[citation needed] As a member of St Cuthbert's Society, Durham University, he studied English Language and Medieval Literature.

After leaving university in 1992, he worked with the VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) for seven years in rural China and Eritrea.

[5] Hill's debut novel, The Drink and Dream Teahouse, written when he was a student, received a record breaking advance for an unfinished novel.

The British Council describes Hill as 'a novelist and travel writer with a growing international reputation, whose writing has been mostly associated with the people, culture and history of China.'.

In summer 2014 Hill was commissioned to write the novelisation of the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Legend.