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Hollow World: Definitive Edition

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Detective Charlie Walker's worst nightmare comes true when his family is brutally kidnapped while on vacation at Walt Disney World. In order to rescue his wife and daughters, he must enter a dark, dangerous world of vicious trials and sadistic mind games concocted by a brilliant but psychotic nemesis.

All Charlie Walker wanted was to get away from the stress of life as Detroit's most renowned detective, so a family trip to his favorite place, Walt Disney World, couldn't come soon enough. But an unknown nemesis has other plans for Charlie's vacation at The Most Magical Place on Earth.... When the detective's wife and children are kidnapped in a sophisticated and brazen attack, a brilliant psychopath sets into motion a cunning game of cat and mouse, and Charlie has no choice but to play along, or risk losing the people dearest to him. Using Walt Disney World as his chessboard, Charlie's tormentor gleefully stages a nail-biting series of dark and sadistic challenges designed not only to test Walker's intelligence, but also his sanity. And just when it seems like all hope is lost, help comes from the last person on Earth he'd expect. Hollow World is part Sherlock Holmes , part Die Hard , and part Taken — high-stakes, heart-pounding action set smack-dab in the middle of The House of the Mouse. As with the best Hollywood blockbusters, Pobursky keeps you glued to your seat, waiting to see how this deadly war of minds will play out.

“It grabs you by the throat and takes you on a thrilling E-Ticket full of twists and turns that never let up.”
—George Taylor, Imaginerding.com

“Pobursky crosses Jack Bauer, Sherlock Holmes, and John McClane to create the greatest action hero ever to set foot in Walt Disney World.”
—Jeff Heimbuch, Micechat.com

“This is no Kingdom Keepers . This is edgy, suspenseful, violent, R-rated fiction for adults. But it’s also smart as hell.”
—Leonard Kinsey, The Dark Side of Disney

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 4, 2013

19 people are currently reading
305 people want to read

About the author

Nick Pobursky

12 books10 followers

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5 stars
49 (30%)
4 stars
52 (32%)
3 stars
41 (25%)
2 stars
14 (8%)
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6 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Colin.
21 reviews5 followers
November 16, 2013
Quite simply, i LOVED this book. Ok, so being set at Disney I'm going to be biased but it was great fun. I connected with a lot of the characters and got emotionally involved (especially towards the end). I was constantly trying to second guess the way the story would go too.

Essentially it feels like Die Hard, meets Saw in the home of the mouse, it's action packed and gung ho but thats never a bad thing. I'm looking forward to reading more.
1 review
January 21, 2014
Another gem from Bamboo Forest! This Die Hard-esque adventure from Nick Pobursky freakin' rocks! This book from start to finish is a thrill to read. It felt like I was reading a movie. I could visualize each sentence due to the fantastic imagery woven with every word by Mr. Pobursky. I was taken by the amazing artwork on the cover, and the content on the inside adds to it's brilliance! This is a must read for any Disney fan! I look forward to reading the next book by Nick Pobursky and Bamboo Forest! Cheers!
Profile Image for October.
7 reviews1 follower
January 6, 2014
I won this book in a giveaway. When I started reading the first two or three chapters they were ok but after that I was hooked. I finished the book within a day and a half. I really liked how detailed the book was and how I never know what's going to happen next. It was very fun guessing what would happen and figuring out what some of the clues meant. Id read it again I enjoyed it so much.
Profile Image for Redfox5.
1,660 reviews58 followers
June 23, 2021
Not only was this a pretty decent crime/thriller novel, with a likeable hero and a bunch of cool supporting characters, it was set in Disney World.

I honestly miss Disney World so much, no idea when I'll next get to go but this book made me feel so nostalgic, even though things like a kidnapping don't normally happen when I'm there on holiday!

Exciting page turner, would recommend!
Profile Image for Deb Bartram.
160 reviews4 followers
never-finished
January 31, 2015
I could not finish this book, and that is highly unusual for me. I thought the writing was poor and the premise, which sounded very promising, turned out in my opinion to be very cheesy. My husband and I are great Disney fans so this was disappointing.
Profile Image for Daniel Butcher.
2,961 reviews2 followers
December 2, 2013
From BetweenDisney.Com

Honestly Detective Charlie Walker may be having the worst Walt Disney World vacation ever! Sure his entire family loves the resort, but when your family is kidnapped from the Magic Kingdom Park as they sit right next to you, well it is sure to kick off a bummer of a trip! Will Charlie be able to save his family and his love of Disney Parks?

Hollow World by Nick Pobursky offers the fictional story of Detroit Detective Charlie Walker. Walker is an intelligent and hard-working officer who made a local splash a few years earlier when he caught a local serial killer. Walker who has Sherlock Holmes like deduction skills does have one retreat from the stress of his detective work, regularly visiting the Walt Disney World Resort with his wife and two daughters. While on his latest trip things go painfully wrong as Walker's family is kidnapped within the confines of Tomorrowland! The kidnapper is a genius, organized mad man who has established an elaborate challenge for Charlie, with the prize being his own family. Charlie must defeat the villain's puzzle set up within Walt Disney World. And the consequences of failure may be beyond the lives of Charlie's family.

I usually do not read this type of book, mystery thriller. So I was a little wary that this book would fall flat with me. However, Pobursky provided two hooks that pulled me into the story. First, and most obvious, is the setting of the Walt Disney World Resort which drew me in as a Disney Parks fan. Second, though I am not a first-class detective, Charlie is a family man who loves Walt Disney World. So I can relate to him. And his problem of saving his family is one that does provide plenty of tension for me. Though I will admit compared to Charlie I would be completely useless. So knowing that I would be lost in this scenario and completely overwhelmed, the story effectively had weight for me. Luckily for the story, Charlie Walker is a smarter man than I (or at least more logical).

Along with Charlie there are a number of interesting characters that help the story move along. The villain, Spencer Holloway, is precise, intelligent, creepy and immoral. The lives of others mean nothing to him and you really believe he will kill the entire Walker family from the youngest daughter to Charlie himself. Henchman Jeremy is a complicated story of compliance and naughtiness. And Team X-Ray whose interference in the Walker's life changes Holloway's game, is full of interesting characters who I can see carrying a story of their own. So again, despite not typically reading this type of book, I found it very interesting and enjoyable.

Pobursky succeeds at bringing realism to the story. For Disney fans stuck in their hotel rooms, Stacy makes the story. And of course that simple fact provides authenticity to the story since you can see the television loop in your head. And for the action, I spent a good thirty minutes Googling the very real Microtech knives. And the security situation at the gates of Disney's Hollywood Studio will ring true and a little scary. The book jacket states that the book is R-Rated Fiction, and I can see how this statement could scare away some readers. But again, I would say do not let this pull you away from the story. The R-Rated situations are similar to those found in thrillers and action-adventures. And they strike realistic to the story. And unlike other Disney based fiction stories, Pobursky does not provide a fictitious history of the parks to support his stories. Instead the resort serves as a real place with a real history in which the story is occurring.

So, do I recommend this book? Yes, this is such a no-brainer for me. I read the print book and believe it is a great vacation read. It was bigger than a paperback novel, but still fit nicely in my book bag. I read it over my Thanksgiving break, which could explain why I pictured Holloway as the Duke of Weselton from Frozen. I had received a review copy, but if I had not I would have instantly purchased the Kindle version for myself, because its only $3.99. I so often see books that publishers offer in both a print and electronic format where the electronic format is only a few dollars less than the print edition. But here Bamboo Forest Publishing proves yet again they are concerned with getting their author's work into the hands of the Disney fan instead of gouging pocketbooks. Seriously at that price, even if you are just meh on this read, you have lost virtually nothing.

Hollow World by Nick Pobursky is an action story that draws the reader into the story set within Walt Disney World. The reader is tense as one wonders if Walker or his family survives, since it is clear that not everyone will make it through Pobursky's tale unharmed. Hollow World is a fun read that will likely appeal to action-adventure fans (even those with limited knowledge of the Walt Disney World Resort) and Disney fans alike. Honestly, I would really enjoy a sequel involving these characters, even if it was set outside my favorite parks. I wonder if the Walker's have never gone to Universal, I mean I have not but maybe the Walkers could!

Post-Credit Scene: As a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) I am always looking for Easter Eggs and Post-Credit scenes. I chuckled as Pobursky gives his reader a post-credit scene, okay its "Acknowledgement", that tips a figurative hat to the MCU. And you have to read the "About the Author" section which has a trademarked chuckle or two, and a promise familiar to James Bond and MCU fans.


Review Copy Provided by Publisher
4 reviews
December 29, 2013
I read this entire book cover to cover in one day. I was sad when it was over, so then I read Hollow World Origins after. Can't wait to see Charlie Walker again soon.

As a WDW fanatic, I was intrigued by a story set in Walt Disney World. But once I started reading it, I was more enthralled with the characters in the book. As a mother, I couldn't wait to see the outcome, I couldn't imagine anything bad happening to my child while being in the happiest place on earth.

Charlie Walker is a devoted family man who loves his family more than life itself. It is evident by how he maintains his composure while being taunted in a cat and mouse game with a sadistic killer who has kidnapped his wife and children right under his nose while they are vacationing at Walt Disney World. You really feel for the man, as well as his wife and little girls. You can imagine how it would be if you were in the same situation. Charlie never loses it, he sees the end in sight. His family also never loses hope either, this is truly a family that believes in each other. What should have been the scariest thing in the world for the little girls, they manage to remain true to their belief that their dad will rescue them. The villan is all too real and scary. There are many sadistic creeps out in the world just like him. A snake in sheeps clothing. His sidekick is even more real, the ones you read about in the paper every day.

Any family that has ever been on vacation in the happiest place in the world will definitely love this book. I knew exactly where Nick was inside and outside the parks. It is set in WDW, however it is not at all about it. The story that takes place is very exciting, fast paced, with twists and turns that keep you guessing. You are deep into the story, but you can relate to where it is taking place, which is kind of neat. I can definitely see this being turned into a movie!

The way Nick writes this taking place in WDW is so realistic. It made me think. I will definitely watch when going through security as well as pay more attention to the people and cast members walking around the parks.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves family and fast paced, action thrillers. You will love it.
Profile Image for Kiley Flynn.
4 reviews
September 7, 2014
This book was featured on Communicore Weekly, one of my favorite Disney podcasts, and from the moment I heard about it, I knew I had to read it. Being the rather hardcore Disney fan I am, I'm often critical of fictional novels taking place at the Disney parks because they can often times be inaccurate, location wise. But Hollow World was different. All of the locations and the movement from location to location is accurate and very possible. The story is also very exciting and keeps you enthralled for the entire story. The story could be set anywhere and hold itself up as a good story. The characters are also very well written and have a lot of depth to them, even the children in the story which can be rare. It just so happened that it had the added bonus of being set at Walt Disney World, which made it more intriguing and enthralling because of all places, it's the last place you would envision something of this sort happening. This book isn't for the faint of heart, since there's quite a lot of heavily described violence and crude language, but for those who enjoy mystery/crime novels and are fans of Disney, especially Disney World, this is the book for you.
Profile Image for LB.
372 reviews
May 31, 2015
This book appears to be written by someone who went to Disney world a few times then watched a cop shoe and thought... I should write a book! And not even have anyone proofread or edit it! Terribly written.

The "hero" is the most wonderful man alive, BRILLIANT, handsome ,charming, resourceful, smarter than a whip - and you are reminded of this frequently.... almost as much as you are reminded that the baddie put others to his test and they all failed, FAILED, because he is so smart and cunning that nobody can live up to him!

When you are rooting for the good guy to die... its a terrible book.

I want to burn this book so nobody accidentally reads it. It is that bad.
Profile Image for Scott.
Author 34 books30 followers
December 2, 2013
A really fun thriller set in Walt Disney World! Charlie Walker arrives with his family for a relaxing week in the World, but when they disappear (like magic, on the PeopleMover), he finds himself matching wits with a genius super-villain of sorts. I read this really fast and I really enjoyed it. Not for the G-rated Disney entertainment fan, perhaps, because this was a gritty thriller with plenty of adult action. But if you're a fan of the genre, I highly recommend it.
Profile Image for Nadine.
836 reviews9 followers
August 8, 2014
CRAZY GOOD!!! Loved this book, it has lots of action and I couldn't put it down!! Even though it takes place in Disney..,,it really has nothing to do with the story, but I still loved hearing about the so familiar rides and settings. Great characters!! I cannot wait for this author to come out with another Charlie Walker book. Happy Reading:)
Profile Image for Hadessephy.
398 reviews16 followers
December 30, 2021
This is what happens when "Blue Bloods" meets "Saw" at the Magic Kingdom. This was a highly entertaining thriller that I read while in Disney world which made it more fun! Well written for the most part except when the author kept repeating and spelling out things to the reader that really wasn't nesscary. But all and all a great mystery and good addition to Disney fiction.
Profile Image for Renee.
212 reviews1 follower
January 27, 2015
A book set in WDW? Sure I'm game. A bit violent. But it is not a kids book by any stretch of the imagination. Quick read.
762 reviews10 followers
January 19, 2014
Hollow World is a book that I won from the goodreads giveaway. As always, I am thanking the' powers that be' who picked me to win the free book.

Mr. Probursky started the book out with what was going to be a cerebral cat and mouse game between a detective and a smug, overconfident genius psychopath. If he had stayed in this vein a bit longer, I think I would have enjoyed the book a bit better. But, alas, he strayed off of that scenario into the land of Feds and terrorists, bombs and mercenaries.

While this was interesting, and fairly well done, I still think the original plot theme would have been much more interesting and not something that has been done to death by other writers.

The only real gripe that I have about the book is that Mr. Probursky tried too hard to make us like or dislike who he wanted us to like and dislike. He got a bit tedious in trying to convince us how moral and heroic Charlie was and how vain and mentally unstable Holloway was. Repetition is not my friend...I think most readers are smart enough to figure it out for themselves. I know that I am.

But other than that...the book was definitely worth my time.
Profile Image for Andrew.
218 reviews20 followers
January 1, 2014
Picked this up as parting material on my flight home from Orlando. The concept isn't bad, it held my interest long enough to get through the book. If you're into movies with The Rock or Schwarzenegger, this is probably up your alley. It's chock full of action film cliches, but with the twist of being set at Walt Disney World. The trouble is that unlike Our Kingdom of Dust where the Disney setting really framed the book and lended authenticity, here I felt it detracted from that action-hero plot. When Disney references were thrown in, it all felt a bit forced, and undermined the mood Pobursky was trying to create. I honestly think this would have read better if it had been set somewhere else. The writing has flashes of potential, but the author appears to still be honing his craft.
Profile Image for Mikki.
28 reviews2 followers
December 29, 2014
Was excited that this book took place in Disneyworld...until I started reading it- it was more like a young adult book. The characters and situation weren't believable. Disneyworld was just the place where the kidnapping took place instead of a major part of the story. I know if I was kidnapped, I wouldn't be dreamily staring down at Magic Kingdom from the room I was being held in, wishing I was riding Thunder Mountain. I wouldn't be ordering every item on the room service menu and stuffin my face while we were being threatened. And the detective whose family was kidnapped , who is apparently a highly intelligent mastermind detective doesn't recognize the signs leading up to and during the kidnapping ( which happened right in his presence).
84 reviews3 followers
December 7, 2014
A brilliant detective on vacation at Walt Disney World. A criminal mastermind who kidnaps his family. A battle of wits at the Happiest Place on Earth... that quickly deteriorated into just another action film. It was a fun read, but it didn't live up to the potential that it had set itself up for. As I began reading, it seemed like such a great idea: a modern day Holmes and Moriarty trying to outwit each other in the familiar world of the Disney theme parks. But before it even got started, it shifted into a violent, Die Hard-type scenario that's been done before. Entertaining but disappointing.
Profile Image for Patty Rice.
6 reviews
September 11, 2014
If you love Walt Disney World and enjoy thrillers, you need to read this one. The story plays out amid some very familiar backdrops and gives new meaning to family vacation. I recommend you read Hollow World:Origins, a prequel of 3 short stories, first but it is not necessary to enjoy the novel.
Profile Image for Maryj76.
8 reviews5 followers
September 28, 2014
A fun read for anyone who is a fan of Walt Disney World. I would have given it 4 stars, but I felt that the language used in it was a little over the top for a book that takes place in a Disney park/resort.
Profile Image for Will Scott.
8 reviews
January 21, 2024
I loved this book. It was right up my alley. A good suspense novel with Disney World setting! What's not to love? I won't say it's a masterpiece of literature. But its definitely worth a read for all Disney fans.
91 reviews1 follower
September 20, 2015
I could not put this book down.

A reader unfamiliar with Disney World would not really get this book. For me - a lover of all things Disney who stays at Bay Lake every time I go there - this book was amazing. He put in so many details!

I hope that Charlie Walker returns for more!!
Profile Image for Jennifer.
56 reviews8 followers
January 25, 2014
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway contest.

Normally I love detective stories, and I've always loved Disney, but unfortunately I didn't love this book.
1 review
December 12, 2014
Fun book. Read like a movie. Definitely want to read more.
Profile Image for Lynn.
1,155 reviews
May 8, 2015
Terrorists, kidnappers, CIA, police, shoot-em-up in Walt Disney Land. What more could you ask for!?
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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