Max Adams was born in London in 1961. After a twenty-year career as an archaeologist he has variously been a woodsman, musician, computer nerd, TV presenter, teacher and writer.

He has been a Winston Churchill Memorial Fund Fellow, an Elizabeth Longford Award winner, a Durham County Environmental Award winner and a Royal Literary Fund Fellow. He has degrees in Archaeology from the University of York and Education (PGCE) from the University of Sunderland.