Toby Venables

Toby Venables is a novelist, screenwriter, and lecturer in Film Studies at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. His debut novel, "The Viking Dead," blends historical fiction, zombie horror, and science fiction, earning praise for its inventive mashup of genres. He is also the author of the "Hunter of Sherwood" trilogy, which reimagines the Robin Hood legend with Guy of Gisburne as the protagonist. The series' first installment, "Knight of Shadows," received favorable comparisons to the works of Bernard Cornwell.

Before turning to fiction, Venables worked as a journalist and magazine editor, launching publications in several UK cities. His creative background includes crafting an elaborate Halloween hoax featuring a fabricated werewolf, as well as winning the Keats-Shelley Memorial Prize in 2001. Influenced by classic Universal horror films, the comic "2000 AD," and the epic poem "Beowulf," his writing often explores dark, action-packed themes with a historical twist.

Venables continues to balance his academic career with writing, maintaining a distinctive voice that merges historical depth with genre-bending storytelling. His works demonstrate a penchant for reinventing familiar narratives while delivering visceral entertainment.