Liane Merciel

Liane Merciel is the pseudonym of an American author of the ongoing Ithelas series of fantasy novels. Also, she has written three books (Nightglass, Nightblade, and Hellknight) for Paizo Publishing's Pathfinder Tales series, set in the Pathfinder roleplaying game world of Golarion.

Liane Merciel is of Korean and European heritage. She lived in Germany, South Korea, and several parts of the US as an army brat. Merciel is an alumnus of Yale University and the College of William & Mary Law School.

Choosing the pen name Liane Merciel was a strategic decision driven by her Very Serious Day Job in the legal profession, where conservatism still holds sway. The pseudonym also offers the practical advantage of being signable without looking clumsy in cursive.

Liane Merciel debuted with the fantasy novel The River Kings’ Road (2010) and elevated her storytelling with the sequel Heaven’s Needle (2011). While the first explores the fringes of magic through mostly ordinary characters, the second delves into the supernatural with extraordinary figures, resulting in a fusion of fantasy and horror.

Apart from her novels, Merciel is also engaged in tie-in fiction.

Liane Merciel now lives in Philadelphia.

Photo credit: lianemerciel.com