Naomi Novik

Naomi Novik (born April 30, 1973, in New York City) is a bestselling American fantasy author best known for her Temeraire series and the Scholomance trilogy. With roots in Polish and Lithuanian Jewish heritage, Novik grew up immersed in Eastern European folklore and classic fantasy. She studied English literature at Brown University and earned a master’s in computer science at Columbia, later working on the computer game Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide before shifting her focus to novels.

Her debut, His Majesty’s Dragon (2006), launched the Temeraire series—a blend of Napoleonic war history and dragon fantasy. The book won the Compton Crook Award and was a finalist for the Hugo Award, kicking off a nine-book saga praised for its wit, world-building, and emotional depth. The series drew comparisons to Patrick O’Brian and Anne McCaffrey and was optioned for adaptation by director Peter Jackson.

In 2015, Novik published Uprooted, a standalone fantasy inspired by Polish folklore. The novel was a critical and commercial success, earning the Nebula Award, the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, and a spot on numerous “Best of the Year” lists. She followed it with Spinning Silver (2018), a reimagining of Rumpelstiltskin steeped in myth and moral complexity, which was a finalist for the Hugo and Nebula awards.

From 2020 to 2022, Novik released the Scholomance trilogy (A Deadly Education, The Last Graduate, and The Golden Enclaves), set in a dark magic school with high stakes and biting social commentary. The series became a New York Times bestseller and further solidified her status as one of fantasy’s most innovative voices.

A founding board member of the Organization for Transformative Works, Novik has long advocated for fan communities and ethical storytelling. She lives in New York with her family and continues to write while engaging with readers online and at genre conventions.