighting gods with sarcasm), and Kate's refusal to take herself too seriously. Overall, it's empowering and addictive: thrilling escapism with emotional payoff, where tough exteriors crack to reveal deep care.
Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series stands as a pinnacle of urban fantasy: a masterful fusion of pulse-pounding action, laugh-out-loud humor, rich mythology, and profound character growth that transforms a lone mercenary into a legend surrounded by love and loyalty. Through Atlanta's magical chaos, Kate's journey—from guarded survivor to fierce protector of her chosen family—delivers thrills, heart, and empowerment. With its addictive voice, clever plotting, and emotional resonance, the series (and its expansive world) remains a must-read for fans of strong heroines and epic stakes. Whether battling gods or building bonds, Kate kicks ass and takes names, proving that even in an apocalypse, family—and a sharp sword—can conquer all.
Books in this series fall into the following genres
People / Creatures
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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