Guy Gavriel Kay is a Canadian author renowned for his fantasy fiction. Born on November 7, 1954, Kay's body of work predominantly takes place in fictional settings that parallel real-world locations and historical periods. Notable examples include realms reminiscent of Constantinople during the reign of Justinian I and Spain during the era of El Cid. Despite being marketed as historical fantasy, Kay prefers to avoid strict genre categorization for his novels. As of 2022, he has published 15 novels and a book of poetry, with his works being translated into at least 22 languages. In addition to his literary career, Kay is a qualified lawyer in Canada.