John Gwynne in conversation

John Gwynne is in conversation at the French Protestant Church of London on Monday 2 November, starting at 7pm. It's a Waterstones-organised evening, and Gwynne won't be alone on stage: he's joined by fellow bestseller Samantha Shannon, the author of The Bone Season and The Roots of Chaos, whose work has been translated into twenty-eight languages. Two fantasy writers on one bill, so it's a bit more than a standard author talk.

The night centres on Gwynne's latest, The Wolves of War, an epic fantasy he's built around Slavic mythology. He describes it as packed with ancient magic, heroic sacrifice and adventure. If you're into mythology and high fantasy, that's the core of it. There's a Book & Ticket bundle available that includes a copy of The Wolves of War (RRP £25) for you to collect on the night, so you can have it in hand before the conversation kicks off.

Gwynne himself has a bit of a varied background to dig into. He studied and lectured at Brighton University, played double bass in a rock 'n' roll band and has travelled across the USA and Canada. He's married with four children and lives in Eastbourne, where he belongs to a Viking re-enactment group and often stands in a shield wall alongside his three sons. That particular detail—the shield wall with his own kids—is probably the kind of thing that comes up when he talks about where his interest in epic battle and heroic sacrifice comes from.

It's at the French Protestant Church of London, 8-9 Soho Square, London W1D 3QD, on Monday 2 November at 7pm. Tickets were £14-35, though they're listed as sold out now, so keep an eye out for any returns.