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G.R. Matthews

Goodreads Author


Born
in Swindon, The United Kingdom
Website

Twitter

Genre

Member Since
August 2013


G. R. Matthews is a British fantasy and science fiction author best known for Seven Deaths of an Empire (Solaris, 2021), a grimdark epic praised for its visceral combat, dual perspectives, and rich world-building inspired by Roman and Celtic history.

Born in Wiltshire, surrounded by chalk hills, white horses, and ancient stone circles, he grew up immersed in landscapes steeped in ancient myth. Matthews began his publishing journey with self-published works including The Stone Road—the first of The Forbidden List trilogy drawing on ancient China—and the Corin Hayes underwater sci-fi thrillers, before breaking into traditional publishing with Seven Deaths of an Empire.

A passionate gamer as well as a self-taught guitarist, Matthews brings disc
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G.R. Matthews Hi,

I am really glad you loved the book. It makes writing it worthwhile!

The story is a standalone in the sense that it has beginning, middle, and end, …more
Hi,

I am really glad you loved the book. It makes writing it worthwhile!

The story is a standalone in the sense that it has beginning, middle, and end, but I have written a follow-up which continues the story of the Empire an Six-Kingdoms and am currently writing book #3 too.

Will Kyron and Emlyn return is a very good question and one I can honestly answer, and without spoilers - I hope so.(less)
G.R. Matthews I'd love to do a physical release of this book. If it can get to 100 ratings on Goodreads, I'll do it!

So, if you can just plug it to all your friends …more
I'd love to do a physical release of this book. If it can get to 100 ratings on Goodreads, I'll do it!

So, if you can just plug it to all your friends and colleagues, and random strangers on the street :)(less)
Average rating: 3.89 · 1,065 ratings · 394 reviews · 20 distinct worksSimilar authors
Seven Deaths of an Empire

3.71 avg rating — 595 ratings — published 2021 — 6 editions
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The Stone Road (The Forbidd...

3.91 avg rating — 106 ratings — published 2013 — 4 editions
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Silent City (Corin Hayes, #1)

3.84 avg rating — 96 ratings — published 2015 — 4 editions
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The Blue Mountain (The Forb...

4.24 avg rating — 37 ratings — published 2015 — 2 editions
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Nothing Is Ever Simple (Cor...

4.34 avg rating — 32 ratings — published 2016 — 3 editions
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The Red Plains (The Forbidd...

4.37 avg rating — 30 ratings — published 2016 — 2 editions
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Three Times The Trouble (Co...

4.42 avg rating — 24 ratings — published 2017 — 3 editions
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Outlaw Mountain

3.96 avg rating — 26 ratings — published 2017 — 2 editions
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Last Winter Sun

4.21 avg rating — 24 ratings
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Corin Hayes Omnibus Books 1...

4.20 avg rating — 15 ratings — published 2019 — 2 editions
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More books by G.R. Matthews…

Netgalley copies

Hi,

This book, Learning the Rules, is on NetGalley now, and I know I enjoyed it as did others.

So, if you like RomComs, told from the male point of view with gentle humour and in need of some reviews to get it off the ground and started.

Learning the Rules

NETGALLEY LINK

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Published on May 08, 2026 07:00 Tags: netgalley
The Stone Road The Blue Mountain The Red Plains
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Silent City Nothing Is Ever Simple Three Times The Trouble
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The Fall of Númen...
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Old Man's War
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G.R.’s Recent Updates

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Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay by Mira Kirshenbaum
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The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman
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The Fall of Númenor by J.R.R. Tolkien
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The Fall of Númenor by J.R.R. Tolkien
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Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
"This is the book and series that essentially sparked my interest in the fantasy genre. Now as they are slowly (and I emphasize the word slowly) being released in electronic format, I have begun to start reading them again on my Kindle. Let's be clear" Read more of this review »
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Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
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Empire of the Dawn by Jay Kristoff
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Of Song and Shadow by G.R. Matthews
"I bought this book shortly after its release and have a full review on the fantasy-hive which you can read here

But here is an extract of that review to give you a feel of the book.

The setting of Two Rivers makes an intriguing focal point in the world" Read more of this review »
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Homecoming by Christie Golden
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Quotes by G.R. Matthews  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“Stubborness isn't a choice, it's a way of life.”
G.R. Matthews, Nothing Is Ever Simple

“I think the measure of advancement depends on where you are stood and from what distance you look. A thousand years ago, we farmed the fields, built towns and defended our land with swords and spears. It is little different now, save for the number of people we have to protect. We still kill with a sharp edge or point of metal, blood runs red still, sons ride off to war and parents grieve. If you look at the Empire in its whole, then it is peaceful. If you look closely, you will see the small wars, the bandits and rebellions. Look more closely still and you’ll see the petty crimes, the struggle to survive, the rich bleeding the poor. Even the soil can turn against its farmers, yielding few crops. Or the weather, a late frost killing the early crops. There is strife and conflict everywhere in the Empire. Everywhere you find men, you find conflict.”
G R Matthews

“The fear receded. It didn't disappear. It lurked in the shadows, its claws hooking into passing thoughts and twisting them, turning them from their purpose to its own. He held it back. It was the hardest fight of his life.”
G.R. Matthews, The Red Plains

“We're living in momentous times, Garion. The events of a thousand years and more have all focused on these very days. The world, I'm told, is like that. Centuries pass when nothing happens, and then in a few short years events of such tremendous importance take place that the world is never the same again."
I think that if I had my choice, I'd prefer one of those quiet centuries," Garion said glumly.
Oh, no," Silk said, his lips drawing back in a ferretlike grin. "Now's the time to be alive - to see it all happen, to be a part of it. That makes the blood race, and each breath is an adventure.”
David Eddings, Pawn of Prophecy

“Could you penetrate this palace, Prince Kheldar?" King Anheg challenged.
"I already have, your Majesty," Silk said modestly, "a dozen times or more."
Anheg looked at Rhodar with one raised eyebrow.
Rhodar coughed slightly. "It was some time ago, Anheg. Nothing serious. I was just curious about something, that's all."
"All you had to do was ask," Anheg said in a slightly injured tone.
"I didn't want to bother you," Rhodar said with a shrug. "Besides, it's more fun to do it the other way.”
David Eddings, Pawn of Prophecy

“But there's a world beyond what we can see and touch, and that world lives by its own laws. What may be impossible in this very ordinary world is very possible there, and sometimes the boundaries between the two worlds disappear, and then who can say what is possible and impossible?”
David Eddings, Pawn of Prophecy

“Misty Sendaria," Silk said ironically. "Sometimes I'm amazed that the entire kingdom doesn't rust shut.”
David Eddings, Pawn of Prophecy

“The first thing the boy Garion remembered was the kitchen at Faldor's farm. For all the rest of his life he had a special warm feeling for kitchens and those peculiar sounds and smells that seemed somehow to combine into a bustling seriousness that had to do with love and food and comfort and security and, above all, home. No matter how high Garion rose in life, he never forgot that all his memories began in that kitchen.”
David Eddings, Pawn of Prophecy

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