E. R. Eddison (1882-1945) was an English novelist and civil servant. Born in Leeds, Eddison was educated by private tutors and formed an early friendship with Arthur Ransome, who would later become a popular children's author. Eddison studied at Oxford before taking a position as a civil servant for the Board of Trade, where he would spend his entire career. On the side, he pursued his literary interests as an influential writer of high fantasy novels. He found success with The Worm Ouroboros (1922) and his Zimiamvian Trilogy, which have been praised by such figures as J. R. R. Tolkein, C. S. Lewis, and Ursula K. Le Guin. Eddison invented his own vibrant worlds and memorable characters, taking inspiration from Norse myth, medieval history, and Jacobean literature.
