Andrzej Sapkowski is a Polish fantasy writer born on 21 June 1948. He is renowned for his series of books, The Witcher, which revolves around the monster-hunter, Geralt of Rivia. This saga has been adapted into television, stage productions, comic books, video games, and translated into 37 languages, making Sapkowski the second most-translated Polish science fiction and fantasy writer after Stanisław Lem.

Often described as the "Polish Tolkien," Sapkowski's works are characterized by the influence of Slavic mythology. His writing includes multiple novels and short story collections, selling over 30 million copies worldwide. He has received numerous awards, including the Zajdel Award five times, along with the David Gemmell Award, World Fantasy Life Achievement Award, and the Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture.

Sapkowski studied economics and worked as a senior sales representative for a foreign trade company before turning to writing. His first short story, The Witcher ("Wiedźmin" in Polish), was published in the magazine Fantastyka in 1986 and achieved significant success with both public and critics. His extensive work in The Witcher universe includes three collections of short stories and five novels, cementing his status as one of Poland's most notable fantasy authors during the 1990s.