Daggerbound

Swordheart #2

by T. Kingfisher

DELUXE EDITION—a beautiful hardcover featuring bright pink sprayed edges, a foil case stamp and endpapers.

New York Times bestselling author T. Kingfisher returns to the charming fantasy world of Swordheart in this delightful and unexpected new romantic adventure.

Learned Edmund, a disillusioned scholar, is transporting yet another precious relic from one stuffy temple to a different stuffy temple. Another great adventure for the ages…

But when Edmund is set upon by bandits, in desperation, he breaks the cardinal rule and grabs for the relic, an ancient sword. To his surprise, instead of unsheathing a rusty, ancient weapon, an alarmingly handsome man appears, wielding daggers of blue steel and cutting the thieves down.

This man is the Dervish, an immortal warrior who’s been trapped for centuries in a sword of enchanted steel, and is angry as hell about it. He hates the curse that put him there, and he wants to hate Edmund, just as he has hated every wielder before him.

But the damned scholar is just so sweet and clever and kind. And while the Dervish may be able to protect Edmund from bandits, cultists, dragons, and strange inhuman diplomats, he may find it much harder to protect his own heart.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Adult, Fiction, Fantasy Romance, Cozy

448 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 25, 2026

About the author

T. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name of Ursula Vernon. In another life, she writes children's books and weird comics, and has won the Hugo, Sequoyah, and Ursa Major awards, as well as a half-dozen Junior Library Guild selections.

This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups.

When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.

Reviews

[Womp Womp]

Miss ma’am I need this IMMEDIATELY. Also on the off chance Kingfisher reads this, you are the sole reason as to why I read romance. Never did until I read Swordheart. Also I love rats, so I fuck with the white rat shit.

[Stella]

New reason to live: Two T. Kingfisher releases in 2026

[Phoe]

Angharad? is that you?

[Book Riot Community]

Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:

Swordheart’s long-awaited sequel follows Sarkis’ queer brother in arms, Dervish, whose soul has been trapped in a blade for hundreds of years. When scholar Learned Edmund finds himself in danger on route to deliver the sword, he draws the blade, discovering the captivating warrior inside. Now Dervish is bound to protect Learned —and without falling in love with him. T. Kingfisher is a cozy romantasy expert with the ability to twist the sword and sorcery subgenre to center older, world-worn protagonists who are getting a chance to be heroes. I could not be more excited. —R. Nassor

[DianaRose]

literally did not know kingfisher was writing a sequel… lowkey she’s like the sanderson of quirky, satirical epic fantasy! she just keeps pumping out amazing reads😭

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans)]

Oh my bloody shrimping hell of the stinking fish, a Swordheart sequel!!!!!!!!!!!!!





· Book 1: Swordheart ★★★★★

[Lance]

SWORDHEART SPIN-OFF AND IT'S M/M ROMANCE??? GIVE IT TO ME NOW!

[jenny reads a lot]

Omg I need it!!!!

[selisona]

LEARNED EDMUND???????? DERVISH?????? I'M SAT AND GLUED TO MY CHAIR FOR A YEAR

[Aya]

Learned Edmund??? What are you doing here???

[Bailey Novinbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would throw myself in front of a moving horse for Large Building Francis

[Cora · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing I like more than sinking fully into a T. Kingfisher novel. Whatever genre it is, her recurring themes of friendship, found family, and self acceptance are like a tonic for my brain, and I am endlessly grateful that she is so prolific.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely delightful. Tender, fun, and several truly laugh out loud lines - perf book to begin 2026!!

[Phoebe]

OH MY GOD I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE. Swordheart kinda ended with some hints of possible books in the future. But it was published so long ago that my dreams of a sequel kinda went to the back of my mind. I saw this and I screamed. YES and with LEARNED EDMUND TOO????? YESSSSSSSS.

[Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Lovely! More meandering and philosophical than expected, but overall I found it to be very satisfying, particularly the romance and the delightful side characters (as I've come to expect from T Kngfisher!)

[Naz]

pre-read:

SWORDHEART BOOK 2?!?! WHAT WHAT WHAT. I can’t wait to pre-order this straight away 😫 (thank you bestie Engy for bringing this to my attention)

[Emily Anne]

This was even better than book 1. I'm very lucky to have received this ARC. I did some reflecting on how charmed a life I lead.

This M/M romantasy takes place in the same T. Kingfisher universe as the Paladin's Grace series. If you're not familiar, it's a bit similar to D & D where there are roles and Gnoles. Paladins, gods, priests, warriors, etc. It's also a little similar to the Lord of the Rings books in that it follows the "Go on a great journey and meet peril and adventure on the way" type formula.

[Librariann · Rating 4 out of 5]

** I received an ARC of this book because I am a librarian and librarians are awesome **

Hello, this was absolutely DELIGHTFUL. Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to deep dive into the rest of the World of the White Rat to start 2026. As soon as my audiobook holds come through.

Note to copy editor: before the final print comes out, please double check the size of Large Francis Building, which is listed as 7 feet in some places and 12 in others.

[Emma Lebek · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO SO GOOD. I feel like I need to take a minute to process then come back to write this review because I loved it so much. I honestly might just need to immediately read it again. Every single part of this story was so excellent and exciting and funny and well thought out. I would have waited 10 years for this and I’m so grateful I didn’t have to. It immediately went to my top 5 favorite books ever.

[⋆ forest ˖]

cover is STUNNING. kingfisher if you let me down again istg

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daggerbound is the sequel to Swordheart, which may be my favorite T. Kingfisher book and possibly one of my favorite books of all time. Daggerbound is the story of formerly Learned Edmund, now just plain Edmund, a former acolyte of the Seven-armed God, a god devoted to knowledge and learning but is also deeply misogynistic. He takes on one last task, which is to deliver some rare books and a non-functional antique sword to Archon’s Glory but after that Edmund plans to never return to the temple. He hopes to find work as a scholar elsewhere because he can no longer be part of a religion that is so deeply flawed. During an unplanned beating, he discovers the non-functional antique sword is the vessel for The Dervish, a warrior who had his soul cursed and bound to the dagger centuries ago. The Dervish is also sworn to protect anyone who draws/wields the blade. The Dervish has suffered at the hands of his past wielders and so he instantly hates Edmund who did nothing wrong and is literally dying at his feet. Their meetcute is Edmund getting the crap kicked out of him by bandits and then The Dervish kills the bandits and then proceeds to sit around for several days waiting for Edmund to die and arguing with himself. Luckily The Dervish has a change of heart and decides to travel with Edmund because they have a common goal and also b/c Edmund really is a kind person and wants to help The Dervish.

And so the two unlikely travelers head to Archon’s Glory encountering yet more bandits, a gnole (a badger like creature) named Dog Violet, and the best side character ever created— Large Francis Building (I’m not going to spoil the story with details about Francis.) During this journey Edmund and Dervish learn about each other and overcome some of their traumatic backstories and fall in love.

I thought Daggerbound was truly excellent but I am biased. I really liked the character development and how you could see their motivations and the slow burn between Edmund and Dervish. There is a lot of yearning. And then being in denial about it. The banter and the humor in the book is classic T Kingfisher. I love her sense of humor. (Please be my best friend T Kingfisher, I think we would get along. I apologise for being creepy but not for thinking we would get along). It’s not a dark and gritty book although some terrible things happen in the book but the overall pace and tone are a little milder. Some have described the books as cozy fantasy and I’m not sure it’s opening a fantasy tea shop cozy, but it is a relatively non stressful read.

While I don’t think you NEED to read Swordheart before Daggerbound (or Clockwork Boys or Wonder Engines) you will lose a lot of the character development and relationships and story that are the foundation of Daggerbound. For example if you don’t know how HORRIBLE Learned Edmund was as a pretentious misogynist volcel (voluntary celibite, not a real word but it describes him) in Clockwork Boys you can’t really appreciate how much he changed in nine years. He’s just a regular nice guy fleeing a cult now. And you understand Dervish more if you read Swordheart and learn about Sarkis (his former commander) and what happened in their past. While I think Daggerbound can still stand alone, it really shines if you have the background knowledge of the prior books. While I loved seeing so many characters from earlier books, I could see how a reader new to the World of the White Rat might get confused. I feel like aside from Clockwork Boys and Wonder Engine most of her books stand alone pretty well, except for this one. (CB and WE are basically one giant book split into two books because it’s unreasonable to lug around a 1200 page book) I can’t wait to read Angharad’s story now. I wonder if her story will also be a queer one or if she will find a male wielder?

Ok, random ending thots. The Dervish is a cool name but like, it feels weird to just call him Dervish and you can’t really nickname that. It’s like T Kingfisher. It sounds weird to just call her Kingfisher and I can’t call her T so it’s like one of those people who you always need to call them by their first and last name.

5 out of 5 stars (realistically if you haven’t read Swordheart 4 out of 5 but just go read Swordheart because it’s great and it’s MY rating system so it’s 5/5).

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC.

Reviewed on GoodReads.
Posted March 3, 2026

[Machaia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bless Netgalley for letting me get my hot little hands on this early. I've been living in the World of the White Rat for the last three months as I read through everything currently published culminating with this absolutely lovely story, and I'm going to miss it immensely because it's a lovely place to live. I read this immediately after finishing The Wonder Engine, and I would highly recommend that reading order because I fell in love with naive, whip-smart, 19-year-old Learned Edmund who grew so much over the course of that duology, and what a treat it was to then get to spend time with him as the wonderful man he blossomed into. I can enjoy a morally gray character or someone who flirts with the dark side, but wow what an absolute joy and breath of fresh air it was to read about someone who is so genuinely kind and altruistic and who learns and grows from his mistakes. And the Dervish was charming and funny, and I absolutely bought their love story. I've read a lot of romances where I believe the main couple absolutely have fallen in lust, but the best romances are when you believe that they have fallen for that person for their mind and heart and all of who they are and this book hit that perfectly. And that's not even to mention our fantastic and hilarious cast of characters of Large Francis (truly one of my favorite side characters ever), Dog Violet, Greathoof, Sweetness and some others I won't name for fear of spoilers. As to why this isn't rated five stars I have to do a couple of spoilers for that so...

SPOILERS AHEAD! READERS BEWARE!

I didn't believe it when Edmund and the Dervish said they loved each other - it just felt too soon. I believed without a doubt that they cared about each other deeply and it would grow into love, but I just don't believe true love can fully form in the span of a few weeks. Furthermore, I would have killed for a Slate/Caliban cameo. Maybe it would have hurt the flow of the stories, but it warmed my heart every time Edmund mentioned them, and dang was I sad when I got to the end and we didn't get to check in with them at all.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is everything T. Kingfisher/White Rat fans could want. Zale is present, as well as a delightful new gnole, a cantankerous mule, and a previously unknown sentient species making contact with the outer world because they need more books (completely relatable).

I recommend reading/re-reading The Clockwork Boys and Wonder Engine for important background on Learned Edmund and the World of the White Rat 🐁 It wouldn't hurt to read all the books, but those two especially. Many of our favorite knights make cameo appearances here.

Learned Edmund has grown to be earnest, dedicated, and kind, with integrity that forces him into difficult situations. Can't fight worth a damn, but he's got The Dervish for that. (Eventually.)

The Dervish has had a rough life, both before and after going into the sword. He's funny as hell—”'Wait, do willows lose their leaves in winter? Crap. So if it doesn’t have leaves, it could be a willow, and I’d never know. Forests are stupid.' Having thus judged an entire biome and found it wanting, the Dervish huddled by the fire and did something that was absolutely not sulking.” It's so lovely when he begins to put together his found family—"What strange alchemy was it, that changed 'I am forced to guard this one person' to 'these people are mine and I must protect them?'"
“'Yes, but . . .' Edmund bit his lower lip. 'I know it was a disaster last time. I just don’t want you to get hurt again.' The amazing thing, the Dervish thought, was that he just said it. Like it was a perfectly reasonable thing to say, and not at all like hitting the Dervish in the back of the head with a large brick."

Y'all are in for a good time.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the e-ARC. I'm looking forward to the audiobook, and I've already ordered my deluxe edition.

[Andrea Bearman · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I want to express my thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this latest book by T Kingfisher.

Second, I will never know what a huckle is exactly, but I do know what myrmecochory means. Thanks to Learned Edmund. Still with me? Good.

I loved Swordheart when I read it, a loose predecessor to this book. And when I saw this cover, this author, and the title, I could only hope this was the same universe and another story about someone trapped in a weapon. I know that's not particularly catchy, but I love these stories. The character grows, the culture (if you will) is interesting and weird. I could endlessly marinate in T Kingfishers fantasy stories.

Here's what I love about this book:
1. There's unique characters, with their own unique speaking patterns that I find fascinating and also their jokes hit different. It's fantastic.
2. I love the main character, Edmund. He's a hard-core nerd and that hits me true like a fellow nerd and bibliophile.
3. I love that Halla and Sarkis came back, and the White Rat, because they are so fun and Halla seriously has a super power that I just LOVE.
4. The love story is simple but damn, I just loved it. But I love love in all the forms.
5. Finally, I love love Dog Violet. You will just have to read it and see why I love Dog Violet for yourself.

Check this book out if you like fantasy, banter, and if you need more from the Swordheart universe like I did. (OH and if you want to learn lots of new words. 😉)

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay. Let’s be honest.
When T. Kingfisher announces a return to the world of Swordheart, I don’t even read the synopsis properly. I just clear my schedule and prepare to fall in love.

And yes — it happened again.

This story follows Learned Edmund, who might be one of my favorite types of Kingfisher heroes: exhausted, intelligent, slightly awkward, and deeply, painfully decent. He’s transporting a sacred relic (from one suffocating temple to another — thrilling life, truly), when bandits attack and he does the one thing you’re absolutely not supposed to do.

He grabs the sword.

Instead of pulling out an old blade, he accidentally summons an immortal warrior who has been trapped inside enchanted steel for centuries.

The Dervish.

Angry. Lethal. Traumatized. Extremely done with humanity.

And understandably so.

What I loved immediately is that this isn’t some flashy, dramatic alpha-warrior-meets-helpless-scholar situation. Edmund is soft, yes — but not weak. He’s thoughtful. Curious. Ethical to a fault. The kind of man who worries about proper procedure while chaos is exploding around him. And the Dervish, who fully intends to resent his new wielder, finds himself deeply inconvenienced by the fact that Edmund is… kind.

Their dynamic is everything.

The slow burn here is slow in the best way. It’s awkward glances, reluctant conversations, small acts of protection, moments of vulnerability that sneak up on you. No forced destiny. No biological bond nonsense. Just two men gradually realizing they see each other. And choosing each other.

That choice matters.

The Dervish carries centuries of rage and damage. Edmund carries disappointment, disillusionment, and a quiet sadness about the direction of his life. Watching them navigate danger — bandits, strange political tension, creatures that absolutely should not exist — while also navigating their own emotional walls felt so organic.

And the humor. My God.

Kingfisher has this unmatched ability to slide something dry and absurd into the middle of tension and make you laugh out loud — then two pages later, you’re unexpectedly emotional. It’s not cozy exactly, but it has warmth. Even when things get messy, there’s heart beating underneath it.

Also — I love that her romances feel adult. These are grown people with complicated pasts and fully developed frontal lobes. They communicate. They hesitate for real reasons. They don’t implode over manufactured misunderstandings. The love story builds because it makes sense, not because the plot demands it.

By the end, I felt that very specific happiness I only get from her books — like I’ve been on an adventure, laughed more than I expected, and somehow had my heart handled gently at the same time.

This is romantasy the way I want it written: smart, character-driven, emotionally grounded, and just a little bit weird.

A very huge thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group | Bramble for sharing this addictive fantasy novel from my favorite auto-approved author, T. Kingfisher, with me in exchange for my honest feedback. I’ll happily return to this world anytime she lets us.

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[Collin Stiglbauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to both Tor and NetGalley for the ARC!

The sequel to Swordheart not only provides us with another trip back into the World of the White Rat, but it gives us a chance to visit characters we haven't seen since the Clocktaur War series! No-Longer-Learned Edmund is ready for a road trip with his very own traumatized sword-bound friend, with plenty of jokes, sexual tension, and good old fashioned yearning to go around.

This book featured cameos from many characters from previous stories, and seems to require a bit more knowledge of the setting than some of those works, many of which could have been standalones. While I always enjoy the chance to see characters pop up again, and get the occasional crossover, it could definitely be frustrating if you haven't read the seven books needed to understand all the references.

My one complaint is that many of the problems encountered on the group's journey seem to have little connection to the greater story, and problems are often solved faster/more neatly than necessary, often before the reader even begins to get concerned about the problem.

It still has all the hallmarks of a great T. Kingfisher book, however, and I definitely recommend it, and look forward to the next in the series!

[Kate Hyde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much anticipated, and did not disappoint.
If I'm being honest, T. Kingfisher could write intricate instructions for the use of any technical appliance, and I would read them avidly. It's in the way she tells it, folks.
So, while Daggerbound is a cosy, queer, fantasy romance, and thus not entirely my bag, I willingly suspend all my normal literary snobbery to worship at her altar.
We return to a previous character, the Learned Edmund, who has improved drastically, and his discovery of the second sword-bound victim. Kingfisher gives us a fine and immersive account of their adventures, in her usual charming and amusing fashion (with the odd bit of philosophy thrown in), and YES, there are gnoles (one of the best fictional inventions ever), and even better, the introduction of the wonderful Large Francis Building (a sentient bug).
Life is tough, and the winters long, but T. Kingfisher, her characters, and her beautiful, wacky, charming (yes, I said that twice) style, are at least one reason to keep going.
Thank you so much to Edelweiss for the ARC and, of course, to the author, for another addition to her brilliant world of the White Rat.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohhhh my heart!!! 🥹🫶🏻💜
What a delight it is to return to the World of the White Rat after all these years!!!! 🥹

Swordheart is one of my all time favorite books, so it will surprise absolutely no one that I’ve been waiting for this one the way you wait for your birthday!!!

And it DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!!!

T. Kingfisher never disappoints, she delivers 100% of the time!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for this book, and for the vulnerability, tenderness, bravery and love it represents.

This is the story of the scholar Edmund and the mercenary The Dervish, a friend in arms of Sarkis, the mmc of Swordheart.
It was so beautiful to learn their story and watch their love grow!!!

As always, it wouldn’t be a true T. Kingfisher book without an incredible cast of side characters!
Some familiar, some new, but I have to be honest: my favorite was Dog Violet, the gnole! How I LOVE gnoles!!!!!! 💖💖💖

This book was EVERYTHING! I waited years for it and it exceeded all my expectations!

HUGEEEEE thanks to Edelweiss and Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!!!!

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Tor via NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

A fun-filled and cozy follow-up to Swordheart. Learned Edmund has become one of T. Kingfisher's most endearing characters, and his chemistry with the Dervish is adorable and hilarious. I loved the emotional journey they both went on in this book to accept each other and, in turn, fall in love with one another. The case of side characters were wonderful - Dog Violet the gnole, Sweetheart the mule, and Large Francis the strange talking huge pillbug, were so wonderfully odd. Each character in this strange little gang brought something fresh to the table.

As with all T. Kingfisher's romances, the love story between the two main characters is built on a foundation of mutual admiration and respect. Edmund and the Dervish, despite their many differences, have a deep love for another. I just with there was more of their romance in the book, and more time spent together. The last third of the book they were mostly apart, with the Dervish getting the new (and old!) cast of characters together to save Edmund.

[Tala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Tor Publishing Group and Bramble for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
When I first read it, Swordheart moved into my soul and reignited my love of fantasy. To say I enjoyed it is a vast understatement, and it is difficult for me to express how I felt when I found out there would be a follow-up book.
This is a perfect sequel: solidly set in the World of the White Rat, with familiar characters and history, but with a sweet, exciting story that is entirely its own. It is full of nods to Swordheart and the Clocktaur Wars without requiring you to be familiar with them to enjoy the ride.
It has all the wonderful elements of Kingfisher's fantasy stories: surprising humor, endearing characters, and a delightful world. T Kingfisher always shines brightest at writing characters - everyone is a believable individual, with their own internal lives and motivations - and this book is no exception. She even manages to make the addition of a giant bug not out of place.