Now an established figure in the field of fantasy literature, Guy Gavriel Kay achieved prominence with his acclaimed high-fantasy trilogy The Fionavar Tapestry, consisting of The Summer Tree (1984), The Wandering Fire (1986), and The Darkest Road (1986). Following that success, Kay has carved out a distinctive place in the genre with his subsequent carefully crafted stand-alone novels of "history with a twist," as he calls it. Settings reminiscent of medieval France, Renaissance Italy, and early medieval Spain allow Kay to examine the possibilities of what is, what might have been, and what could be, while challenging the traditional limits of what modern fantasy can do. Kay's novels are characterized by lyrical language and a strong sense of place, influenced by his tendency to research and write while abroad. Although he uses the conventions of fantasy, he is never restricted by them.

Kay was born in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, on 7 November 1954 to...