Richard A. Knaak
Author of Dragonlance, Dragonrealm, Diablo, and Warcraft novels
Richard Allen Knaak (born May 28, 1961) is an author of Dragonlance novels, Dragonrealm, six novels for Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo series, and ten works in the Warcraft universe. He has also written five non-series fantasy books.
Quick Facts
- Profession
- Fantasy novelist
- Best known for
- Dark Elf series (Forgotten Realms)
- Other notable series
- Draconis; Warhammer fantasy novels
- Planescape connection
- Contributor to D&D; Planescape shared-world fiction
- Active period
- 1990s through 2000s
Lore & Background
Richard Allen Knaak was born May 28, 1961, in Chicago, Illinois, to James Richard Knaak and Anna Maria (Trappen) Knaak. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, studying chemistry at first, and subsequently rhetoric, and earned a bachelor's degree in 1984. He worked as a warehouseman, resume writer, and office clerk before becoming a full-time freelance writer in 1988. After reading Andre Norton's Storm over Warlock, he became a fan of fantasy and science fiction. He sold his first short story in 1986, published in 1987. His Dragonlance titles include The Legend of Huma, Reavers of the Blood Sea, Kaz the Minotaur, Land of the Minotaurs, and The Citadel, along with short stories in various anthologies. He also wrote the ten-volume Dragonrealm series, and the first Dragonrealm story, 'Firedrake,' helped him get his first Dragonlance project. He has also written several stand-alone volumes, including the contemporary fantasies Frostwing, King of the Grey, and Dutchman, plus the heroic adventure The Janus Mask. He has also worked on novels based in the worlds of the computer games Warcraft and Diablo. Knaak lists Roger Zelazny, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Edgar Allan Poe as major influences, and has listed favorite fellow authors including Robert E. Howard, Glen Cook, L. Sprague de Camp, Lawrence Watt-Evans, Harry Turtledove, Jennifer Roberson, Laurell K. Hamilton, Harry Harrison, and Robert Sawyer.
Reader's Guide
Knaak's bibliography includes Dragonlance series (The Legend of Huma, Kaz the Minotaur, Land of the Minotaurs, Reavers of the Blood Sea, The Citadel; Minotaur Wars trilogy; Ogre Titans trilogy), Dragonrealm series (including Firedrake, Ice Dragon, Wolfhelm, Shadow Steed, The Crystal Dragon, Dragon Crown, The Horse King, Shade; Origins duology; Dragon Tome; The Turning War trilogy; PDF Series), Diablo series (Legacy of Blood, The Kingdom of Shadow, Moon of the Spider; The Sin War trilogy), Warcraft works (Day of the Dragon, Night of the Dragon; War of the Ancients trilogy; Sunwell Trilogy; Shadow Wing series; independent books Stormrage, Wolfheart; Dawn of the Aspects serial), Age of Conan trilogy (The God in the Moon, The Eye of Charon, The Silent Enemy), Pathfinder Tales (Reaper's Eye), and independent books (King of the Grey, Frostwing, The Janus Mask, Dutchman, Ruby Flames, Beastmaster:Myth, Dragon Mound: Book One of the Knight In Shadow Trilogy, Black City Saint, Black City Demon, Rex Draconis).
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