PHOTO: Robert Thier, creator of the Storm and Silence series, blending history with brilliant humour and bold characters.
Historical Fiction, Bold Protagonists, And Timeless Adventures
German author Robert Thier reflects on his path to becoming a storyteller, the creation of iconic characters, and merging humour with historical fiction to captivate readers worldwide.
Robert Thier possesses an extraordinary gift for melding the textures of history with the vitality of fiction, creating worlds that shimmer with romance, humour, and adventure. Born in Germany and deeply ensconced in the discipline of history, his works are testament to the perennial allure of the past—and its ability to spark intrigue in the present. With Storm and Silence, a series that has garnered admiration across the globe, Thier introduces us to heroines who defy societal norms and heroes whose humanity resonates amidst their flaws. His tales, peppered with warmth and wit, invite readers not only to escape but to ponder the complexities of the human condition.
The German countryside, with its majestic hills and centuries-old ruins, runs as a quiet undercurrent beneath much of Thier’s work. His narratives evoke castles and landscapes that carry echoes of long-vanished eras. Yet, his writing is far from nostalgic; it is boldly modern, occasionally irreverent, and deeply human. It is the brilliance of his fusion—the ability to rely upon historical accuracy while imbuing his characters with contemporary resonance—that sets his novels apart. From Lilly Linton—a feminist rebel of the 19th century—to Sir Reuben, a wounded knight stripped of honour, Thier’s protagonists rise above mere literary constructs to become singular voices in their own right.
Perhaps what distinguishes Thier most as a writer is his rapport with his audience. Publishing primarily online, he not only shares but engages, granting readers insight into both his creative process and personal musings. His dedication to authenticity—whether through historical detail or the embrace of candid interaction—builds bridges between the writer and the reader. For Robert Thier, storytelling is not merely an exercise in the imagination; it is the creation of a shared space, wherein fiction becomes an invitation to explore and, ultimately, connect.
In your most successful novel “Storm and Silence”, the female protagonist Lilly is a strong feminist character. How did you develop her personality and what inspired her creation?
As a historian, you sometimes stumble over things so utterly outlandish it makes you speechless. The inspiration for Lilly’s character was one such thing, namely my personal collection of 19th-century misogynist stupidity, which included such “brilliant” political opinions as the human race being in danger of dying out if women were too busy with politics to have children, hence they should have no voting rights. Lilly is simply my idea of a young woman with relatively modern common sense rebelling against such ridiculous ideas, and determined not to give up.
As a historian, how does your academic background influence your storytelling and character development?
Greatly, because my studies at the Open University, my alma mater in the UK, confronted me with historical subjects like suffragism and industrialism that I’d never encountered before in my homeland of Germany, and which shaped my writing considerably, forming the basis for the two protagonists of my “Storm and Silence” series.
Reuben, the fallen warrior in your “Robber Knight” series, is a man with a hidden past, who has lost the ability to feel pain. What was your inspiration for crafting such an unconventional character?
I once read an article about people who lost their ability to feel pain after an accident. Having experience with bad accidents and chronic illnesses myself, I was struck by inspiration. I wanted to create a character who suffers a kind of disability but does not let that define him and instead becomes even more of a terrifying warrior than he was before. Thus was born Sir Reuben, the invincible, unfeeling knight without any honour or mercy – until his encounter with a certain lady.
How has growing up in the German countryside near the Three Emperor Mountains inspired the settings or themes in your novels?
Considering that, amidst the dark woods and rolling hills, there’s a castle ruin on one of the nearby mountains I often used to visit as a child, I would say it has been quite the inspiration. Castle Hohenrechberg with its massive walls, arrowslits and gloomy dungeons is a fascinating place, and was one of the early influences for my writing, especially the “Robber Knight” series. My being a little history buff led to some funny scenes in my school days, with me sitting at the front of the classroom listening eagerly to our tiny old history teacher’s tales of local knights and castles, while everyone else was snoozing in the background.
Your nickname “Sir Rob” originated from a reader’s misinterpretation. How has this persona influenced your interaction with fans?
Oh yes, that was a funny thing to happen. One of the readers of my book “The Robber Knight” misread it as “The Robert Knight” and, my first name being Robert, assumed that it was somehow about me. So they started calling me “Sir Rob”, and others seemed to find it amusing enough to join in. Thus, I was elevated to internet-knighthood. The quiet cellar room I do my typing in was upgraded to a “castle dungeon” by popular demand, and there was lots of funny back and forth between me and my fabulous fans.
Almost all your novels combine various genres from romance to humour in a historical setting. Why did you choose history as a subject for your novels and in how far are they historically accurate?
While I was fascinated by history from an early age, it didn’t take me long to realise that my fascination wasn’t exactly shared by everyone. So I thought: why not write stories that make the tough subjects of history actually fun to read about for all those poor victims of history teachers who would like nothing better than to banish their “tormentors” to the middle ages? With this goal in mind, I started weaving stories full of romance, humour, action and adventure that draw people in before they realise, “Hey, I’m reading a novel set in the 19th century. Didn’t this stuff always put me to sleep?” This does not make my books any less historically accurate, however, because I tend to fit my invented characters around and into the most interesting historical events, such as Lilly being present for the wedding of Queen Victoria. So far, this method has met with excellent reception. I still cherish the email from a fan who told me she got an A in history because she wrote what she learned from Lilly.
Your books are all published online. How has this impacted your writing process and audience engagement?
Well, a difficult thing to navigate through are the increasing number of rules online against using terms that might be taken as insulting by people of a particular group. Well-intentioned, probably, but consider for a moment the unfortunate situation of a poor little historical fiction author trying to write with historical accuracy about any problematic subject. Can you write about heroes fighting villainous 18th-century slavers without the slavers being racist? Can you write about 19th-century men violently disrupting a protest for women’s rights without making the men seem misogynistic?
However, on the flip side there is the best part of online writing: the readers. Thanks to feedback from and interaction with my readers, I was able to improve my writing in ways I would not have been able to as a traditional author. Beyond that, it is amazing to hear directly from my readers how I have brought joy to people. For example, I once received a message from an old lady in a retirement home, telling me how much she appreciated my writing online, because she couldn’t get any paperbacks and my stories were one of the few things that kept her going. Something like that can really make your day.
What is next for you? Do you have another book in the works?
Now that the “Storm and Silence” series is close to completion, I am already hard at work on my next big project. I can’t give any details yet because everything is still in the early draft phase, but let’s just say that, once again, I plan to take my readers on a journey full of romance and adventure, while exploring times and places that, hitherto, they might never have heard of.
