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Clare, Cassandra

Pseudonym of Iranian-born author Judith Rumelt (1973-    ), in the US from an early age, who signed as Cassandra Claire for early fan fiction; she began to publish work of genre interest with "The Girl's Guide to Defeating the Dark Lord" in Turn the Other Chick (anth 2004) edited by Esther Friesner, but soon focused on longer book-length titles. She is best-known for two linked series of Young Adult Urban Fantasies (see The Encyclopedia of Fantasy under links below); the second of these – the Infernal Devices series comprising Clockwork Angel (2010), Clockwork Prince (2011) and Clockwork Princess (2013) – precedes in terms of internal chronology the Mortal Instruments series, comprising City of Bones (2007), City of Ashes (2008), City of Glass (2009), City of Fallen Angels (2011), City of Lost Souls (2012) and The Shadowhunter's Codex (2013), the first five variously assembled as boxed sets. Set in nineteenth century London, and interwoven with Steampunk motifs that modestly evoke sf, Infernal Devices provides backstory explaining the origin of the cadre of teenagers known as Shadowhunters, who defend the planet against supernatural creatures including Vampires. Mortal Instruments, which is set in contemporary New York, continues the long story, with a strong admixture of romance. [JC]

Judith Rumelt

born Teheran, Iran: 27 July 1973

works

series

Mortal Instruments

Infernal Devices

Dark Artifices

The Eldest Curses

The Last Hours

The Chronicles of Castellane

links

Entry from The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (2011-current) edited by John Clute and David Langford.
Accessed 21:37 pm on 11 November 2025.
<https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/clare_cassandra>