Derek Prior excels in fast-paced, high stakes epic fantasy adventure stories in which good ultimately triumphs, but always at a cost. Taking familiar fantasy tropes as a point of departure, Prior expands upon them to explore friendship, betrayal, loyalty and heroism in worlds where evil is an ever-present reality, magic is both a curse and a blessing, and characters are tempered in battle.

Born in East Sussex in the south of England, he worked as a mental health nurse in England, Wales, and Western Australia. He has also been an actor, personal trainer, and developmental editor, and is now a full-time writer. He lives in North Carolina, USA.

Journal of Always book of the year 2011 (Sword of the Archon)

Winner of best fantasy novel 2012 (The Nameless Dwarf: The Complete Chronicles)

Fantasy Faction semifinalist for the SPFBO 2018 (Ravine of Blood and Shadow)

The Fantasy Hive quarterfinalist for the SPFBO 2020 (Last of the Exalted)



SABA AWARDS Best Fiction Writer (long list) 2020 (Last of the Exalted)

Also Derek Prior is a singer-songwriter with the band Catfish Ravioli. You can listen to one of the songs below.