Mark Lawrence biography

Mark Lawrence works as a novelist and a research scientist in the field of artificial intelligence. He has held secret level clearance with both US and UK governments.

Lawrence’s first work, Prince of Thorns, was published by Ace / Voyager in August 2011 and was a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Award for "Best Fantasy 2011", a David Gemmell Morningstar Award Finalist in 2012 and short listed for the Prix Imaginales in 2013. His second book, King of Thorns was published by Ace / Voyager in August 2012 and was again a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Award for "Best Fantasy 2012." King of Thorns was also one of Barnes & Noble's "Best Fantasy Releases of 2012" and a David Gemmell Legend Award Finalist in 2013. The final book in the Broken Empire trilogy, Emperor of Thorns, was published by Ace / Voyager in August 2013. Sales in the first week got the book positioned on the Sunday Times Bestseller list. It also made the final of the Goodreads Choice Award (2013) and won the David Gemmell Legend Award (2014).

His work is currently translated into 20 languages.

"I was inspired to start typing Prince of Thorns by memories of Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange. Jorg is 14 for all but the first day or two of the book, and that was around the age I recalled Burgess’ protagonist (actually he was 15 as it turns out). Burgess’ book certainly was a commentary on modern society, although set at some small remove into the future. Mine really isn’t. If pushed to explain what’s going on underneath the story, what the deeper themes are, then I’d have to go with anger, hurt, and those curious years where what we are starts to crystallise out of the chaotic murk of being young. Burgess held a mirror up to society, but also to the experience of youth, of how good and evil dance around depending on where you look from, and to the business of choices, guilt, and responsibility. If there’s any depth to Prince of Thorns then it’s those latter issues that are swimming in it – the ones concerning what being human is all about."
Mark Lawrence, when we interviewed him in 2011

... for The Broken Kingdom trilogy ...

"Dark and relentless, Prince of Thorns will pull you under and drown you in story. A two-in-the-morning page turner. Absolutely stunning… jaw-dropping" Robin Hobb

"Excellent – on a par with George R.R. Martin" Conn Iggulden

"Lawrence’s poetic prose is amazing, far and away the best of the modern fantasy authors" Peter V. Brett

"A hard-edged tale of survival and conquest in a brutal medieval world, well told and very compelling" Terry Brooks

November 25th 2011 interview with Mark Lawrence

Earlier this year, debut author Mark Lawrence brought us a gripping new fantasy tale in the form of Prince of Thorns. Dark, detailed and thoroughly engrossing, Lawrence's penchant for [...]

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January 4th 2019 interview with Mark Lawrence

Interview by Timy Takacs and James TivendaleWhat is your favorite fantasy creature and why?I’m far f [...]

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All Mark Lawrence Reviews