Terence Dean "Terry" Brooks, born on January 8, 1944, is an esteemed American writer of fantasy fiction. His portfolio primarily includes epic fantasy, alongside two notable movie novelizations. Throughout his distinguished writing career, he has authored 23 New York Times bestsellers and has seen over 25 million copies of his books in print, establishing him as one of the most successful living fantasy writers.

Brooks was born in Sterling, Illinois, a quintessential Midwestern rural town, where he spent a significant portion of his life. He pursued his education at Hamilton College, earning a B.A. in English Literature, followed by a J.D. from Washington and Lee University. Before dedicating himself full-time to writing, he practiced law. Currently, Brooks resides in Seattle, Washington.

His work has attracted significant attention from the film industry. Universal Studios is currently working on a movie adaptation of his book Magic Kingdom for Sale. Furthermore, Warner Bros has acquired the rights to produce films based on the Shannara series, with potential plans to begin with The Elfstones of Shannara.