Joseph Edward Abercrombie is a British fantasy writer and film editor. He is the author of The First Law trilogy, as well as other fantasy books set in the same universe and a trilogy of young adult novels. His novel Half a King won the 2015 Locus Award for Best Young Adult Book.

Abercrombie was educated at Lancaster Royal Grammar School and the University of Manchester, where he studied psychology. Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked in television production and as a freelance film editor. He began writing The Blade Itself in 2002, completing it in 2004. It was published by Gollancz in 2006, followed by two other books in The First Law trilogy: Before They Are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings.

In early 2008, Abercrombie was one of the contributors to the BBC's Worlds of Fantasy series, alongside Michael Moorcock, Terry Pratchett, and China Mieville. He currently lives in London with his wife and daughter.