Mark Chadbourn biography

Critics have praised Mark Chadbourn for the astonishing detail and realism he brings to his novels. The reason: the kind of research most people would go out of their way to avoid. For his first novel Underground, set in an isolated mining community, he worked hundreds of feet beneath the earth, crawling along tunnels barely two feet high, experiencing the same kind of brutal lifestyle as his coal miner characters.

For Nocturne, his second novel set in New Orleans, he spent time in the seedy underbelly of the Crescent City, meeting the criminals, the black magicians, the voodoo practitioners, the members of the secret Krewe societies, and mingled with the next generation's rising jazz stars. For his fourth novel, Scissorman, he viewed an autopsy and spent time among the Boiler Room sharp operators of London's financial district. And for his non-fiction book Testimony, Mark experienced the terrors of a real haunted house...

His current fantasy trilogy, The Age of Misrule (World's End, Darkest Hour and Always Forever) has received acclaim not only for its detail, but also for its academic research. An expert on British Folklore, Mark also studied volumes of research on prehistoric Britain, including the sites of Stonehenge, Avebury and Tintagel, as well as Celtic culture and neolithic life. He spent six months on the road touring Britain, mapping out a detailed path for his characters to follow, including not only famous historical sites, but also industrial estates, pubs, cafes, shopping centres and more. It's possible to use these three volumes as a travel guide to the UK.

All Mark Chadbourn Reviews