Biography
Wolfgang Hohlbein (born 15 August 1953) is a German writer of science fiction, fantasy and horror fiction. His wife, Heike Hohlbein, is also a writer, and the two have frequently collaborated. Hohlbein has published more than 200 books, which have sold more than 43 million copies.
Wolfgang Hohlbein was born on 15 August 1953 in Weimar, Bezirk Erfurt. After finishing school, he completed an apprenticeship as an industrial clerk and subsequently worked in that profession. He also worked as a night watchman to supplement his income. During this period, he began writing, initially as a way of occupying his time during his night shifts. In 1971, he met Heike, whom he married three years later. They have six children, including Rebecca Hohlbein, born in 1977, who also became an author. In 1982, Hohlbein left his employment to become a full-time writer. He and his family subsequently moved to Neuss in North Rhine-Westphalia, his wife's home town.
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In 2014, the German television channel RTL II broadcast the reality series "Die Hohlbeins - Eine total fantastische Familie", which followed the Hohlbein family in a documentary-style format. The first episode attracted approximately 910,000 viewers. After audience figures declined and the programme received criticism for its content, the series was cancelled.
Hohlbein began writing short stories at a young age. He first gained wider recognition after submitting a manuscript written with his wife to a fantasy and science fiction writing competition in 1982. They won the competition, and their novel "Märchenmond" ("Magic Moon") was published by Ueberreuter Verlag. The book became a bestseller and received several awards. Hohlbein and his wife subsequently wrote two sequels, forming a trilogy that has sold more than two million copies.
Hohlbein has also written pulp fiction. In 1984, he created the character and series "Der Hexer" for the magazine "Gespenster-Krimi", published by Bastei Lübbe. The series drew extensively on H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos, and Hohlbein initially wrote most of the novels under the collective pseudonym Robert Craven. The stories were later edited and republished in paperback editions, which incorporated material from several pulp magazines, including a prequel. They were subsequently made available as e-books under Hohlbein's own name.
Hohlbein primarily writes fantasy, horror and historical fiction. Following the success of "Märchenmond", he published more than 200 books. He has collaborated with authors including Dieter Winkler and his daughter Rebecca Hohlbein. Heike Hohlbein is credited as a co-author on more than 30 of his books. During the early part of his career, Hohlbein wrote numerous paperback stories for magazines and frequently used pseudonyms. He later concentrated on standalone novels and long-running series, including the "Enwor" saga and "Chronik der Unsterblichen" ("Chronicles of the Immortals").
Hohlbein has also written tie-in novels based on franchises including "Indiana Jones", "Stargate" and "Pirates of the Caribbean".
Hohlbein is one of the most prolific and commercially successful German fantasy authors. His books have sold more than 43 million copies. His works have been translated and published in several European countries and in other countries, including South Korea. For many years, his works were not available in English, including the eight "Indiana Jones" novels he wrote. His "Märchenmond" trilogy was subsequently translated into English and published by Tokyopop from 2006 under the title "Magic Moon".
Hohlbein's works have been adapted into other media, including radio plays and theatre productions. "Märchenmond" was adapted as a stage play and performed at venues including the Westfälisches Landestheater and Theater für Niedersachsen. The German progressive metal band Vanden Plas released two albums based on material from Hohlbein's "Die Chronik der Unsterblichen": "Chronicles of the Immortals - Netherworld (Path One)" in 2014 and "Chronicles of the Immortals - Netherworld II" in 2015. The albums were based on "Blutnacht", a theatrical production derived from the series.
Several attempts have been made to adapt Hohlbein's works for film, including "Das Druidentor" and "Azrael", but these projects were not completed. In September 2016, Constantin Film announced plans for a feature film based on Hohlbein's novel "Hagen von Tronje".
In 2020, Sony released the film "The Magic Kids: Three Unlikely Heroes", based on Hohlbein's book series "Die Wolf-Gäng". The film follows Vlad, a young vampire who moves to a magical town and attends a special school. He becomes friends with a fairy who is afraid of heights and a werewolf who is allergic to fur. The three encounter a demon seeking a magical crystal left by Vlad's mother.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.