R. J. Barker
R. J. Barker | |
|---|---|
| Born | Leeds, England |
| Occupation | Author |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Notable works |
|
| Website | |
| www | |
R. J. Barker (or, RJ Barker) is a British author of fantasy literature. He is best known for his Wounded Kingdom trilogy and the Tide Child trilogy.
Career
Barker is from Leeds, England. He played in a band for many years before realizing he "was never a very good musician", after which he turned to literature.[1]
Barker served as a judge for the 2018 James White Award.[2]
In 2021, Barker sold a new fantasy series the Forsaken trilogy to Orbit Books.[3]
Personal life
Barker has Crohn's disease. He has used his personal experiences to explore the presentation of disabled characters in fantasy literature.[4]
Reception and awards
| Year | Work | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Age of Assassins | British Fantasy Award | Best Novel | Shortlisted | [5] |
| Best Newcomer | Shortlisted | [5] | |||
| Morningstar Award | Best Fantasy Newcomer | Finalist | [6] | ||
| 2020 | The Bone Ships | British Fantasy Award | Best Novel | Won | [7] |
| 2024 | Gods of the Wyrdwood | RUSA CODES Reading List | Fantasy | Won | [8] |
Bibliography
Wounded Kingdom trilogy
- Age of Assassins (2017)
- Blood of Assassins (2018)
- King of Assassins (2018)
- The Bone Ships (2019)
- Call of the Bone Ships (2020)
- The Bone Ship's Wake (2021)
Forsaken trilogy
- Gods of the Wyrdwood (2023)
- Warlords of the Wyrdwood (2024)
References
- ^ Timy (27 Feb 2020). "Interview with RJ Barker". Queen's Book Asylum. Retrieved 7 Aug 2022.
- ^ "2018 James White Award shortlist". Locus. 20 Jul 2018. Retrieved 7 Aug 2022.
- ^ "RJ Barker's Forsaken Trilogy goes to Orbit". Johnson & Alcock. 2 May 2021. Retrieved 8 Aug 2022.
- ^ R.J. Barker (28 Nov 2017). "Disabling Stereotypes". Medium. Retrieved 7 Aug 2022.
- ^ a b "2018 British Fantasy Awards Winners". Locus. 22 Oct 2018. Retrieved 7 Aug 2022.
- ^ "2018 Gemmell Awards Winners". Locus. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 7 Aug 2022.
- ^ "2020 British Fantasy Awards Winners". Locus. 22 Feb 2021. Retrieved 7 Aug 2022.
- ^ "The Reading List". RUSA Update. Retrieved 6 Aug 2025.