Usborne bags Namina Forna’s fantasy duology acquired for six figures in the US

Usborne has acquired Iron Sworn, a fantasy duology by the author of The Gilded Ones (Usborne, 2021), Namina Forna.

Described as Black Panther meets Crazy Rich Asians, Iron Sworn follows Juniper Skye, a foster kid from Atlanta, Georgia, who discovers she is from a ridiculously rich African family who also happen to fight monsters.

Becky Walker, senior commissioning editor, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in a two-book deal with Jodi Reamer and Aless Birch of Writers House. Iron Sworn will be published in summer 2027, simultaneously with Random House US, who acquired the duology in a six-figure deal at auction.

Walker said: “Iron Sworn is the perfect match of Namina’s trademark breathtaking world-building, unbelievable action and, in Juniper, an unforgettable heroine for the ages, all set against the thrumming brilliance of magic, monsters and myth. Having blown readers away with her bestselling The Gilded Ones trilogy, Namina cements her place as a trailblazer in YA fantasy with Iron Sworn. We know that this new duology is set to take the world by storm and we couldn’t be prouder to be publishing it in the UK on Usborne’s award-winning bestselling YA list.”

Forna said: “I’m so excited to bring Iron Sworn to the world. This is the book of my joy. The book that I wrote because I wanted to see a little Black girl from Georgia who got everything – the money, the love interests and the magic. I hope everyone loves it as much as I do.”