Estonian author Meelis Friedenthal, born in Viljandi, Estonia in 1973, wrote a dissertation at the University of Tartu on a 13th century philosophical-theological treatise on seeing and vision. Friedenthal was a lecturer at the faculty of theology and history and currently works as a research assistant at the Tartu University library. His current research topic is the humanities of the 17th century.
Friedenthal has made a name for himself as an author of speculative novels. His first novel, Goldenes Zeitalter, deals with the role of history in shaping our identity and won third place in a national novel competition in 2004. The following year, his story Nerissa won an Estonian science fiction prize. He is also a member of the editorial board of the webzine Algernon, which publishes science fiction stories, news and articles. While working on Die Bienen, Friedenthal also wrote an extensive postscript about the historical context of the events described in the novel.