Jeff Noon is a British novelist, short story writer, and playwright known for his use of wordplay and fantasy. Born in 1957 in Droylsden, Lancashire, England, Noon has been recognized for creating speculative fiction that echoes the works of Lewis Carroll and Jorge Luis Borges. Before moving to Brighton in 2000, he often set his stories in versions of his native city, Manchester.

Noon studied fine art and drama at Manchester University, eventually becoming the writer in residence at the Royal Exchange Theatre in the city. However, he found the realism of theatre restrictive for the fantastical worlds he wished to invent. This led him to write Vurt, considered one of the most innovative sci-fi novels in Britain since the late 1960s. His acclaimed works include the Vurt Series, starting with Vurt (1993), followed by Pollen (1995), Automated Alice (1996), and Nymphomation (1997).