Arsen Darnay is a Hungarian-American science fiction author, born in Budapest in 1936 and emigrated to the U.S. in 1953. He began publishing in the 1970s, with his first story appearing in Galaxy Science Fiction in 1974. His early work, such as A Hostage for Hinterland (1976) and The Siege of Faltara (1978), often explored post-apocalyptic and metaphysical themes, blending speculative world-building with philosophical undertones.
Darnay was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1976 and twice a finalist for the Locus Award for Best Novella. After a long publishing hiatus, he returned in the 2000s with the Symphony in Ghulf Minor series, including Ghulf Genes and In Search of Anna Magna (both 2009), which span planetary plagues and future histories.