R. Scott Bakker, born Richard Scott Bakker on February 2, 1967, is a Canadian fantasy author. He grew up on a tobacco farm in the Simcoe area. Bakker is best known for his series informally known as The Second Apocalypse, which he began developing while in college during the 1980s. The series was initially planned as a trilogy, comprising The Prince of Nothing and The Aspect-Emperor.

However, when Bakker began writing the series in the early 2000s, he found it necessary to split each novel into its own sub-series to incorporate all the characters, themes, and ideas he wished to explore. Bakker originally conceived seven books: a trilogy and two duologies. This later evolved into two trilogies, with the possibility of a third series.