After finishing the "Monarchies" series, Kearney embarked on a new series, "The Sea Beggars", which began with "The Mark of Ran" (2004) and tells the story of Rol Cortishane. It is based almost entirely around ocean-based adventures. A second volume, "This Forsaken Earth", was published in July 2006. The series was expected to be four books long and the third had nearly been completed when the series was unexpectedly dropped by Bantam in May 2007. However, Kearney was quickly signed-up by publisher Solaris Books, who contracted him to write a new fantasy epic entitled "The Ten Thousand" and based loosely on the Anabasis of Xenophon. This book was published in August 2008. Solaris also re-issued the "Monarchies of God" series as a two-volume omnibus edition and intends to publish the finished "Sea Beggars" series as soon as Bantam give up the publishing rights. Kearney has also written a tie-in novel based on the "Primeval" TV series.