Gateshead-based Dr Simon Morden trained as a planetary geologist, realised he was never going to get into space, and decided to write about it instead. He is the author of eight novels and novellas, two short story collections, was shortlisted for a World Fantasy Award, the Catalyst Award, and won the Philip K Dick Award in 2011 for the original Petrovitch trilogy, of which there is now a fourth book.
2014 saw the publication of Arcanum, a massive (and epic) alternate-history fantasy, which not only has flaming letters on the cover, but the story inside is “enthralling”, “intelligent”, “impeccably rendered” (Kirkus), and “engrossing”, “satisfying” and “leaving the reader craving for more” (Publishers’ Weekly). 2016 sees the start of the Books of Down, published by Gollancz.