Mark Chadbourn

Mark Chadbourn is an English fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction, and horror author with more than a dozen novels (and one non-fiction book) published around the world. Born in the English Midlands from a long line of coal miners. he gained a degree in Economic History and went on to become a journalist, working for some of Britain's leading newspapers and magazines including The Times, The Independent, and Marie Claire. His writing career began in 1990 when his first published short story Six Dead Boys in a Very Dark World won Fear magazine's Best New Author award. It attracted the attention of agents and publishers. Six of his novels have been shortlisted for the British Fantasy Society's August Derleth Award for Best Novel, and he has won the British Fantasy Award twice, for his novella The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke (2003), and for his short story "Whisper Lane" (2007). His novel Jack of Ravens was published in the UK on 20 July 2006. It is the first in a new sequence called Kingdom of the Serpent. The second book, The Burning Man, was published in April 2008. The final book in the trilogy, Destroyer of Worlds, has been published in July 2009. The earlier books include two series, The Age of Misrule and The Dark Age. Mark has been described as 'a contemporary bard – a post-industrial Taliesin whose visionary novels are crammed with remixed mythologies, oneiric set pieces, potent symbols, unsettling imagery and an engaging fusion of genre elements. The author's ambition is sustained by his invention: his work is distinguished by breakneck but brilliantly controlled plots, meticulous research, deft characterisation and a crisp, accessible prose style.' He also writes historical novels under the pseudonym "James Wilde". He announced on Twitter that his novel Pendragon was shortlisted for Best Published Novel in the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Award, the result to be announced in September 2018. Chadbourn was a runner-up. But a year later the best-selling adventure writer Wilbur Smith, who established the award, contacted Chadbourn and asked if he would like to collaborate on a novel, as mentioned on both authors' websites. The result, The New Kingdom, is a historical fantasy set in Ancient Egypt and will be published in September 2021. In addition to his novels he also is a scriptwriter for the BBC drama Doctors. In 2014, he announced on his website that his contemporary thriller TV series Shadow State had been optioned by Clerkenwell Films.