Robert Paul "Tad" Williams is an acclaimed American fantasy and science fiction author, born on March 14, 1957. He is widely recognized for his multivolume series such as Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, Otherland, Shadowmarch, and The Bobby Dollar series. His standalone novels include Tailchaser's Song and The War of the Flowers. His most recent work is The Last King of Osten Ard series, with its concluding novel The Navigator's Children expected to be published in 2024.

Williams has sold over 17 million copies of his works worldwide. In addition to novels, he has contributed to the comic book world, writing a six-issue mini-series for DC Comics titled The Next and issues #50 to #57 of Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis. Other comic projects include Mirrorworld: Rain and The Helmet of Fate: Ibis the Invincible #1 for DC Comics.

Collaborating with his wife Deborah Beale, Williams is working on a young-adult series titled The Ordinary Farm Adventures, which includes The Dragons of Ordinary Farm and The Secrets of Ordinary Farm. The series' third installment, The Heirs of Ordinary Farm, is currently in progress.

Besides his literary accomplishments, Williams has worked alongside Michael Moorcock, contributing stories about Elric of Melniboné in the anthology Cuentos del Lobo Blanco.