Michael Z. Williamson

Michael Z. Williamson is a distinguished author of military science fiction novels, best known for his Freehold series. Williamson was born in Birkenhead, England, and spent his childhood moving around various cities and towns in England, Canada, and the United States due to his family's relocation. At the age of 18, he joined the USAF, which allowed him to tour different parts of the United States.

Williamson is not only a writer but also an active participant in historical re-enactments, a blacksmith who forges blades, a skydiver, a martial artist, a hiker, and a shooter of guns and arrows. His experiences and hobbies have no doubt contributed to the authenticity and richness of his writing.

Williamson has established himself as a prominent author of military fiction and science fiction, with his works receiving critical acclaim. His debut novel, Freehold, was published in 2004 and is notable for its strong female protagonist. The novel is set in the future, where the United Nations has become a fascist empire. Freehold is the first book in the series, and its success led to the publication of several more books, including The Hero, which Williamson co-wrote with New York Times bestselling author John Ringo. The Hero is set in the same universe as the Legacy of the Aldenata book series. At times, Williamson uses pen names such as Crazy Einer and Mad Mike, adding to his already impressive body of work.
Freehold Books
# Title Year
1 Freehold 2003
2 The Weapon 2005
3 Better to Beg Forgiveness 2007
4 Contact with Chaos 2009
5 Do Unto Others 2010
6 Rogue 2011
7 When Diplomacy Fails 2012
8 Angeleyes 2016
9 Forged in Blood 2017
10 Resistance 2019
11 Defiance 2021
Target: Terror Books
# Title Year
1 The Scope of Justice 2004
2 Targets of Opportunity 2005
3 Confirmed Kill 2005
Exiled Books
# Title Year
1 Clan of the Claw 2011
2 By Tooth and Claw 2015
Temporal Displacement Books
# Title Year
1 A Long Time Until Now 2015
2 That Was Now, This Is Then 2021
Short Stories/Novellas
# Title Year
1 Tick of the Clock 2015
Short Story Collections
# Title Year
1 Tour of Duty 2013
2 Tide of Battle 2018
Non-Fiction Books
# Title Year
1 Wisdom From My Internet 2014
Posleen War Books
# Title Year
1 A Hymn Before Battle 2000
2 Gust Front 2001
3 When the Devil Dances 2002
4 Hell's Faire 2003
5 The Hero 2004
6 Cally's War 2004
7 Watch on the Rhine 2005
8 Sister Time 2007
9 Yellow Eyes 2007
10 Honor of the Clan 2009
11 Eye of the Storm 2009
12 The Tuloriad 2009
Black Tide Rising Books
# Title Year
1 Under a Graveyard Sky 2013
2 To Sail a Darkling Sea 2014
3 Islands of Rage & Hope 2014
4 Strands of Sorrow 2014
5 Black Tide Rising 2016
6 The Valley of Shadows 2018
7 Voices of the Fall 2019
8 River of Night 2019
9 At the End of the World 2020
10 At the End of the Journey 2021
11 We Shall Rise 2021
12 United We Stand 2024
Michael Z. Williamson Anthologies
# Title Year
1 Future Weapons of War 2007
2 The Mammoth Book of SF Wars 2012
3 Rogues in Hell 2012
4 Black Tide Rising 2016
5 The Year's Best Military & Adventure SF Volume 3 2017
6 Fantastic Hope 2020
7 Battle Luna 2020