Found You

The Hollower #2

by Mary SanGiovanni

In the town of Lakehaven, New Jersey, an evil has returned from between dimensions. It is looking for vengeance. It is looking to destroy, body and soul. Dave Kohlar and his friend Erik fought an evil like it once before, and they were nearly killed trying to defeat it. They had hoped that it was over, and their lives could be peaceful and happy. But this kind is different; it is hungrier, it is angry, and it is very, very strong. With loved ones falling prey to its all-encompassing hate, Dave and Erik and some new friends look to close the door on it for good.

Genres: Horror

316 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2008

About the author

Mary SanGiovanni is the author of over twenty books in horror and supernatural thrillers. Her fiction has appeared in periodicals and anthologies for the last decade. She has a Masters degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, Pittsburgh, where she studied under genre greats. She is currently a member of The Authors Guild, The International Thriller Writers, and Penn Writers, and was previously an Active member in the Horror Writers Association.

Reviews

[Caleb CW · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was disappointing.

There are few books that I consider a contractual obligation. A book stripped of all the joy of writing it and done because the book is due. This book didn't add anything to the lore that we didn't already know. As a matter of fact everything that made The Hollower great this one took away from the experience.

First the characters, in the first book Dave and Erik are strong in their own way. The strengths help the group to survive this evil being that travels between interdementional space to torture meat. In this book those strengths are gone almost completely and replaced with exhaustion. Like the characters are bored with their positions in this battle and they just want to get it over with. It doesn't make you want to like them. At all. The new characters add nothing. We already had the recovering drug addict. We already had the cop. We already had an insecure woman who shows up and adds depth to one of the characters. Plus now we've lost the kid, which removes some of the stress from the previous book.

The villain. The Hollower has the ability to absolutely wreck everything in its path. The last book did an excellent job building up the lore of this eternal beast that feeds on suffering. This book adds nothing to the villain. It tells you the Primary is supposed to be the baddest dude in the valley but nothing that happens indicates that as true. As a matter of fact the way that the ending of this is handled was underwhelming to say the least. The secondary's final battle was more intense, this was just boring and then it just ended. You get maybe one or two small paragraphs that gives a slight indication to the Hollowers' origins but it feels unimportant when weighed with the total story.

For me this was a loss. I hope the next book does something to remedy what this book wrecked. This was one of the books I was looking forward to the most since reading The Hollower and it's the biggest let down I've seen in a series.

There it is and there you have it.

[Karl]

This is copy 13 of 85 signed numbered copies signed by Mary Sangiovanni.

Cover art by David Ho.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in the Hollower trilogy, Found You, finds the survivors of the first encounter with the Hollower (now revealed as the Secondary), Dave and his mentally damaged sister, Sally, along with Erik, still coping with the after effects of thwarting that horror. But they go on living, through therapy and alcohol, but it still haunts them, even if they never speak of it.

Then, tragically, Sally dies in an accident at the assisted living facility, and a young detective suspects something different is responsible, something sinister and not of this world...because he has seen the blank but hateful face, the black fedora and trenchcoat.

Joined by two others in Lakehaven who've been recently tormented by the new Hollower, known as the Primary, they must stay strong and focused if they're to survive and destroy something that can become their worst nightmares.

If you haven't read anything by Mary SanGiovanni yet, this trilogy would be a great place to start. Highly recommended.

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first book in this series long time ago and couldn't remember it all that well, but with some memory refreshments from the ever reliable internet, the sequel wasn't too difficult to follow, although I'd strongly recommend reading these books in order. While I don't recall Hollower leaving much of an impression, it was a fun read and the sequel doesn't disappoint, quite possibly being that unique best that exceeds the original. The author certainly knows how to write a page turner, with its excellent dynamic pacing this book sped by in three hours. SanGiovanni already created a dread inspiring thing that goes boo, conceptually awesome otherworldly being without a face who feeds on human fear, and combined with personable sympathetic characters, terrific imagery and imaginative psychological torments, this book really served up a solid B horror entertainment. Recommended.

[Luciano Bernaroli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trovi tutto sul BLOG !

Un ottimo secondo episodio che a suo modo conclude la storia del primo, quello spiraglio rimasto aperto che viene degnamente portato a compimento.
La domanda è: ora cosa diamine si inventerà l'autrice per il terzo!?

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is a sequel to The Hollower, which was a good horror novel in its own right. This one is fine, but doesn't really add anything to the original; it seemed to me that it just recovered old ground in somewhat different ways. I was reminded of the Elm Street films where Mr. K. kept coming back to twist reality and torture survivors and newcomers alike over and over again so there was no real resolution.

[Dez Nemec · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a DNF. Could not keep my attention and I didn't really care what happened, so I quit around halfway.

[Kevin Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continues the creeps right where "The Hollower" left off. Mary S. can tell chilling ghost stories. Period.

[Scott Bibliophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

Difficult to keep track of the characters. Kind of wish the faceless enemy gets them!

[Ravenskya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though there is no indication on the front, back or anywhere else that this is a sequel, let me tell you – it is. This is the sequel to the book “The Hollower” and if the quality of its sequel is any indication, “The Hollower” is probably a darn fine book. I have not read “the Hollower” so I was a bit disappointed in the fact that I was reading them out of order… but since there was really no recap of the first, I feel pretty comfortable going back and reading it… although I do know who lives or dies in it since the survivors all re-appear in the sequel.

Short Summary: There is a big nasty being… faceless but wearing a black trench coat and fedora… it stalks you and twists your mind against you, using your fears, your doubts, and your worst memories against you, twisting your reality until you cannot take it anymore. Those being stalked have killed one before, long ago… but this one is different, can they band together to defeat it? Or will it tear them apart through their own weaknesses and self doubt?

Each of the characters is very flawed in their own way, making them multidimensional in their flaws, but still loveable to the reader. Dorrie was by far my favorite even though she was not a main character. It is hard not to love a big girl that is so insecure in herself but has such a huge heart. The Hollower was a creepy foe, and I have to admit, I didn’t expect everyone to make it out of this trap alive… I’m not going to spoil it by telling you whether they do or not, but you will get that feeling too… that perhaps one or more of the six will have to make the ultimate sacrifice to save those that they love.

With this being a sequel, I would have to advise reading “The Hollower” first… even though I didn’t. If it is at least the same quality as this book then it should be a very good read. I intend to tear through it just as soon as I can get my hands on it. This is a fun and pretty quick read, it won’t change your life in any profound way, but if you are looking for a good October book, this is it.

[Carl Alves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this novel without realizing that this was a sequel to The Hollower. As it turns out, reading this novel without reading the first entry in the series was not a problem. Mary SanGiovanni does a nice job of summarizing the important parts of the first novel. The two stories seem to be pretty similar to each other based on the recap of the original storyline. In this novel, the original Hollower has been killed, but there is a new, more powerful Hollower on the prowl. A couple of the survivors of the first novel figure into the action, namely Dave and Erik, but there is a new group of people that have been slated to stop the Hollower.

I like the story's villainous monster. The Hollower is not a typical monster that I have encountered in other works of horror. SanGiovanni has done a nice job of creating an intriguing villain, one that doesn't have physical form and hates the physical aspect of our world, driving a killing hatred inside of it. The group of protagonists are a bit too homogenous. They all have big flaws and some of these flaws are too similar too each other. I think the novel could have been stronger had the cast been more varied. The general plot was strong, but I thought the ending didn't quite live up to the build. The finish seemed a little too easy and a bit anti-climactic. Still, the horror elements were well developed and the prose was nicely written. This is a novel that I would recommend for all horror enthusiasts out there.
Carl Alves - author of Blood Street

[Alessandra Les fleurs du mal blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

E' vero miei adorati lettori, piccole mente in crescita, l'horror è uno dei generi meno compresi al mondo.
E' fatto comune che chi lo ama è pervaso da un senso del macabro poco comprensibile.
Demoni, zombie e incubi, arricchiscono una fantasia spesso dichiarata morbosa.
Ne so qualcosa.
Io donna innamorata di quelle atmosfere contorte e poco equilibrate, forse chissà segno di una volontà ribelle di andare contro la mia stessa femminilità.
E dare quasi un segno tangibile della volontà di azzerare il carico rognoso del genere affibbiatomi dalla società.
Non biologico ma sociale, stretto quindi in definizioni troppo radicali.
Se pensate questo..siete fuori strada.
Chi ama l'horror non lo ama per la sua modernità o per una sorta di ribellione stilistica che sacrifica la luna alla brama di sangue e demoniaco.
Chi ama l'orrore ha fatto un accordo con il suo lato oscuro.
Non lo teme, ma sa che esiste.
Che esso si nutre di dolore, frustrazioni e fragilità e sa che l'unico modo per fermare quell'ombra ghignante è farci amicizia.
E imparare a ascoltare i suoi lamenti.
Forse è il solo modo per non essere considerati più carne da macello, prelibati bocconi da ingoiare senza rispetto e senza empatia dagli arconti che infestano questo piano di esistenza.
Ecco perché oggi scrivere della trilogia della Sangiovanni comporta una notevole difficoltà.
Se fosse solo il classico horror o meglio uno splatter mi fermerei alla tecnica e all'utilizzo degli archetipi che compongono la mitologia da cui il genere trae nutrimento.
Ma non è cosi.
Vedete l'hollower, quello che vuole trovarci e farci a pezzi è reale più di me e di voi.
E lo sapete perché è reale?
Perché si nutre della nostra peggior parte.
Quella che manca di coraggio ogni volta che cade.
Che non accetta la differenza.
Che rifugge il dolore.
Che nasconde se stesso al perbenismo del mondo.
Che non accetta di essere fatto più di stelle e angeli.
E si fa uccidere dal vuoto, perché è questo l'hollower e che permette alla debolezza di essere carnefice.
E noi vittime di un gioco al massacro.
Che noi stessi mettiamo in scena.
E cosi i protagonisti in fondo sono solo pedine.
Pedine che vengono mangiate da entità che sguazzano nel torbido.
E il torbido è tutto ciò che neghiamo alla nostra coscienza.
Quando dobbiamo essere belli, forti e civilizzati.
Pieni di maschere e perfettamente inseriti nello standard societario.
E non è un caso che ogni prescelto, ogni nutrimento del vuoto sia dotato di segreti o di capacità uccise dalla loro stesa incapacità di accettarsi.
E sapete cosa sconfigge l'hollower che urla Found you?
L'orgoglio.
L'orologio di essere cosi fragili, cosi indifesi, cosi delicati.
Ma capaci di dire no.
E' il no che spezza il vuoto.
E la Sangiovanni con una poeticità incredibile lo scrive, dietro la patina cupa e l'atmosfera lugubre.
Nasconde una perla di saggezza enorme.
E chiede a noi stessi, il coraggio impossibile e al tempo stesso possibile di dire no.
Stupendo.
Come sempre mi inchino a te o mia Mary

[Robert Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a direct sequel to SanGiovanni's The Hollower, which has become one of my favorites of the genre. Though the first book reaches a satisfactory ending and doesn't require a sequel, this book picks up right where it left off. You'll see some familiar faces as well as some new ones, and the monster seems even more terrifying in many ways than in the first book.

It's particularly difficult to pull off a good sequel in horror. Much of the horror in the first book owes its efficacy to the fact that the characters face a literally faceless...something. They don't know what it is, and in that not knowing, there is terror. Once the monster is unmasked, so to speak, it's far more difficult to scare the reader. That's true of this book as well. Whereas the first book was far scarier because of its careful exploitation of the unknown, this book, despite raising the stakes in many ways, is not as scary. However, even in the absence of many real chills, the book nevertheless manages to pack an emotional punch by deeply exploring many issues the characters face, related to the monster or not.

There's an important idea beneath this book. It's also explored in The Hollower, but I think it comes out perhaps even more explicitly here. Consider all of your human failures. Your fears, your guilt, your insecurity, your negative emotions. The monster in this book exploits and feeds on those. I think that's an important idea, because it forces the reader to grapple with the potentially catastrophic consequences of incorrect or irrational thinking, and it forces the reader to consider both the utility and pitfalls of human emotion.

For a book that covers such deep philosophical ground, it also manages to be a remarkably quick and action-packed read. It's the kind of book that, once you've started, you'll struggle to put down.

Did I like it as much as The Hollower? I'd have to reluctantly say no. Though I've given both books a five-star rating, I do think the first book remains the superior novel, though not by much. Both are excellent reads and both are highly recommended. I do recommend that you read The Hollower before trying this one. Though technically the author gives you enough information here that you could read it as a stand-alone, your experience will be significantly enriched if you read the first book first.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Hollower, there was one passage that was from the point of view of the faceless creature. This is hard to do well, as it can undermine the creepiness of a monster. SanGiovanni makes it work, however, and includes more of this in this volume. The new creature is a Primary, more powerful than the Secondary that our heroes fought before. It can affect the physical world in ways the Secondary couldn’t. This makes it seem unbeatable, but its weakness seems to be its need to feed on people’s insecurities and despair. That causes it to keep its prey alive beyond the point where its own hatred and rage cause it to want to kill them outright, giving our heroes time to find ways to fight.

The ending is a little quick and sudden, but somehow it works. Especially since I know there’s a book three in the series, which I’m looking forward to, although it’s hard to imagine how our heroes could possibly succeed against something even more dangerous! Dorrie is a little one-note in her weight obsession, but most of the characters have depth and a decent amount of background. This is an enjoyable creepy tale!


Consider my rating a 4.5
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/02/r...

[John Bruni · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent follow up to The Hollower. I like the first better, but this one is almost as good. This time Dave and company face off against a bigger, deadlier Hollower, and things get freaky. It's great horror fun. Just don't get too attached to the returning characters, he said darkly . . .

There is one thing that didn't work for me, though. Every chapter has a Hollower incident. It's a bit overkill, if you ask me. I think a creature like the Hollower works better when he's not "onscreen" so often. I liken it to the Hellraiser movies. Everyone loves Pinhead, but I think he works much better when he's barely in the movie. That's why I liked Hellraiser Inferno so much. If the Hollower hung back a bit more often, I think he'd be more effective.

But there are really delicious scenes with him in it. I'll let you discover that for yourself.

[Greg Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this horror book is a follow-up to "The Hollower". Pretty much if you take Slender Man, Freddy Kruger and Hellraiser, you have these Hollower creatures. They feed on fear, doubts, etc. and are targeting a group of people who killed on in the 1st book, along with some new characters. Pretty well done.

[Christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid sequel that doesn't quite live up to its predecessor.

[Aleksandar Sogno tra i libri Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recensione online:
https://sognotrailibri.blogspot.com/2...



Le paure che porta a galla l'Hollower non sono così tremende quanto l'ansia di vederlo comparire nel buio pronto a dilaniare le carni delle persone. 
Nonostante questo romanzo sia un horror/thriller non manca l'occasione per la nascita di una storia d'amore. Ci saranno delle perdite, sacrifici e anche lacrime. Il romanzo si legge tutto d'un fiato ed è molto scorrevole e non annoia mai. L'autrice ha saputo infondere nel lettore quella quantità di curiosità giusta per proseguirne la lettura. E ora? Ora voglio il terzo. Ho bisogno di capire dove andrà a parare l'autrice anche se qualcosina la sospetto. 

Si sarebbe assicurato che morissero, ciascuno di loro. Anche i nuovi. Avrebbe distrutto ogni filo della loro esistenza e li avrebbe ridotti come era stato ridotto il suo Simile, e si sarebbe nutrito finché i vuoti non fossero stati riempiti al punto da scoppiare. 

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this sequel to "The Hollower," another of the evil Hollowers -- creatures that feed on anxiety, fear, and despair -- seeks revenge against a band of friends who killed one of its kind in the earlier book. Starts off a little slow, but picks up when the group of friends set out to hunt the predator.

[Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome, spine-tingling, blood-chilling read. Should come with a warning label. 'Warning: contains nightmares.'

[Roxie Gallinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

All I can say is...Different