John Gwynne

John Gwynne is a British author, best known for his epic fantasy novels. Born in Singapore while his father was stationed with the RAF, Gwynne had a nomadic childhood, moving every few years. As an adult, he held a variety of jobs, including packing soap at a factory, waitering at a French restaurant in Canada, playing double bass in a rock band, and lecturing at Brighton University. It was during his time at the university that Gwynne's life took a significant turn. His daughter's disability required him to quit his job and stay at home, where he and his wife began restoring vintage furniture. This new career path was not Gwynne's passion, however, and he found solace in the stories of his favorite authors, J.R.R. Tolkien, Bernard Cornwell, and G.R.R. Martin. Inspired, Gwynne began writing down the tales that came to him, never imagining that he would become a published author.

Gwynne's debut novel, Malice, was published in 2012 by Pan Macmillan and went on to win the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Fantasy Debut of 2012. The following three books in the series, Valour, Ruin, and Wrath, were all shortlisted for the David Gemmell Legend Award for Best Fantasy Novels of 2014, 2015, and 2016. Gwynne's second series, of Blood and Bone, is set in the same world as The Faithful and the Fallen and has also been well-received by fans and critics alike. His latest book, The Shadow of the Gods, book 1 of the Bloodsworn Saga, will be published in May 2021 and is inspired by Norse mythology, Beowulf, and Ragnarök. Gwynne is represented by Julie Crisp and currently lives with his wife and four children in East Sussex. When he's not writing, Gwynne enjoys Viking reenactment with his three sons, who share his passion for swords and axes. He is also an animal lover, and currently has three dogs, a horse, and a lamb who thinks she's a dog.