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Blackwood Tapes #1
The Hollow Ones
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2020)Like a Jack Reacher crime thriller... with a Van Helsing-style demon hunter - The GuardianFrom the Oscar-winning director of Pan's Labyrinth , The Shape of Water , and Hellboy, and the authors of The Strain comes a new paranormal thriller - X-FILES meets Ben Aaronovitch.______________________________________A horrific crime that defies ordinary explanation.A rookie FBI agent in dangerous, uncharted territory.An extraordinary hero for the ages.Odessa's life is derailed when she's forced to turn her gun on her partner, who turns suddenly, inexplicably violent while apprehending a rampaging murderer. The shooting, justified by self-defence, shakes Odessa to her core and she is placed on desk leave pending a full investigation.But what most troubles her isn't the tragedy itself - it's the shadowy presence she thought she saw fleeing the deceased agent's body after his death.Questioning her future with the FBI and her sanity, Odessa accepts a low-level assignment to clear out the belongings of a retired agent in the New York office. What she finds there will put her on the trail of a mysterious figure named John Blackwood, a man of enormous means who claims to have been alive for centuries. What he tells her could mean he's an unhinged lunatic. That, or he's humanity's best and only defence against an unspeakable evil that could corrupt even the best of us . . .
325 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2020
996 people are currently reading
20657 people want to read
About the author
Guillermo del Toro
154 books5,031 followersGuillermo del Toro is a Mexican director mostly known for his acclaimed films Pan's Labyrinth, The Devils Backbone, Crimson Peak and the Hellboy film franchise. His films draw heavily on sources as diverse as weird fiction, fantasy, horror, and war. In 2009, Del Toro released his debut novel, The Strain, co-authored with Chuck Hogan, as the first part of The Strain Trilogy, an apocalyptic horror series featuring vampires. The series continued with The Fall in 2010 and concluded with The Night Eternal in 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,248 reviews
August 16, 2020
These days, I'll usually DNF anything I'm not enjoying - life's too short, and my TBR is too long. But once in a while I'll push through, in this case because Guillermo del Toro is one of my absolute favourite people and creators; hopefully my sense that he comes up with concepts and Chuck Hogan does the writing is correct, because damn,
It's a pain, too, because the synopsis for The Hollow Ones is pretty much my catnip - secret supernatural goings on investigated by a man haunted with centuries of regret? I went into this expecting great things. But alas, 'twas not to be. Unlike this book, let me do some showing, rather than just telling...
"Luddite?" He glanced at her. "If you are referring to the early-nineteenth-century protest by textile workers who smashed their looms in fear of being replaced by lesser-paid, lesser-skilled works, then no. I would gladly welcome obsolescence. If you refer to the modern misconception of that protest, implying an aversion to technological advancement in general, then yes."
URGH. We all know that guy - usually they grow out of it. Apparently not here, if it hasn't happened in 450 years.
His height surprised her, yet he was trim in a way most men of modern diets are not. Vegetarian, she thought.
Vegetarian? Huh? This vegetarianism or carnivore status is literally never brought up again.
"It is very important to you not to appear submissive or subservient in any way, isn't it."
Same guy from the first quote, our paranormal protagonist, who is addressing the fact that the FBI agent whose house he just broke into for their first meeting isn't offering him assistance - just as well, if he thinks assistance is some sort of servitude.
"Pigmeat?" said the cook.
"That's pork," explained Solomon.
Good news, folks, Solomon is here to translate the entirely arcane utterings of short-order cooks.
"How old do I look?"
Odessa shrugged, walking along the table behind him. "Thirty-five."
"Then I am thirty-five," he said.
She passed a collection of writing instruments in an old glass jar. "How long have you been thirty-five years old?"
"Ah," he said. "Now you are asking the right questions."
The Simpsons Twilight did it first.
I'm getting snarky towards the end here. I almost never get snarky in book reviews, because no matter how much I didn't like it, a) reading is incredibly subjective and far be it from me to declare myself the last word in opinions, and b) writing is hard, and anyone who does the work of getting a novel out there deserves better than me getting all sarcastic with them. But whichever listed author did the work here, they both know better. If, like me, you're partway through this and tempted to give up? I vote do it. As I said above, life is just too short.
It's a pain, too, because the synopsis for The Hollow Ones is pretty much my catnip - secret supernatural goings on investigated by a man haunted with centuries of regret? I went into this expecting great things. But alas, 'twas not to be. Unlike this book, let me do some showing, rather than just telling...
"Luddite?" He glanced at her. "If you are referring to the early-nineteenth-century protest by textile workers who smashed their looms in fear of being replaced by lesser-paid, lesser-skilled works, then no. I would gladly welcome obsolescence. If you refer to the modern misconception of that protest, implying an aversion to technological advancement in general, then yes."
URGH. We all know that guy - usually they grow out of it. Apparently not here, if it hasn't happened in 450 years.
His height surprised her, yet he was trim in a way most men of modern diets are not. Vegetarian, she thought.
Vegetarian? Huh? This vegetarianism or carnivore status is literally never brought up again.
"It is very important to you not to appear submissive or subservient in any way, isn't it."
Same guy from the first quote, our paranormal protagonist, who is addressing the fact that the FBI agent whose house he just broke into for their first meeting isn't offering him assistance - just as well, if he thinks assistance is some sort of servitude.
"Pigmeat?" said the cook.
"That's pork," explained Solomon.
Good news, folks, Solomon is here to translate the entirely arcane utterings of short-order cooks.
"How old do I look?"
Odessa shrugged, walking along the table behind him. "Thirty-five."
"Then I am thirty-five," he said.
She passed a collection of writing instruments in an old glass jar. "How long have you been thirty-five years old?"
"Ah," he said. "Now you are asking the right questions."
I'm getting snarky towards the end here. I almost never get snarky in book reviews, because no matter how much I didn't like it, a) reading is incredibly subjective and far be it from me to declare myself the last word in opinions, and b) writing is hard, and anyone who does the work of getting a novel out there deserves better than me getting all sarcastic with them. But whichever listed author did the work here, they both know better. If, like me, you're partway through this and tempted to give up? I vote do it. As I said above, life is just too short.
April 12, 2022
Well this was disappointing.
This is "Horror fiction" and a not very suspenseful novel. Don't get me wrong it wasn't horrible it just wasn't very good. It didn't draw from any character development so the characters were shallow (the book would have been more aptly named "The Shallow ones") and lacking in interest. A lot of times It reads very much like a screen play. I was waiting to read the "fade to night", "Scene 2 act: 1" etc..., directions.
1 to 2 stars.
This is "Horror fiction" and a not very suspenseful novel. Don't get me wrong it wasn't horrible it just wasn't very good. It didn't draw from any character development so the characters were shallow (the book would have been more aptly named "The Shallow ones") and lacking in interest. A lot of times It reads very much like a screen play. I was waiting to read the "fade to night", "Scene 2 act: 1" etc..., directions.
1 to 2 stars.
July 28, 2020
Reminiscent of THE THING or perhaps FALLING ANGEL, THE HOLLOW ONES was a good time!
We follow a young female FBI agent named Odessa Hardwicke, as she is temporarily suspended for an officer involved shooting, wherein her partner was the victim and she the perpetrator. She ends up taking a desk job until everything is sorted out. She takes over the desk of an agent on medical leave and for...spoiler-ific reasons, she goes to meet him. He then tells her to mail a letter, which she does and then, POOF! We meet Hugo Blackwood, Occult Detective. Why did she shoot her own partner? How is Blackwood going to help her? You'll have to read this to find out!
I absolutely love the idea of an occult detective and this one being named Mr. Blackwood, is, (I'm guessing), an homage to Algernon. I need to know more about him and the Hollow Ones. Being a man who has lived for a long, long time there could be many more stories about him and his history. I want to read them.
Brittany Pressley is the narrator and she's completely new to me. I thought her voicing performance was pretty good. (I think Ray Porter has spoiled me as far as narrators go, he is so great at changing voices.)
I'm being totally honest here, this book did not knock my socks off. It did pique my interest, though, and I enjoyed the finale quite a bit-enough to continue on with the series. I hope that Mr. Blackwood will be an integral part of it, as I found him to be infinitely more interesting than Odessa.
Recommended!
Available everywhere August 4th, but you can pre-order here: https://amzn.to/39zQfBV
*Thank to the publisher and NetGalley for the audio download provided in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
We follow a young female FBI agent named Odessa Hardwicke, as she is temporarily suspended for an officer involved shooting, wherein her partner was the victim and she the perpetrator. She ends up taking a desk job until everything is sorted out. She takes over the desk of an agent on medical leave and for...spoiler-ific reasons, she goes to meet him. He then tells her to mail a letter, which she does and then, POOF! We meet Hugo Blackwood, Occult Detective. Why did she shoot her own partner? How is Blackwood going to help her? You'll have to read this to find out!
I absolutely love the idea of an occult detective and this one being named Mr. Blackwood, is, (I'm guessing), an homage to Algernon. I need to know more about him and the Hollow Ones. Being a man who has lived for a long, long time there could be many more stories about him and his history. I want to read them.
Brittany Pressley is the narrator and she's completely new to me. I thought her voicing performance was pretty good. (I think Ray Porter has spoiled me as far as narrators go, he is so great at changing voices.)
I'm being totally honest here, this book did not knock my socks off. It did pique my interest, though, and I enjoyed the finale quite a bit-enough to continue on with the series. I hope that Mr. Blackwood will be an integral part of it, as I found him to be infinitely more interesting than Odessa.
Recommended!
Available everywhere August 4th, but you can pre-order here: https://amzn.to/39zQfBV
*Thank to the publisher and NetGalley for the audio download provided in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
December 21, 2020
La verdad es que me ha gustado mucho. Hay algunas cosas que parecen haberse quedado sin resolver, pero en general me ha gustado mucho la historia con este toque de paranormal.
La historia se centra en unos sucesos muy extraños que parecen estar relacionados con un caso en que se ve implicada la protagonista. Un agente del FBI a la que el caso no sale como ella esperaba, termina disparando a su compañero, en defensa propia, por un comportamiento extraño, Eso hace que por el momento se vea apartada de la investigación y le Asignan vaciar el despacho de un ex agente, éste le hablará de algo que ella nunca habría imaginado.
Los personajes creo que están bien construidos me ha gustado el hecho de que explique cosas del pasado que pasaron con el anterior policía y me he quedado con ganas de saber mucho más acerca de los casos que él ha llevado.También me ha gustado mucho la figura de esa persona que representa haber salido de la nada, Hugo Blackwood, un señor que parece de otra época y que tiene un punto muy misterioso.
Y creo que la historia deja con ganas demás y ya tengo ganas de saber que sucederá en el próximo libro.
La historia se centra en unos sucesos muy extraños que parecen estar relacionados con un caso en que se ve implicada la protagonista. Un agente del FBI a la que el caso no sale como ella esperaba, termina disparando a su compañero, en defensa propia, por un comportamiento extraño, Eso hace que por el momento se vea apartada de la investigación y le Asignan vaciar el despacho de un ex agente, éste le hablará de algo que ella nunca habría imaginado.
Los personajes creo que están bien construidos me ha gustado el hecho de que explique cosas del pasado que pasaron con el anterior policía y me he quedado con ganas de saber mucho más acerca de los casos que él ha llevado.También me ha gustado mucho la figura de esa persona que representa haber salido de la nada, Hugo Blackwood, un señor que parece de otra época y que tiene un punto muy misterioso.
Y creo que la historia deja con ganas demás y ya tengo ganas de saber que sucederá en el próximo libro.
April 28, 2020
Oh boy - one of those reviews I don’t really want to do.
I’ll start by saying that it’s a fast, entertaining read. I finished it extremely quickly.
But…
It was not epic.
Having read and loved the authors before, I expected epic. I expected a book that would thrust me into a world so dark and compelling that I couldn’t come up for air. What I got was Denzel Washington flashbacks.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Denzel. But this was Fallen starring Denzel Washington mashed up with a little Exorcist prequel. It wasn’t original.
Most of the characters fell flat. The only one I felt like we really got to know was an FBI agent who was one of the first African American agents. I loved him. I felt like I knew him.
This is the first in a series. There’s certainly room for the series to grow into something more fully realized and I did enjoy the first book enough that I would happily read the second.
It just wasn’t quite what I’d hoped for.
I’ll start by saying that it’s a fast, entertaining read. I finished it extremely quickly.
But…
It was not epic.
Having read and loved the authors before, I expected epic. I expected a book that would thrust me into a world so dark and compelling that I couldn’t come up for air. What I got was Denzel Washington flashbacks.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Denzel. But this was Fallen starring Denzel Washington mashed up with a little Exorcist prequel. It wasn’t original.
Most of the characters fell flat. The only one I felt like we really got to know was an FBI agent who was one of the first African American agents. I loved him. I felt like I knew him.
This is the first in a series. There’s certainly room for the series to grow into something more fully realized and I did enjoy the first book enough that I would happily read the second.
It just wasn’t quite what I’d hoped for.
February 11, 2021
Los Seres Huecos se desarrolla en tres épocas distintas: 2019, 1962, 1582.
A través de diversos saltos en el tiempo iremos conociendo la historia de un agente del FBI jubilado y de un cazador de 400 años, que ayudarán a nuestra protagonista, Odessa Hardwicke, agente del FBI, a encontrar las respuestas que busca.
Tiene un comienzo interesante con un misterioso buzón, pero luego se desarrolla la trama sin excesivas sorpresas. Una novela policiaca con tintes paranormales sin más pretensiones que las de hacernos pasar un buen rato.
Guillermo del Toro es más conocido por su faceta cinematográfica que por la literaria. Personalmente, me sigo quedando con sus películas.
A través de diversos saltos en el tiempo iremos conociendo la historia de un agente del FBI jubilado y de un cazador de 400 años, que ayudarán a nuestra protagonista, Odessa Hardwicke, agente del FBI, a encontrar las respuestas que busca.
Tiene un comienzo interesante con un misterioso buzón, pero luego se desarrolla la trama sin excesivas sorpresas. Una novela policiaca con tintes paranormales sin más pretensiones que las de hacernos pasar un buen rato.
Guillermo del Toro es más conocido por su faceta cinematográfica que por la literaria. Personalmente, me sigo quedando con sus películas.
July 8, 2020
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
There are horrifying things that humankind has seen occur throughout history. From a single heinous and passionate crime to mass-killings making us wonder if we'll ever be able to prevent these horrors from taking place, evil takes on new forms that simply astonish the most seasoned veterans in the field of crime investigation. But what if the cause of such terrors is beyond Man's reach? What if there are supernatural forces at play that provoke these incidences against our own will? Authors of the New York Times bestselling The Strain trilogy (also an FX TV series that aired from 2014 to 2017) Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan return to write a brand-new novel where a mysterious entity might be at the heart of gruesome crimes throughout history and one man older than time itself might be humanity's only hope to stopping it from taking more innocent lives.
What is The Hollow Ones about? Rookie FBI agent Odessa Hardwicke and her partner Walt Leppo chase after a rampaging murderer heading towards his final targets after having taken multiple lives already. On the scene, the young and new recruit is forced to turn her gun on her partner who acts suspiciously as he attempts to apprehend the murderer. During the tragedy, she noticed a shadowy presence exiting her partner's body that she is unable to rationalize and explain to her comrades, ultimately forcing her to be placed on desk leave. It is upon meeting agent Earl Solomon, the very first Afro-American FBI agent, as well as the mysterious John Silence that she is led down an eerie and occult trail to hunt down an unspeakable evil.
Based on author Algernon Blackwood's character of the same name John Silence, the duo brings us an occult detective tale that is relatively refreshing and fast-paced. The story unfolds through multiple timelines with one of them focusing on Odessa Hardwicke's modern-day predicament as a rookie under investigation who is trying to understand the mysterious sighting she witnessed during the apprehension of the rampaging murderer. A second narrative focuses on the earlier days of agent Earl Solomon as he investigates the lynching of a white man and meets the strange yet quintessential John Silence who might be the key to solving his case. The third point of view is a sparse insight into the mysterious Hollow One that allow the reader to discover its origin, essence, and purpose.
As much as I'd like to admit that it was a breeze to go through this, it remains flawed in its simplicity. Not a single character in this story was developed and given any depth as they embark on this journey to discover the obscure creature, a creature that essentially remains the main mystery of this story. While some interactions with John Silence were entertaining, the other characters had no charisma to allow the reader to form any attachment with them. The pacing of the story also failed to establish any true momentum, often losing itself in dull interactions or boring detours. While its shorter length somewhat worked in its favour, further developing the mystical elements could've helped in establishing the desired horror tone that was unfortunately nonexistent in the end.
The Hollow Ones is a gripping yet poorly-developed occult detective tale featuring the mysterious John Silence.
Thank you to Hachette Book Group Canada for sending me a copy for review!
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
July 25, 2020
When FBI agent Odessa Hardwicke is forced to shoot her partner, a man who until moments before was laughing and joking with her over a meal, everything she thought she knew is thrown into doubt. Shunned by her colleagues and put under investigation she is despatched to clean out a retiring agents office where she discovers records of similar events taking place over multiple centuries, all involving a mysterious figure known as John Silence.
This was a beautifully written book from start to finish. It has a rollicking pace and at 300 pages was quite easy to finish in a couple of sittings. It was dark and atmospheric and had just the right amount of madness and mystery. It takes place over two time periods with the first being present day and the second set in Mississippi in 1962 after the lynching of a white man takes place. Ed Solomon, one of the first black FBI agents, is sent to Delta to investigate and keep the peace before racial tension destroys the small town. When a demonically possessed child tells him to get John Silence, John is summoned and we move completely into the occult and otherworld.
Both Odessa and Ed are nicely put together, similar characters but in very different points of their life. There is simmering resentment within Solomon, an unwillingness to subject another person to Silence and his riddles and secrets. It is matched by the curiosity and anticipation of Odessa. Silence himself is an enigma, ageless, cursed to walk the earth as others die and subject to terrors no one else has any conception of. He is an immortal John Constantine without the smoking.
The Hollow Ones has a couple of really good scares and one or two moments that are truly horrific especially as the demonic presence know as Obediah, as we are told in its two short pov scenes, sees no difference between taking the life of an adult or a child, relishing in the pain caused and the moment of death that is rewarded with an ecstatic expulsion from the hosts body.
The one thing that holds me back from really enjoying this one was a feeling I had very early on and that I never quite shook off. It is incredibly similar to the 1998 movie Fallen starring Denzel Washington and John Goodman and the late James Gandolfini. Fallen is a story of the fallen angel Azreal, a demonic spirit that travels from body to body, murdering innocents and causing havoc all while leaving his hosts with no recollection of their actions. Her target is a police officer played by Denzel, he is accused of being responsible for the murders and he must find a way to defeat the entity whilst…. Well you get it. I’m sure someone did it before Fallen and someone will do it again later and it should not detract from a skillfully written story that stands very much on it’s own two feet but it sort of did.
The Hollow Ones by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan is a fine book that dives headfirst into the world of the occult and demonic possession and takes no prisoners. If you like a good scare and you’ve not encountered this sort of story before I think you’ll absolutely love it. 7.5/10
This arc was provided to me by the lovely people at Grand Central Publishing in exchange from an honest and unbiased review.
This was a beautifully written book from start to finish. It has a rollicking pace and at 300 pages was quite easy to finish in a couple of sittings. It was dark and atmospheric and had just the right amount of madness and mystery. It takes place over two time periods with the first being present day and the second set in Mississippi in 1962 after the lynching of a white man takes place. Ed Solomon, one of the first black FBI agents, is sent to Delta to investigate and keep the peace before racial tension destroys the small town. When a demonically possessed child tells him to get John Silence, John is summoned and we move completely into the occult and otherworld.
Both Odessa and Ed are nicely put together, similar characters but in very different points of their life. There is simmering resentment within Solomon, an unwillingness to subject another person to Silence and his riddles and secrets. It is matched by the curiosity and anticipation of Odessa. Silence himself is an enigma, ageless, cursed to walk the earth as others die and subject to terrors no one else has any conception of. He is an immortal John Constantine without the smoking.
The Hollow Ones has a couple of really good scares and one or two moments that are truly horrific especially as the demonic presence know as Obediah, as we are told in its two short pov scenes, sees no difference between taking the life of an adult or a child, relishing in the pain caused and the moment of death that is rewarded with an ecstatic expulsion from the hosts body.
The one thing that holds me back from really enjoying this one was a feeling I had very early on and that I never quite shook off. It is incredibly similar to the 1998 movie Fallen starring Denzel Washington and John Goodman and the late James Gandolfini. Fallen is a story of the fallen angel Azreal, a demonic spirit that travels from body to body, murdering innocents and causing havoc all while leaving his hosts with no recollection of their actions. Her target is a police officer played by Denzel, he is accused of being responsible for the murders and he must find a way to defeat the entity whilst…. Well you get it. I’m sure someone did it before Fallen and someone will do it again later and it should not detract from a skillfully written story that stands very much on it’s own two feet but it sort of did.
The Hollow Ones by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan is a fine book that dives headfirst into the world of the occult and demonic possession and takes no prisoners. If you like a good scare and you’ve not encountered this sort of story before I think you’ll absolutely love it. 7.5/10
This arc was provided to me by the lovely people at Grand Central Publishing in exchange from an honest and unbiased review.
March 20, 2021
Audio - 4.25 Stars
Story - 3.85 Stars
Story - 3.85 Stars
December 28, 2020
El FBI, detectives ocultos y raros, el mundo sobrenatural, cazadores de demonios y espíritus y temas escalofriantes y sangrientos.
Me ha encantado.
Me ha encantado.
May 4, 2024
One of the best reviews is to simply state that you could not put the book down.
A defense attorney friend who reads lots of crime fiction recommended this, I like Del Toro, and so I was off. This book grabbed me quickly in the first couple of chapters and never let me up and never let me down, there were no slow periods in the middle, no loose ends worrying the narrative to be tied together. The ending got a little weird but contextually it worked.
The first part was a police procedural about an internal FBI investigation with some occult weirdness sprinkled in, and then writers Del Toro and Chuck Hogan (who likely did most of the heavy lifting) keep turning up the amps on the occult and we have some cool urban fantasy goings on with the possibility of more stories to come.
Urban fantasy fans may find comparisons here with Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series as there is a sorcerer / apprentice kind of thing going on, sort of. I found the Rivers of London books to be fun but waned considerably as he kept going. This does not seem to have the same charisma as Aaronovitch’s books, but there does seem to be plenty of upside.
The occult detective sub-genre seems to be getting lots of print time of late, but this was good and I would highly consider reading another one that comes along.
A defense attorney friend who reads lots of crime fiction recommended this, I like Del Toro, and so I was off. This book grabbed me quickly in the first couple of chapters and never let me up and never let me down, there were no slow periods in the middle, no loose ends worrying the narrative to be tied together. The ending got a little weird but contextually it worked.
The first part was a police procedural about an internal FBI investigation with some occult weirdness sprinkled in, and then writers Del Toro and Chuck Hogan (who likely did most of the heavy lifting) keep turning up the amps on the occult and we have some cool urban fantasy goings on with the possibility of more stories to come.
Urban fantasy fans may find comparisons here with Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series as there is a sorcerer / apprentice kind of thing going on, sort of. I found the Rivers of London books to be fun but waned considerably as he kept going. This does not seem to have the same charisma as Aaronovitch’s books, but there does seem to be plenty of upside.
The occult detective sub-genre seems to be getting lots of print time of late, but this was good and I would highly consider reading another one that comes along.
February 21, 2020
Was super excited to receive an ARC but was so disappointed by the time I finished it. The character John Silence is a total ripoff of Pendergast from the Pendergast Series by Preston/Child -looks, clothing, demeanor. Silence even drives the same car and lives in the same building as Pendergast. Total RIPOFF. Two authors of this caliber could surely have created an original character. The only character I liked was Solomon-the 82yo cantankerous ex-FBI agent. I just feel like there could have been MORE...
July 18, 2020
First, I have to say how fast paced and fun this was to listen to. I started it yesterday morning and listened in one sitting. I was sucked in and definitely entertained. That being said, this wasn't really an original idea as the synopsis made it sound.
Let me explain a little on how I rate books, many people do not read my profile, so here it is:
For ☆☆☆ I
Enjoyed reading
Found some minor plot holes
Thought character development needs some work
Felt world building is lacking
Would recommend
Am unlikely to read again
Will likely read next in series
Highlight a few memorable points
Found some minor plot holes
Thought character development needs some work
Felt world building is lacking
Would recommend
Am unlikely to read again
Will likely read next in series
Highlight a few memorable points
So for a four star read, those same points are elevated a bit; five stars, highest level of those points. Make sense?
For The Hollow Ones, I am stuck between three and four. The character development in here was excellent. You don't only see the characters' strengths but also their faults and weaknesses. We feel the pain they go through and their desperation. However, I felt the world building was a bit lacking and maybe that will come in the next story (hopefully).
Originality is not really this story's forte. I've seen Fallen in the 90s and it had a very similar premise. But that didn't take away from the enjoyability of the story itself. I read A LOT so I am always looking for a fresh idea and this was sitting under the heating lamp for a couple hours.
There are a few memorable spots I can't stop thinking about and I won't post there here with risk of spoiling but I can't stop thinking why a grown man would want to eat dried out meatloaf.
3.5 stars rounded up
August 10, 2020
Once again these two collaborators mix a blend of lush silky prose, vivid descriptions and all right but not amazing characters. In fact I thought the strain trilogy overall had better MCs, but still well done on authors part making people that could be real.
The narrator was great preventing me from having heart attack at some tense moments with her steady voice hehe.
The narrator was great preventing me from having heart attack at some tense moments with her steady voice hehe.
May 15, 2021
Lo primero que voy a decir es que me gustan mucho las tramas de Guillermo del Toro con ese punto paranormal que les da que a mi me encanta.
El año pasado me leí su trilogía de la Oscuridad que la escribío conjuntamente con Chuck Hogan, igual que la presente novela, y me pareció una trilogía soberbia.
Esta es una novela diferente, algo más pausada, es más corta y creo que de momento apenas nos hemos adentrado en la trama ya que es el primer libro de una serie, me ha parecido muy original, toda la parte paranomal, todo lo referente a los "seres huecos", aunque creo que no me ha quedado claro todo respecto a ellos.
Por supuesto, voy a seguir con la serie y creo que según avance se me irán aclarando algunas cosas.
Lo que más me ha gustado del libro, es el personaje de Hugo Blackwood, me ha encantado, en algunos momentos hasta me ha hecho reir, me ha parecido muy carismático.
Me ha encantado la trama en 3 tiempos, por una parte en 2019 en Estados Unidos con Odessa como protagonista, otra de ellas también en Estados Unidos pero en 1962 con Solomon como protagonista y por último, en Londres en 1582 donde conoceremos la historia de Hugo Blackwood.
El año pasado me leí su trilogía de la Oscuridad que la escribío conjuntamente con Chuck Hogan, igual que la presente novela, y me pareció una trilogía soberbia.
Esta es una novela diferente, algo más pausada, es más corta y creo que de momento apenas nos hemos adentrado en la trama ya que es el primer libro de una serie, me ha parecido muy original, toda la parte paranomal, todo lo referente a los "seres huecos", aunque creo que no me ha quedado claro todo respecto a ellos.
Por supuesto, voy a seguir con la serie y creo que según avance se me irán aclarando algunas cosas.
Lo que más me ha gustado del libro, es el personaje de Hugo Blackwood, me ha encantado, en algunos momentos hasta me ha hecho reir, me ha parecido muy carismático.
Me ha encantado la trama en 3 tiempos, por una parte en 2019 en Estados Unidos con Odessa como protagonista, otra de ellas también en Estados Unidos pero en 1962 con Solomon como protagonista y por último, en Londres en 1582 donde conoceremos la historia de Hugo Blackwood.
August 13, 2020
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/08/11/...
The Hollow Ones by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan follows a rookie FBI agent named Odessa Hardwicke as she investigates a string of mass murders after she herself survives one of the horrific attacks. At the end of a terrifying hunt for a rampaging killer on the loose, she was forced to shoot her own partner and mentor Walt Leppo after the older agent inexplicably became violent and turned on her. While the shooting was ruled as self-defense, Odessa was nonetheless put on desk duty, traumatized and filled with guilt over what she had to do. She also could not get the moment of Walt’s death out of her mind, when she thought she witnessed a shadowy entity leave his body, though she knew it sounded too crazy for anyone to believe.
Tasked with clearing out the office of a retired agent, Odessa meets Earl Solomon when she brings his belongings to him in the hospital. An old man now, Earl was one of the FBI’s first African American agents who worked on a strange case in Mississippi during in the early 1960s, where he also had his initial fateful encounter with an enigmatic British gentleman named Hugo Blackwood. Threaded through the novel is this secondary timeline in which Earl and Blackwood reluctantly join forces to investigate paranormal activity in the area, kicking off what would be a lifelong working relationship. Back in the present though, Earl recognizes disturbing similarities between Odessa’s story and his own, instantly recognizing that she needs help.
This is how Odessa is introduced to Blackwood, a mysterious figure who seemed to have stepped out of time, looking not a day older than when Earl first met him. As the story follows their desperate race to stop a demon from unleashing more of its evil and chaos, a third timeline takes us to the 16th century delving into Blackwood’s history, explaining his apparent immortality and how the doors of the mortal realm were opened to an invasion of malicious spirits.
As you can probably tell, there are a lot of elements to tease apart here, and not least of them is the acknowledgment mentioned in the book’s foreword regarding the character of John Silence and the “occult detective” subgenre as a whole, credited to famed classic horror writer Algernon Blackwood. The Hollow Ones can thus be regarded as something of a tribute to his work, which is clear from the way Del Toro and Hogan named their own detective protagonist. This undoubtedly gave their book a certain homage feel, though the authors also talked about how they created something completely new out of their inspiration. As John Silence is a character I know of by name only, I don’t feel equipped to make comparisons so I’ll just focus my review on what I enjoyed and what I didn’t.
First, what I liked: There’s a definite cinematic quality to the storytelling, which would be no surprise to anyone familiar with the authors’ work in film or their horror trilogy The Strain. However, I was also all over the urban fantasy vibe I got from The Hollow Ones, speaking as a fan of paranormal crime mysteries. In addition, the book started off in the most intense way, drawing me right into the action. As for the characters, I enjoyed following Odessa, Earl, and Blackwood in their respective POVs, but for me the icing on the cake was the dialogue, filled with clever and pithy banter. Del Toro and Hogan have clearly worked with each other long enough to know what works, and the first half of the novel flowed smoothly, keeping me enthralled with its constant action and mystery.
Now, for what I didn’t like so much. As I said, there’s a lot going on here, with three separate timelines. While the connections between them are eventually revealed, we lose a lot of steam in the meantime because of the split attention. I definitely felt less invested emotionally as the story moved into the second half, when the opposite effect should have been the case. It got just a little too overwhelming, I think, and at the same time, the answers which were finally provided in the end failed to make the impact I’d hoped for.
That said, The Hollow Ones still ended up being better than I expected. While not the most original, the ideas in this book have certainly piqued my interest for more. I’m a big fan of this subgenre, and though the second half was not a strong as the first, I feel there’s potential for future installments to explore more horror and paranormal mysteries, not to mention I would love to see some of these characters in action again.
The Hollow Ones by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan follows a rookie FBI agent named Odessa Hardwicke as she investigates a string of mass murders after she herself survives one of the horrific attacks. At the end of a terrifying hunt for a rampaging killer on the loose, she was forced to shoot her own partner and mentor Walt Leppo after the older agent inexplicably became violent and turned on her. While the shooting was ruled as self-defense, Odessa was nonetheless put on desk duty, traumatized and filled with guilt over what she had to do. She also could not get the moment of Walt’s death out of her mind, when she thought she witnessed a shadowy entity leave his body, though she knew it sounded too crazy for anyone to believe.
Tasked with clearing out the office of a retired agent, Odessa meets Earl Solomon when she brings his belongings to him in the hospital. An old man now, Earl was one of the FBI’s first African American agents who worked on a strange case in Mississippi during in the early 1960s, where he also had his initial fateful encounter with an enigmatic British gentleman named Hugo Blackwood. Threaded through the novel is this secondary timeline in which Earl and Blackwood reluctantly join forces to investigate paranormal activity in the area, kicking off what would be a lifelong working relationship. Back in the present though, Earl recognizes disturbing similarities between Odessa’s story and his own, instantly recognizing that she needs help.
This is how Odessa is introduced to Blackwood, a mysterious figure who seemed to have stepped out of time, looking not a day older than when Earl first met him. As the story follows their desperate race to stop a demon from unleashing more of its evil and chaos, a third timeline takes us to the 16th century delving into Blackwood’s history, explaining his apparent immortality and how the doors of the mortal realm were opened to an invasion of malicious spirits.
As you can probably tell, there are a lot of elements to tease apart here, and not least of them is the acknowledgment mentioned in the book’s foreword regarding the character of John Silence and the “occult detective” subgenre as a whole, credited to famed classic horror writer Algernon Blackwood. The Hollow Ones can thus be regarded as something of a tribute to his work, which is clear from the way Del Toro and Hogan named their own detective protagonist. This undoubtedly gave their book a certain homage feel, though the authors also talked about how they created something completely new out of their inspiration. As John Silence is a character I know of by name only, I don’t feel equipped to make comparisons so I’ll just focus my review on what I enjoyed and what I didn’t.
First, what I liked: There’s a definite cinematic quality to the storytelling, which would be no surprise to anyone familiar with the authors’ work in film or their horror trilogy The Strain. However, I was also all over the urban fantasy vibe I got from The Hollow Ones, speaking as a fan of paranormal crime mysteries. In addition, the book started off in the most intense way, drawing me right into the action. As for the characters, I enjoyed following Odessa, Earl, and Blackwood in their respective POVs, but for me the icing on the cake was the dialogue, filled with clever and pithy banter. Del Toro and Hogan have clearly worked with each other long enough to know what works, and the first half of the novel flowed smoothly, keeping me enthralled with its constant action and mystery.
Now, for what I didn’t like so much. As I said, there’s a lot going on here, with three separate timelines. While the connections between them are eventually revealed, we lose a lot of steam in the meantime because of the split attention. I definitely felt less invested emotionally as the story moved into the second half, when the opposite effect should have been the case. It got just a little too overwhelming, I think, and at the same time, the answers which were finally provided in the end failed to make the impact I’d hoped for.
That said, The Hollow Ones still ended up being better than I expected. While not the most original, the ideas in this book have certainly piqued my interest for more. I’m a big fan of this subgenre, and though the second half was not a strong as the first, I feel there’s potential for future installments to explore more horror and paranormal mysteries, not to mention I would love to see some of these characters in action again.
July 17, 2020
An ancient evil and an occult detective come crashing into Odessa Hardwicke's life. As an FBI agent she thinks she knows how the world works. She has worked hard to be where she is and she know's she's smart enough to get the job done. Then something strange happens and she is forced to turn her gun on her mentor. This is just the beginning, all sorts of crazy and scary things happen.
I really liked Odessa. I liked how smart she was and how she never backed down. I do believe she was one of the first people to ever disagree and argue with Hugo Blackwood, the hero of this story OR I loved those times so much. I also loved Hugo Blackwood's lack of knowledge when it came to modern technology, the electrical torch (flashlight). Their banter his lack of modern knowledge was a comedic relief that was needed in a book like this. A book where Hollow ones can snatch up a body and take over.
I mean... *shiver* Yeah, I'm not about that. It vividly brought back scary memories from childhood. I went through this stage where I was terrified a demon was going to posses me. I prayed so hard for this not to happen. I don't remember if I saw a movie or what brought this on, but it was a real fear my 8 year old self had.
I also really enjoyed all the Supernatural feels I got from it. I kept thinking, "Is this anti demon possession tattoo a real thing?" There was talk about magic and helpful incantations. So this might be a real thing in this world. And if not, it should be.
I really enjoyed this book but it's because I don't really watch tv. I mean Supernatural, but nothing else. And I never watch horror films, they scare me too much. So I didn't see any similarities to other demon movies. I also love detective and investigating shows like Criminal Minds. This combined both! It was full of action and really good flashbacks. I hate when a book has flashbacks and they don't work well. These flashbacks were very well done. The multiple POV's too. I just really liked it okay.
I really liked Odessa. I liked how smart she was and how she never backed down. I do believe she was one of the first people to ever disagree and argue with Hugo Blackwood, the hero of this story OR I loved those times so much. I also loved Hugo Blackwood's lack of knowledge when it came to modern technology, the electrical torch (flashlight). Their banter his lack of modern knowledge was a comedic relief that was needed in a book like this. A book where Hollow ones can snatch up a body and take over.
I mean... *shiver* Yeah, I'm not about that. It vividly brought back scary memories from childhood. I went through this stage where I was terrified a demon was going to posses me. I prayed so hard for this not to happen. I don't remember if I saw a movie or what brought this on, but it was a real fear my 8 year old self had.
I also really enjoyed all the Supernatural feels I got from it. I kept thinking, "Is this anti demon possession tattoo a real thing?" There was talk about magic and helpful incantations. So this might be a real thing in this world. And if not, it should be.
I really enjoyed this book but it's because I don't really watch tv. I mean Supernatural, but nothing else. And I never watch horror films, they scare me too much. So I didn't see any similarities to other demon movies. I also love detective and investigating shows like Criminal Minds. This combined both! It was full of action and really good flashbacks. I hate when a book has flashbacks and they don't work well. These flashbacks were very well done. The multiple POV's too. I just really liked it okay.
September 6, 2020
I wasn't sure what to expect from this newest book by Guillermo Del Toro. I loved The Shape of Water, but Pan's Labryinth (movie and book version) wasn't my thing at all. But....even if a Del Toro story isn't a personal favorite....it's always entertaining and well-done. So, I jumped at the chance to review this audio book.
Every day for a week I listened to this story as I commuted to and from work. I know when an audio book grabs my attention because I can't leave the story once I reach work...I have to listen on breaks, at lunch, while filing, and at home while I do housework, cook dinner, etc. This book definitely grabbed my attention. I had to know what happened next!
A rookie FBI agent forced to shoot her own partner. Several civilians turning strangely violent for no apparent reason. Rookie FBI agent Odessa Hardwicke knows there is something strange about her partner's violent outburst. She saw a shadowy presence leave his body after she killed him. As Odessa begins to wonder if she's losing her mind, she finds herself on the trail of a shadowy figure.....a man who may be hundreds of years old and hold the knowledge to defeat evil.
An awesomely creepy and suspenseful read! I hope they make this into a movie! It is definitely a Del Toro story. It starts off with suspense, but then quickly delves into the strange and bizarre! But....I'm always up for strange and bizarre! I loved listening to this story. Chuck Hogan co-authored this book with Del Toro. He's written several books...I'm definitely going to check out more of his writing. And Del Toro.....well I will definitely be watching more of his movies (except for Pan's Labyrinth...ugh) and books!
Brittany Pressley does a great job of narrating. She has a pleasant, easily understandable voice and reads at a nice pace. All in all, a nice listening experience!
**I listened to a review copy of this audio book from Hachette Audio. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
Every day for a week I listened to this story as I commuted to and from work. I know when an audio book grabs my attention because I can't leave the story once I reach work...I have to listen on breaks, at lunch, while filing, and at home while I do housework, cook dinner, etc. This book definitely grabbed my attention. I had to know what happened next!
A rookie FBI agent forced to shoot her own partner. Several civilians turning strangely violent for no apparent reason. Rookie FBI agent Odessa Hardwicke knows there is something strange about her partner's violent outburst. She saw a shadowy presence leave his body after she killed him. As Odessa begins to wonder if she's losing her mind, she finds herself on the trail of a shadowy figure.....a man who may be hundreds of years old and hold the knowledge to defeat evil.
An awesomely creepy and suspenseful read! I hope they make this into a movie! It is definitely a Del Toro story. It starts off with suspense, but then quickly delves into the strange and bizarre! But....I'm always up for strange and bizarre! I loved listening to this story. Chuck Hogan co-authored this book with Del Toro. He's written several books...I'm definitely going to check out more of his writing. And Del Toro.....well I will definitely be watching more of his movies (except for Pan's Labyrinth...ugh) and books!
Brittany Pressley does a great job of narrating. She has a pleasant, easily understandable voice and reads at a nice pace. All in all, a nice listening experience!
**I listened to a review copy of this audio book from Hachette Audio. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
January 5, 2021
First, I have to say how fast paced and fun this was to listen to. I started it yesterday morning and listened in one sitting. I was sucked in and definitely entertained. That being said, this wasn't really an original idea as the synopsis made it sound.
Let me explain a little on how I rate books, many people do not read my profile, so here it is:
For ☆☆☆ I
Enjoyed reading
Found some minor plot holes
Thought character development needs some work
Felt world building is lacking
Would recommend
Am unlikely to read again
Will likely read next in series
Highlight a few memorable points
So for a four star read, those same points are elevated a bit; five stars, highest level of those points. Make sense?
For The Hollow Ones, I am stuck between three and four. The character development in here was excellent. You don't only see the characters' strengths but also their faults and weaknesses. We feel the pain they go through and their desperation. However, I felt the world building was a bit lacking and maybe that will come in the next story (hopefully).
Originality is not really this story's forte. I've seen Fallen in the 90s and it had a very similar premise. But that didn't take away from the enjoyability of the story itself. I read A LOT so I am always looking for a fresh idea and this was sitting under the heating lamp for a couple hours.
There are a few memorable spots I can't stop thinking about and I won't post there here with risk of spoiling but I can't stop thinking why a grown man would want to eat dried out meatloaf.
3.5 stars rounded up
Let me explain a little on how I rate books, many people do not read my profile, so here it is:
For ☆☆☆ I
Enjoyed reading
Found some minor plot holes
Thought character development needs some work
Felt world building is lacking
Would recommend
Am unlikely to read again
Will likely read next in series
Highlight a few memorable points
So for a four star read, those same points are elevated a bit; five stars, highest level of those points. Make sense?
For The Hollow Ones, I am stuck between three and four. The character development in here was excellent. You don't only see the characters' strengths but also their faults and weaknesses. We feel the pain they go through and their desperation. However, I felt the world building was a bit lacking and maybe that will come in the next story (hopefully).
Originality is not really this story's forte. I've seen Fallen in the 90s and it had a very similar premise. But that didn't take away from the enjoyability of the story itself. I read A LOT so I am always looking for a fresh idea and this was sitting under the heating lamp for a couple hours.
There are a few memorable spots I can't stop thinking about and I won't post there here with risk of spoiling but I can't stop thinking why a grown man would want to eat dried out meatloaf.
3.5 stars rounded up
October 5, 2020
Not going to lie, probably one of the most unsatisfactory endings I've ever read! While I'm not a fan of rambling character resolves, this book wasn't the complete package for me.
I went into The Hollow Ones expecting just a dark, gritty, murder mystery, but it really went full-blown horror. This is definitely for fans of The Outsider and books like such. While I enjoyed the beginning segments, (no matter how gruesome they may be) the second half completely lost me.
I thought John Silence was an insanely generic character with the dialogue I even found cringey at times, which doesn't sit right for an especially serious and wise character. And I also thought that it went a little bit too full-blown voodoo and magic at the end, which lost me a bit.
Enjoyed the beginning, the end lost me. Fans of Stephen King and for someone looking for a cop plot mixed with an especially dark fantasy plot.
I went into The Hollow Ones expecting just a dark, gritty, murder mystery, but it really went full-blown horror. This is definitely for fans of The Outsider and books like such. While I enjoyed the beginning segments, (no matter how gruesome they may be) the second half completely lost me.
I thought John Silence was an insanely generic character with the dialogue I even found cringey at times, which doesn't sit right for an especially serious and wise character. And I also thought that it went a little bit too full-blown voodoo and magic at the end, which lost me a bit.
Enjoyed the beginning, the end lost me. Fans of Stephen King and for someone looking for a cop plot mixed with an especially dark fantasy plot.
September 8, 2021
Vreau să încep recenzia prin a vă spune că romanul nu a meritat pe deplin cele cinci stele pe care i le-am acordat pe Goodreads. Şi nu spun asta pentru că am citit o carte slabă, ci pentru că m-am aşteptat la mai mult de la Guillermo del Toro şi Chuck Hogan. Cu şase ani în urmă am citit o altă carte scrisă de aceşti autori, „Molima”, o poveste extraordinară, din care a fost publicat la noi doar primul volum, lucru ce m-a dezamăgit crunt, mai ales că exista deja o copertă pentru continuare, iar, din câte ştiu, drepturile pentru ediţia românească erau preluate. Însă nu are rost să vorbesc despre ce ar fi putut să fie, aşa că doresc să spun câteva cuvinte despre „Suflete goale”, primul volum din seria „Benzile Blackwood”.
Recenzia:
http://www.cartilemele.ro/2021/09/rec...
Recenzia:
http://www.cartilemele.ro/2021/09/rec...
September 28, 2020
This was clearly written with either major motion picture or streaming series in mind and that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it is an easy thing. It's pat. After the twentieth-or-so time one reads "Blackwood didn't answer" it becomes hard to stifle the frustration that at least 50 pages of this could've been cut if the guy would just sit down and explain things to Odessa for fifteen minutes. Also wearying are characters who remain skeptical of everything that takes place despite ample, repetitive evidence that yes, you are currently living in a horror novel. Just go with it.
August 12, 2020
A huge thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the giveaway win! I received an early copy of The Hollow Ones by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan, and while I slightly missed the publication date I read it as soon as I could!
This book is everything I could ever want in a crime / thriller /paranormal / FBI / supernatural bundle of amazing ness. Maybe I have just been away from thrillers for too long but I read this in three sittings and have no regrets. From a modern day FBI agent who has to shoot her suddenly violent partner, to insane rampage killings across NY and NJ, to the 1960s bayou where one of the first black FBI agents is sent to help sooth tensions involving a racially charged series of crimes, all the way back to the release of The Hollow Ones… Then there is one mystical man who is summoned via a forgotten mailbox near Wall St.
I can’t speak for the editing in the final version but I can definitely speak for the action. Told mostly in the present day, with a few flashbacks, from start to finish the action never stopped in this book. I think there is a detachment from the characters which I really liked, that allows us to focus on the plot and evil at hand without really getting too involved in their personal lives. We get enough background to empathize with them though, and I really did like ALL of the characters which is rare for me. Odessa is in an impossible spot after having to shoot her partner. Blackwood is a British tea drinker with an appreciation for old books, disdain for microwaves, and a sad task in life – or is it a curse? and Solomon… Oh Solomon I had so much respect for the way he handled the KKK and the situation involving the church. There are a few racially sensitive themes in the book and I thought they were handled well by the authors. Solomon is just such a great character and commanded respect while dealing with both sides of the problem with grace. I also am now very interested in the early black FBI agents if anyone can recommend any reading, fiction or non?
There are some intense spots that made me cringe, because the Hollow Ones thrive on violence there are some pretty brutal killing sprees. It throws a baby out a fifth story window and watches it splat, for example. Other than that there is no language or sexual content involved, just violence and possession and talk of ritualistic religious practices.
There is something for everyone in this. I definitely 100% recommend for fans of FBI thrillers, occult detectives, the supernatural, demon and spirit hunters, rogue agents, and some chilling themes typical of GDT. Thanks you again to Grand Central Publishing for the giveaway win!
This book is everything I could ever want in a crime / thriller /paranormal / FBI / supernatural bundle of amazing ness. Maybe I have just been away from thrillers for too long but I read this in three sittings and have no regrets. From a modern day FBI agent who has to shoot her suddenly violent partner, to insane rampage killings across NY and NJ, to the 1960s bayou where one of the first black FBI agents is sent to help sooth tensions involving a racially charged series of crimes, all the way back to the release of The Hollow Ones… Then there is one mystical man who is summoned via a forgotten mailbox near Wall St.
I can’t speak for the editing in the final version but I can definitely speak for the action. Told mostly in the present day, with a few flashbacks, from start to finish the action never stopped in this book. I think there is a detachment from the characters which I really liked, that allows us to focus on the plot and evil at hand without really getting too involved in their personal lives. We get enough background to empathize with them though, and I really did like ALL of the characters which is rare for me. Odessa is in an impossible spot after having to shoot her partner. Blackwood is a British tea drinker with an appreciation for old books, disdain for microwaves, and a sad task in life – or is it a curse? and Solomon… Oh Solomon I had so much respect for the way he handled the KKK and the situation involving the church. There are a few racially sensitive themes in the book and I thought they were handled well by the authors. Solomon is just such a great character and commanded respect while dealing with both sides of the problem with grace. I also am now very interested in the early black FBI agents if anyone can recommend any reading, fiction or non?
There are some intense spots that made me cringe, because the Hollow Ones thrive on violence there are some pretty brutal killing sprees. It throws a baby out a fifth story window and watches it splat, for example. Other than that there is no language or sexual content involved, just violence and possession and talk of ritualistic religious practices.
There is something for everyone in this. I definitely 100% recommend for fans of FBI thrillers, occult detectives, the supernatural, demon and spirit hunters, rogue agents, and some chilling themes typical of GDT. Thanks you again to Grand Central Publishing for the giveaway win!
October 12, 2020
This was an interesting read. I quite enjoyed the three different stories of Odessa, Solomon, and Blackwood happening throughout and how each of them came to find themselves mixed in otherworldly business. I found each one added something extra to the story in a good way. While we got to know a bit about each of them and in turn the mostly unseen dangers threatening the world, there's clearly so much more to know about them and the larger beings in play. I'm really curious to see how this tale continues. While definitely different in many ways, I couldn't help but think of The Outsider/End of Watch/If It Bleeds by Stephen King while reading The Hollow Ones. Maybe in the way the supernatural entity hid behind an unassuming human mask so well to do its nefarious deeds, and the inclusion of a unbelieving detective caught up in something much larger and crazier than they could have imagined. Some interesting parallels there for sure. Also, probably still relatively fresh for me since I read all of these in the past 6 months. I could see fans of those books liking this one too.
September 12, 2024
4.5⭐️
We follow an FBI agent, Odessa Hardwicke, as she tries to uncover the unfortunate death of one of her colleagues. One that she killed in the field. She thinks she's going crazy for seeing something she shouldn't have when he dies but most importantly, she thinks she's going crazy because of the reason she had to kill him. Finding herself on the precipice of her career, being confident she's going to lose her job and all she's accomplished so far in her life she wants answers for that day.
Not being allowed to take on another case until the matters are settled because of her unfortunate situation, she's "assigned" to clean out the office of a former agent who's now retired. She finds out he's on his deathbed in a hospital. He just might be the key to unlocking the answers to her questions. He has many secrets, secrets he's willing to share with our young detective, 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝘂𝗴𝗼 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 𓊆ྀི❤︎𓊇ྀི*giggles*
⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆
We have four POVs but I can't tell you more than that because of spoilers.
⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆
This is more of a literary horror so it might read slower than other horrors. It has an eerie occult detective mystery horror vibe to it. And it wasn't necessarily terrifying as it was chilling. The writing was pretty straightforward, wasn't flowery but one that matched the story really well. I can see why many people might not enjoy this book but hell, I had a blast.
⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆
𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨!! 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙡. 𝙄 𝙉𝙀𝙀𝘿 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 5 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩🥲
⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆
Haven't read a book by these authors before but I know Guillermo. I watched Pan's labyrinth with a friend and I'm still traumatized because of that movie so I'm glad this book went well at least:))
⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆
Btw, you're not supposed to know everything at the end of this book. It's book one. Having more questions is the entire point. Why would you pick book two up? And that happens with a lot of first books yet people still get angry and rate books low just because they don't have ALL the answers at the end of book one. YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS SO FAST!!😭
We follow an FBI agent, Odessa Hardwicke, as she tries to uncover the unfortunate death of one of her colleagues. One that she killed in the field. She thinks she's going crazy for seeing something she shouldn't have when he dies but most importantly, she thinks she's going crazy because of the reason she had to kill him. Finding herself on the precipice of her career, being confident she's going to lose her job and all she's accomplished so far in her life she wants answers for that day.
Not being allowed to take on another case until the matters are settled because of her unfortunate situation, she's "assigned" to clean out the office of a former agent who's now retired. She finds out he's on his deathbed in a hospital. He just might be the key to unlocking the answers to her questions. He has many secrets, secrets he's willing to share with our young detective, 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝘂𝗴𝗼 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 𓊆ྀི❤︎𓊇ྀི*giggles*
⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆
We have four POVs but I can't tell you more than that because of spoilers.
⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆
This is more of a literary horror so it might read slower than other horrors. It has an eerie occult detective mystery horror vibe to it. And it wasn't necessarily terrifying as it was chilling. The writing was pretty straightforward, wasn't flowery but one that matched the story really well. I can see why many people might not enjoy this book but hell, I had a blast.
⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆
𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨!! 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙡. 𝙄 𝙉𝙀𝙀𝘿 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 5 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩🥲
⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆
Haven't read a book by these authors before but I know Guillermo. I watched Pan's labyrinth with a friend and I'm still traumatized because of that movie so I'm glad this book went well at least:))
⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆
Btw, you're not supposed to know everything at the end of this book. It's book one. Having more questions is the entire point. Why would you pick book two up? And that happens with a lot of first books yet people still get angry and rate books low just because they don't have ALL the answers at the end of book one. YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS SO FAST!!😭
Read
September 21, 2020*Update upon finishing*
I am so glad that I won The Hollow Ones in a Goodreads giveaway! I enjoyed (most) of The Strain trilogy, but I was slightly hesitant about this one. I was intrigued, but just not sure exactly if I was intrigued enough. However, after finishing this one I absolutely can't wait for the next book in this series!!! This one was like Guillermo del Toro meets something like The Dresden Files. It was a fast-paced read and DIFFERENT. I loved this one and I can't wait for the next one. I highly recommend it if it sounds intriguing to you at all, because this was a way better read than the blurb would have you thinking. :D
*Yay! I haven’t won a goodreads giveaway in ages! Well, I haven’t really done a good review in ages either to be fair. 😬 Idk how long it will take to receive it with everything going on, but I can’t wait to get my copy and read it so I can review it! 😀*
I am so glad that I won The Hollow Ones in a Goodreads giveaway! I enjoyed (most) of The Strain trilogy, but I was slightly hesitant about this one. I was intrigued, but just not sure exactly if I was intrigued enough. However, after finishing this one I absolutely can't wait for the next book in this series!!! This one was like Guillermo del Toro meets something like The Dresden Files. It was a fast-paced read and DIFFERENT. I loved this one and I can't wait for the next one. I highly recommend it if it sounds intriguing to you at all, because this was a way better read than the blurb would have you thinking. :D
*Yay! I haven’t won a goodreads giveaway in ages! Well, I haven’t really done a good review in ages either to be fair. 😬 Idk how long it will take to receive it with everything going on, but I can’t wait to get my copy and read it so I can review it! 😀*
December 7, 2020
3,25 / 5
Existen momentos en la vida de todo lector en que necesita periodos de desengrasamiento. Un cambio de aires entre sus lecturas habituales. Eso fue lo que pensé cuando cogí Los seres huecos de la estantería:¿Por qué no hundirse durante unas horas en un procedimental policíaco con toques sobrenaturales? Así fue exactamente, de apenas dos sentadas. Eso es lo que duró en mis manos Los seres huecos, y no porque sea un libro tremendamente original ni el mejor escrito del mundo. Sin embargo, su corta extensión y un ritmo a toda máquina me mantuvieron pegado a sus páginas y lejos de mis preocupaciones por un buen rato. Y eso era justo lo que pedía y esperaba.
Todo comienza con un crimen inexplicable, cuando la agente del FBI Odessa Hardwick se ve obligada a disparar a su compañero de trabajo. El disparo, en defensa propia, vino acompañado de algo extraño. Odessa vio desprenderse algo del cuerpo de su compañero fallecido, así como percibió un olor a soldadura. Lo más extraño aún estaba por suceder, cuando relegada a trabajos menores dentro de la agencia por estar bajo investigación, la llevan sobre la pista de Hugo Blackwood: un peculiar hombre trajeado, todo de negro, que asegura llevar siglos vivo y ser la defensa de la humanidad contra todo mal indescriptible.
Los seres huecos se desarrolla a través de 3 líneas temporales que nos llevan desde 1582 y el origen de Hugo Blackwood, hasta la más absoluta actualidad. Por el camino, una tercera vía nos conduce hasta 1962, para seguir el caso en paralelo de un joven negro poseído y como uno de los primeros agentes negros del FBI resuelve el caso. Ambas líneas, adyacentes a la contemporánea, funcionan como una especie de intersección que trata de dar sentido a la historia, superponiéndose y formando un todo repleto de potencial no explotado. Un todo correcto, pero superficial y puede que desaprovechado.
La sensación que tuve al cerrar las tapas de Los seres huecos es la de que acababa de leer/ver un piloto. El episodio piloto de una serie procedimental sobrenatural, con un investigador de lo oculto que homenajea a las novelas detectivescas paranormales de Jhon Silence y que resulta tan interesante como misterioso, además un caso sobrenatural a la altura de un capítulo de Supernatural. Entes místicos, exóticos rituales de invocación y un agente de lo oculto que lleva 450 años ejerciendo.
Reseña más extensa en el blog: https://boywithletters.blogspot.com/2...
Existen momentos en la vida de todo lector en que necesita periodos de desengrasamiento. Un cambio de aires entre sus lecturas habituales. Eso fue lo que pensé cuando cogí Los seres huecos de la estantería:¿Por qué no hundirse durante unas horas en un procedimental policíaco con toques sobrenaturales? Así fue exactamente, de apenas dos sentadas. Eso es lo que duró en mis manos Los seres huecos, y no porque sea un libro tremendamente original ni el mejor escrito del mundo. Sin embargo, su corta extensión y un ritmo a toda máquina me mantuvieron pegado a sus páginas y lejos de mis preocupaciones por un buen rato. Y eso era justo lo que pedía y esperaba.
Todo comienza con un crimen inexplicable, cuando la agente del FBI Odessa Hardwick se ve obligada a disparar a su compañero de trabajo. El disparo, en defensa propia, vino acompañado de algo extraño. Odessa vio desprenderse algo del cuerpo de su compañero fallecido, así como percibió un olor a soldadura. Lo más extraño aún estaba por suceder, cuando relegada a trabajos menores dentro de la agencia por estar bajo investigación, la llevan sobre la pista de Hugo Blackwood: un peculiar hombre trajeado, todo de negro, que asegura llevar siglos vivo y ser la defensa de la humanidad contra todo mal indescriptible.
Los seres huecos se desarrolla a través de 3 líneas temporales que nos llevan desde 1582 y el origen de Hugo Blackwood, hasta la más absoluta actualidad. Por el camino, una tercera vía nos conduce hasta 1962, para seguir el caso en paralelo de un joven negro poseído y como uno de los primeros agentes negros del FBI resuelve el caso. Ambas líneas, adyacentes a la contemporánea, funcionan como una especie de intersección que trata de dar sentido a la historia, superponiéndose y formando un todo repleto de potencial no explotado. Un todo correcto, pero superficial y puede que desaprovechado.
La sensación que tuve al cerrar las tapas de Los seres huecos es la de que acababa de leer/ver un piloto. El episodio piloto de una serie procedimental sobrenatural, con un investigador de lo oculto que homenajea a las novelas detectivescas paranormales de Jhon Silence y que resulta tan interesante como misterioso, además un caso sobrenatural a la altura de un capítulo de Supernatural. Entes místicos, exóticos rituales de invocación y un agente de lo oculto que lleva 450 años ejerciendo.
Reseña más extensa en el blog: https://boywithletters.blogspot.com/2...
April 26, 2022
I wanted to love this so much since My Love’s name is attached to it- Guillermo del Toro but I did not. It’s not terrible and it’s interesting enough but I left that it didn’t really go anywhere. The plot kinda went up then flatlined for me. I will not be continuing this series.
December 12, 2020
Ocena: 2,5⭐
Iskreno, razočarana sam...recimo da je roman na nivou prosečne epizode serije Sleepy Hollow.
Iskreno, razočarana sam...recimo da je roman na nivou prosečne epizode serije Sleepy Hollow.
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