"We tell lies when we are afraid... afraid of what we don't know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger." -- Tad Williams
Robert Paul "Tad" Williams (born March 14, 1957, San Jose, California) is the author of several fantasy and science fiction novels, including Tailchaser's Song, the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series, the Otherland series, and The War of the Flowers.
Williams is currently writing the Shadowmarch series, the first volume of which was published in November 2004. The second volume, Shadowplay, was published in March 2007. The third volume, Shadowrise, was published in March 2010, and a fourth and final volume, "Shadowheart" will conclude the series.
In July 2006, Williams started publishing a new six issue comic mini-series called The Next through DC Comics. A second series for DC Comics called The Factory is currently in planning stages.In addition, Tad wrote Sword of Atlantis for DC Comics starting with issue #50, a project which began in March 2007 and ended with issue #57.
Tad Williams is also currently working on a series of young-adult books co-written with his wife Deborah Beale called Ordinary Farm. The first volume, The Dragons of Ordinary Farm was published in June 2009 and a second book, The Secrets of Ordinary Farm is expected June 2011. Three more volumes are planned.
"A well-aimed spear is worth three.""Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself inside your own head. You'll find what you need to furnish it - memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey."
Book 3 - Shadowrise (Hardcover, 2010, Trade Paperback 2010).
Book 4 - Shadowheart (Hardcover, forthcoming in November, 2010).
Similar to the Otherland series that was initially intended to be a trilogy but became a 'quadrilogy' instead, Book 3 became so lengthy that it was not possible to be published in one volume.
Ordinary Farm series
Young-adult, written with Deborah Beale (his wife)
Book 1 - The Dragons of Ordinary Farm (Hardcover, June 2009)
Book 2 - A Witch at Ordinary Farm (currently in progress, to be published in 2010)
Book 3 - (forthcoming)
Book 4 - (forthcoming)
Book 5 - (forthcoming)
The Bobby Dollar Books
Noir fantasy thrillers
Book 1 - Sleeping Late on Judgement Day (forthcoming)
Book 2 - Happy Hour in Hell (forthcoming)
Book 3 - Angels Rush In (forthcoming)
Standalone Novels
Tailchaser's Song (Hardcover 1985, Paperback 1986)
Child of an Ancient City (Paperback 1992, written with Nina Kiriki Hoffman)
Caliban's Hour (Hardcover 1994)
The War of the Flowers (Hardcover 2003, Paperback 2004)
Collections
Short Work (Hardcover, 2006) Subterranean Press. Published in January 2007.
Short Work (Trade Paperback, May 2008) Subterranean Press/Far Territories. Reprint of the limited hc edition without the non-fiction pieces. The reprint only contains the short stories.
Comic Books
Tad Williams' Mirrorworld 2 issues. Series was cancelled after two issues because the publisher went out of business.
The Next 6 issue mini-series published by DC Comics. Published between July and December 2006.
Sword of Atlantis published by DC Comics. Williams replaced writer Kurt Busiek with issue #50 in March 2007. His run lasted till issue #57 when the comic was cancelled.
The Helmet of Fate; Ibis the Invincible, 2007 one-shot for DC.