Wynne

A prolific British fantasy author known for whimsical yet profound stories spanning children's and adult literature.

Diana Wynne Jones (16 August 1934 – 26 March 2011) was a British writer of fantasy novels for children and adults who also wrote a small amount of non-fiction. Her career spanned decades, producing standalone classics like 'The Ogre Downstairs' and complex series such as the Chrestomanci books. She received numerous accolades throughout her life, including Carnegie Medal commendations for 'Dogsbody', 'Charmed Life', and 'The Lives of Christopher Chant'. Her work often blended humor with deep magical systems, earning her nominations for major awards like the British Fantasy Award for 'A Sudden Wild Magic' and the Mythopoeic Awards. Even after her death in 2011, her legacy continued through posthumous publications like 'The Islands of Chaldea', completed by her sister Ursula Jones.

Quick Facts

Born: 16 August 1934
Died: 26 March 2011
Nationality: British
Primary genre: Fantasy

Lore & Background

Jones created several distinct magical universes that often interconnect. The Chrestomanci series, featuring six novels and four short stories, centers on a powerful enchanter with nine lives; the recommended reading order starts with 'Charmed Life' (1977) followed by 'The Lives of Christopher Chant' (1988). Her Dalemark Quartet includes 'Cart and Cwidder', 'Drowned Ammet', 'The Spellcoats', and 'Crown of Dalemark' (1993), which won the Mythopoeic Award. The 'Howl's Moving Castle' series comprises three novels: 'Howl's Moving Castle' (1986), 'Castle in the Air' (1990), and 'House of Many Ways' (2008). She also wrote the Magids series, beginning with the adult novel 'Deep Secret' (1997) and continuing with 'The Merlin Conspiracy' (2003). Some works, like 'The Islands of Chaldea', remained unfinished at her death in 2011.

Reader's Guide

Jones's bibliography is vast, categorized into adult fiction like 'Changeover' (reissued in 2004 with a new introduction) and children's series. The Chrestomanci novels were later republished as the three-volume 'Chronicles of Chrestomanci' between 2001 and 2008. For younger readers, she wrote picture books such as 'Who Got Rid of Angus Flint?' (1978) and edited anthologies like 'Hidden Turnings' (1989), which included stories by Terry Pratchett and Tanith Lee. Her e-book collections, released in 2015, include the 'Fantastical Journeys Collection' and 'Magic and Myths Collection'. Awards recognized her work repeatedly: 'Archer's Goon' was a World Fantasy Award nominee, while 'Fire and Hemlock' (1984) became a Mythopoeic finalist.

Did You Know?

Her novel 'A Sudden Wild Magic' (1992) was nominated for a British Fantasy Award.
The short story collection 'Unexpected Magic: Collected Stories' contains 16 stories published between 1978 and 2003.
'Dogsbody' (1975) received a Carnegie Medal commendation, as did 'Charmed Life' and 'The Lives of Christopher Chant'.