Marco Rubboli is an Italian author of epic fantasy and historical fantasy, best known for stories where war, politics, and personal choice shape the fate of nations.
A longtime researcher and practitioner of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA), Rubboli brings decades of hands-on experience with medieval and Renaissance combat into his fiction. His novels are distinguished by realistic battle scenes, historically grounded tactics, and an unsparing look at the human cost of war.
He is the author of the epic fantasy saga For the Crown of Steel, a politically driven series inspired by medieval Europe. Set in a world of fractured kingdoms and rising empires, the saga explores themes of power, loyalty, ambition, and betrayal, where victory is never clean and leadership always comes at a price.
Alongside fiction, Rubboli has published nonfiction works and essays on historical fencing, stage combat, and martial culture, including studies on warfare in fantasy literature. His background allows him to bridge the gap between academic research, practical martial knowledge, and narrative storytelling.
Marco Rubboli writes for readers who seek adult fantasy, grounded in history, where swords behave like real weapons and political decisions are as dangerous as any battlefield.
In the technical field, he has published: “L'arte cavalleresca del combattimento di Filippo Vadi”, “Flos Duellatorum”, “La lancia, la spada, la daga”, “L'arte della spada di Anonimo Bolognese”, “Opera Nova di Antonio Manciolino”, “Monomachia di Francesco Altoni”, “L'arte perduta di combattere con lo scudo”, and “Guerra nella Terra di Mezzo” for Il Cerchio Edizioni; “Scherma Storica Italiana”, “The swordmanship of Renaissance Italy”, “Combattimento e difesa col pugnale nel Rinascimento Italiano”, “Dal campo di battaglia allo steccato: armi in asta nella tradizione della Scuola Bolognese”, and “Spada sola nella tradizione della Scuola Bolognese” with Accademia Nazionale di Scherma Edizioni; "Stage Combat", "La scherma dei greci e dei Romani", and "L'arte di maneggiare la navaja spagnola" / "The art of handling the Spanish navaja", self published, “Manuale del baratero” for Planetario Edizioni.
In the narrative field, he has published the trilogy of historical fantasy novels “Per la Corona d'Acciaio”, “Contro due Imperi”, and “Il sentiero del Lupo” with GDS Edizioni – Nocturna, as well as several novellas, all belonging to the Corona d'Accaio saga: “Gli ultimi eroi dell'arena” for ANS and “L'ultima guerra di Dama Tai-Pan” for Delos Digital. With the same publisher he also released “Ombre sulla Dacia” and “Seta macchiata di sangue” (saga dei Pretoriani Neri), “Il contagio di Meung”, “L'inferno sotto Parigi”, and “La donna che tornò dalla morte” (saga del Cadetto di Guascogna), as well as “La danza pietrificata” and “La signora delle caverne”. In 2026, "Le cronache dei Pretoriani Neri", collection of short stories, self published. In addition, he has published short stories in anthologies by Watson, Plesio, Sensoinverso, Tabula Fati (Dimensione Cosmica), and Book Magazine.
Read more
Read less
