Bornhöhe is generally considered a pioneer of the genre of the Estonian historical novel, as the majority of his creations consist of romanticism-influenced historical adventure stories.

In 1893, the Russian Empire's censor prohibited publication of historical stories.

Notably, he didn't publish any books during the last twenty years of his life.

Since Bornhöhe's preferred topic was Estonia's ancient fight for freedom rather than more complex or more polemical subjects, Soviets generally found his writings useful, and presented them as examples of pre-Soviet patriotism.

Vürst Gabriel ehk Pirita kloostri viimased päevad was made into a movie, the first part of Tallinna narrid ja narrikesed was repeatedly published and adapted for TV under Soviet occupation, and Bornhöhe's historical novels were constantly in lists of mandatory reading[clarification needed] in Soviet Estonian schools.