Wolfgang Hohlbein

Last updated

Wolfgang Hohlbein
Wolfgang Hohlbein - Hamburg Metal Dayz 2014 02.jpg
Born (1953-08-15) 15 August 1953 (age 70)
Weimar, Thuringia, East Germany
OccupationNovelist
Genre Fantasy, science fiction, horror, thriller, children's literature, movie tie-in books, pulp fiction
Notable works Magic Moon series
Spouse Heike Hohlbein
Website
hohlbein.net

Wolfgang Hohlbein (born 15 August 1953 in Weimar, Bezirk Erfurt) is a German writer of science fiction, fantasy and horror fiction who lives near Neuss, North Rhine-Westphalia. His wife, Heike Hohlbein, is also a writer and often works with him. With more than 200 published books and more than 43 million sold copies he is considered one of the most successful German writers in the fantasy genre.

Contents

Personal life

Wolfgang Hohlbein was born on 15 August 1953 in Weimar, Bezirk Erfurt. When he finished school, he took an apprenticeship as industrial clerk. After the apprenticeship he worked in this profession in the following years. To bolster his income, he also worked as night watchman. It was during this period when he started to write his early works, to pass the time faster. In 1971 he met his wife Heike Hohlbein, whom he would marry 3 years later. Together they raised six children. In 1977 their daughter Rebecca Hohlbein was born, who became a writer herself too. In 1982 he quit his job to work as a full-time author. Shortly after he and his family moved to Neuss, North Rhine-Westphalia, where they live until today. [1] [2] [3]

In 2014 the German TV channel RTL II launched a reality show called Die Hohlbeins – Eine total fantastische Familie (The Hohlbein's, a fantastic family), which aimed to show the life of the Hohlbein family in the a docusoap format. The show garnered about 910,000 viewers during the first episode, but after a fast drop-off in viewers and negative criticism of being too trivial and boring it was cancelled soon after. [4] [5]

Work

Writing short stories since a young age, Hohlbein was first recognized as an author after sending in a manuscript he and his wife had written at a fantasy and science fiction writing contest in 1982. They won and their book, Märchenmond (English title: "Magic Moon"), was published by Ueberreuter Verlag , soon becoming a bestseller and winning several awards. In the following years the Hohlbein's wrote two sequels to the book, continuing their success. The trilogy remains their greatest success until today and sold more than 2 million copies. [6] [2] [3] He's also a writer of pulp fiction, including the series Der Hexer (The Warlock), which he conceived in 1984 for the magazine Gespenster-Krimi (Ghost Thriller) published by Bastei Lübbe, mainly based on H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos , and of which he wrote the majority of novels initially under the collective pen name of Robert Craven. Later the series was reedited and republished as paperbacks, which collected the stories of several pulp magazines, including a prequel, and as e-books both under Hohlbein's own name. [7]

Hohlbein primarily writes in the genre of fantasy, horror and historical fiction. Since the success of Märchenmond Hohlbein had published more than 200 books. He sometimes cooperates with other authors like Dieter Winkler or his daughter Rebecca Hohlbein. His most important source of inspiration is his wife Heike Hohlbein, who is credited as co-author on more than 30 of his books. In his early days, Hohlbein also wrote a lot of paperback stories for various magazines and also often used a pseudonym. Later he focused more on stand-alone novels as well as some long-running book series, like the Enwor saga or the still not finished Chronik des Unsterblichen (Chronicles of the Immortal). [2] [5] [7] [3]

Apart from his own creations, Hohlbein also wrote various movie tie-in books, like in the Indiana Jones, Stargate or Pirates of the Caribbean universe. [7]

Reception

Wolfgang Hohlbein is among the most successful and prolific German fantasy authors. [2] [5] [4] He has written more than 200 books and sold more than 43 million issues throughout his career. [5] [4]

Many of his books are translated and published internationally in various European countries as well as outside of Europe in countries such as South Korea. For many years none of his works had been translated into English, not even the eight Indiana Jones novels he wrote. [8] His only works to be translated into English were his three Märchenmond novels, which were published by Tokyopop from 2006 onwards, now titled Magic Moon. [6] [7]

Hohlbein's books also have been adapted into other media such as radioplays. [7] His work Märchenmond was translated into a theatre play, which has been presented in places like the Westfälisches Landestheater or the Theater für Niedersachsen . [9] [10] The German progressive metal band, Vanden Plas, recorded and consecutively released two full-length albums, Chronicles of the Immortals – Netherworld (Path One) in 2014 and Chronicles of the Immortals – Netherworld II in 2015, that were adapted from Blutnacht, a theater production based on the author's Die Chronik der Unsterblichen. [11]

Throughout the years, various propositions have been made to turn some of his works into film, for example for Das Druidentor or Azrael, but none of these projects were realized. [12] In September 2016 however, Constantin Film announced they will create a feature film based on his book Hagen von Tronje. [13]

In 2020 Sony produced a film called Die Wolfgang or The Magic Kids (Three Unlikely Heros) about Vlad the vampire who moves to a new magical town and a special magical school, three of the year 7 children team up together as they all have their own problems - a fairy who is afraid of heights, a werewolf who is allergic to fur, and a vampire who can't stand blood. They soon discover that the town is controlled by a demon who is after one thing - a magical crystal that has been left by Vlad's mother that could bring back dark magical times if used improperly. [14]

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fantasy film</span> Film genre

Fantasy films are films that belong to the fantasy genre with fantastic themes, usually magic, supernatural events, mythology, folklore, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered a form of speculative fiction alongside science fiction films and horror films, although the genres do overlap. Fantasy films often have an element of magic, myth, wonder, escapism, and the extraordinary.

Vanden Plas is a German progressive metal band, based in Kaiserslautern and founded in the mid-1980s.

Magic realism or magical realism is a style or genre of fiction and art that presents a realistic view of the world while incorporating magical elements, often blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. Magic realism often refers to literature in particular, with magical or supernatural phenomena presented in an otherwise real-world or mundane setting, commonly found in novels and dramatic performances. Despite including certain magic elements, it is generally considered to be a different genre from fantasy because magical realism uses a substantial amount of realistic detail and employs magical elements to make a point about reality, while fantasy stories are often separated from reality. Magical realism is often seen as an amalgamation of real and magical elements that produces a more inclusive writing form than either literary realism or fantasy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James E. Gunn</span> American science fiction author (1923–2020)

James Edwin Gunn was an American science fiction writer, editor, scholar, and anthologist. His work as an editor of anthologies includes the six-volume Road to Science Fiction series. He won the Hugo Award for "Best Related Work" in 1983 and he won or was nominated for several other awards for his non-fiction works in the field of science fiction studies. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America made him its 24th Grand Master in 2007, and he was inducted by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 2015. His novel The Immortals was adapted into a 1970–71 TV series starring Christopher George.

Urban fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy, placing supernatural elements in an approximation of a contemporary urban setting. The combination provides the writer with a platform for classic fantasy tropes, quixotic plot-elements, and unusual characters—without demanding the creation of an entire imaginary world.

<i>The NeverEnding Story</i> (film) 1984 film directed by Wolfgang Petersen

The NeverEnding Story is a 1984 fantasy film, co-written and directed by Wolfgang Petersen, based on the 1979 novel The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. It was produced by Bernd Eichinger and Dieter Giessler, and stars Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, Tami Stronach, Patricia Hayes, Sydney Bromley, Gerald McRaney and Moses Gunn, with Alan Oppenheimer providing the voices of Falkor, Gmork, and others. It follows a boy who finds a magical book that tells of a young warrior who is given the task of stopping the Nothing, a dark force, from engulfing the wonderland world of Fantasia.

<i>On Stranger Tides</i> 1987 historical fantasy novel by Tim Powers

On Stranger Tides is a 1987 historical fantasy supernatural novel by American writer Tim Powers. It was nominated for the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, and placed second in the annual Locus poll for best fantasy novel.

<i>Die Nibelungen</i> 1924 two-part film directed by Fritz Lang

Die Nibelungen is a two-part German series of silent fantasy films created by Austrian director Fritz Lang in 1924, consisting of Die Nibelungen: Siegfried and Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge.

<i>Magic Moon</i>

Magic Moon is a young adult fantasy novel written by German authors Wolfgang and Heike Hohlbein in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magician (fantasy)</span> Magicians appearing in fantasy fiction

A magician, also known as an archimage, mage, magus, magic-user, spellcaster, enchanter/enchantress, sorcerer/sorceress, warlock, witch, or wizard, is someone who uses or practices magic derived from supernatural, occult, or arcane sources. Magicians enjoy a rich history in mythology, legends, fiction, and folklore, and are common figures in works of fantasy, such as fantasy literature and role-playing games.

<i>Children of Magic Moon</i>

Children of Magic Moon is a young adult fantasy novel written by German authors Wolfgang and Heike Hohlbein in 1990. It is a sequel to 1982's Magic Moon and the second of four books in the series. It was released in the United States in October 2007.

<i>The Name of the Wind</i> 2007 novel by Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of the Wind, also referred to as The Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One, is a heroic fantasy novel written by American author Patrick Rothfuss. It is the first book in the ongoing fantasy trilogy The Kingkiller Chronicle, followed by The Wise Man's Fear. It was published on March 27, 2007, by DAW Books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernhard Hennen</span> German writer of fantasy literature (born 1966)

Bernhard Hennen is a German writer of fantasy literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Correia</span> American fantasy writer (born 1977)

Larry Correia is an American fantasy and science fiction writer, known for his Monster Hunter International, Grimnoir Chronicles, and Saga of the Forgotten Warrior series. He has authored or co-authored over 25 novels, has over 50 published short works, two collections of stories, and has co-edited three published anthologies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hans Adalbert Schlettow</span> German actor

Hans Adalbert Schlettow was a German film actor. Schlettow appeared in around a hundred and sixty films during his career, the majority during the silent era. Among his best-known film roles was Hagen von Tronje in Fritz Lang's film classic Die Nibelungen (1924). In 1929 he starred in the British director Anthony Asquith's film A Cottage on Dartmoor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of fantasy</span> Overview of and topical guide to fantasy

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to fantasy:

Heike Hohlbein is a German writer of science fiction, fantasy and youth literature who lives near Neuss in North Rhine-Westphalia. She is the wife of German author Wolfgang Hohlbein. Together they are among the most successful authors in the genre of fantasy literature in Germany.

Wolfgang Hohlbein wrote more than 200 books. All his books are written in German; only 11 of his books have been translated into English. This is the list of all books written by Wolfgang Hohlbein.

<i>All the Birds in the Sky</i> 2016 novel by Charlie Jane Anders

All the Birds in the Sky is a 2016 science fantasy novel by American writer and editor Charlie Jane Anders. It is her debut speculative fiction novel and was first published in January 2016 in the United States by Tor Books. The book is about a witch and a techno-geek, their troubled relationship, and their attempts to save the world from disaster. The publisher described the work as "blending literary fantasy and science fiction".

<i>The Gryphon</i> (TV series) German TV series or program

The Gryphon is a German TV series with Jeremias Meyer, Lea Drinda, Zoran Pingel] and Theo Trebs. Directed by Sebastian Marka and Max Zähle based on an idea by Sebastian Marka and Erol Yesilkaya, who is also known as showrunner acted. The scripts are based on the fantasy novel Der Greif by Wolfgang Hohlbein and Heike Hohlbein from 1989. The series was released in May 2023 on Amazon (company)'s Prime Video published.

References

  1. ↑ "Wolfgang Hohlbein biography on his official webpage" (in German). Hohlbein.net. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Ullrich Wegener. "Schöne Sünde" [Review of Hohlbein's work by Ullrich Wegener in Die Zeit] (in German). Die Zeit . Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 Sabine Magerl. "Der Chronist des Grauens " [The chronicler of horror] (in German). Frankfurter Allgemeine . Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Morgane Llanque. "Die Hohlbeins eine leider total fade Familie" [Welt.de Article about the Hohlbein reality show] (in German). Die Welt . Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Anna-Lena Roth. "Fantasy-Autor Hohlbein bei RTL II: Entzauberung des Magiers" [Spiegel.de Article about Hohlbein and the reality show] (in German). Spiegel Online . Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Dieter Winkler; Uschi Winkler. "Official page for the Märchenmond Novels". märchenmond.de. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "List of Hohlbein's creations on his official webpage" (in German). Hohlbein.net. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  8. ↑ Christine Sommerfeld. "Geschichten von Trollen und Elfen entstehen in der Nacht" [Interview with Wolfgang Hohlbein with the Rheinische Post] (in German). Rheinische Post . Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  9. ↑ Uwe Janssen. "WLT bringt "Märchenmond" auf die Bühne" [Westfälisches Landestheater brings Märchenmond on stage] (in German). Ruhr Nachrichten . Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  10. ↑ Daniele Giustolisi; Jessica Will. "Das Theater für Niedersachsen zieht ins Theater am Aegi" [Announcement to play Märchenmond among others at the Theater für Niedersachsen] (in German). haz.de. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  11. ↑ Frontiers Music srl (December 13, 2013), Vanden Plas "Chronicles of the Immortals - Netherworld" (Official Trailer / New Studio Album 2014), archived from the original on December 21, 2021, retrieved October 9, 2017
  12. ↑ "Neos Film verfilmt Hohlbein-Roman" [Neos Film films Hohlbein novel](PDF) (in German). Film News Bavaria by the Bavarian Film Fond. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  13. ↑ Constantin Film Press release. "Constantin Film verfilmt HAGEN VON TRONJE" [Constantin Film announces Hagen von Tronje film] (in German). presseportal.de. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  14. ↑ ""The Magic Kids: Three Unlikely Heros"" . Retrieved February 1, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.