Terence Dean Brooks is an American writer of fantasy fiction, born on January 8, 1944. He is renowned for his work in epic fantasy, and he has also penned two movie novelizations. Throughout his distinguished writing career, Brooks has achieved the remarkable feat of having 23 of his books listed as New York Times bestsellers, with over 25 million copies in print.

Brooks was born in Sterling, Illinois, a rural town in the Midwest of the United States, where he spent much of his life. He attended Hamilton College, earning a B.A. in English Literature, and later obtained a J.D. from Washington and Lee University. Before dedicating himself to writing full-time, Brooks practiced law. He currently resides in Seattle, Washington.

His works have gained such popularity that Universal Studios is working on a film adaptation of his book Magic Kingdom for Sale. Additionally, Warner Bros has acquired the rights to adapt his Shannara series, potentially starting with The Elfstones of Shannara.