ohthesheenanigans's review
4.0
First things first, let’s talk about the book illustration. It definitely gave me LOTR Legolas vibes and I loved every part of it, so of course I couldn’t wait to dive into this fantasy read. Needless to say, the author didn’t disappoint!
In the span of (less than) 136 pages, we get a fast-paced epic fantasy adventure filled with action, death, magic, heroism, and diverse/multicultural characters (a big plus for me). I loved how the author contributed Korean elements to the story and the twists and turns that made this a fun read and the perfect pick me up.
aoispice's review
4.0
Ha Jun was a main character that I did not expect. He's cowardly and naivety in the beginning but it gives him a growth in character throughout the book and how he changes around Windshine.
There's a lot of potiental for a prequel into Windshine's origins and other questions that also could be answered: Why did Windshine create Ha Jun's sword? How did Ha Jun's father get a hold of the sword in the first place? Monks seem as strong as Summoners, what is the origin of their story?
I think K-Pop fans, Dragon Age, Fable and Dark Souls gamers would love reading this book because there's a lot of cultural and language references with Jeju, Korea and other parts of Asia e.g. Ilbon-Nala or known as Japan's Nara (일본의날라) that I noticed when reading the book.
A great book!
There's a lot of potiental for a prequel into Windshine's origins and other questions that also could be answered: Why did Windshine create Ha Jun's sword? How did Ha Jun's father get a hold of the sword in the first place? Monks seem as strong as Summoners, what is the origin of their story?
I think K-Pop fans, Dragon Age, Fable and Dark Souls gamers would love reading this book because there's a lot of cultural and language references with Jeju, Korea and other parts of Asia e.g. Ilbon-Nala or known as Japan's Nara (일본의날라) that I noticed when reading the book.
A great book!
wittyandsarcasticbookclub's review
3.0
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is available now.
There was a lot more to the book than I originally expected. I made the mistake of thinking that, because it’s a short book, there wouldn’t be much detail. I was wrong. The world is fully formed, including customary responses to situations, histories, and even social expectations. I am incredibly impressed.
Sixteen-year-old Ha Jun goes on a quest. It’s expected of young men, as a way to earn honor and glory. However, sixteen is much younger than the usual age. His glory-hungry father has trained him for this-plus he has a glyph blade, so he’s sure to succeed, right? Hopefully? In his pursuit of honor, Ha Jun joins a monk, a knight, a solider, and the dark elf Windshine on a journey to destroy a demon. As all fantasy readers know, a quest can create the coolest of stories.
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This book goes in unexpected directions, and is chock-full of action. Where this book stands out, however, is in the richness of its lore. For example, there’s a man-eating tiger mentioned at the beginning of the book. Instead of just being a tiger with unfortunate taste, more is added to make it memorable. If the author were to ever write a book of legends from his world, I’d be first in line to buy it.
I did struggle to adjust to certain things in this book. The last few fantasy books I’ve read felt less formal (for lack of a better term) so emotions, while definitely present in this book, seemed to be buried a little bit deeper. It took me a couple of chapters to get used to that. It added depth to the characters, seeing the small ways they conveyed emotion.
Lastly, I have to mention the cover. It has a Forgotten Realms feel to it, and definitely grabs the eye. This is a very well-written novella, and one I recommend to those who like their fantasy with a unique, diverse feel.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2020/02/20/hollow-men-by-todd-sullivan/
readandreviewit's review
5.0
Before I get into the review, I would like to thank Todd for kindly sending me a physical copy in exchange for an honest review.
Hollow Men follows the protagonist, Ha Jun, on his quest to become a hero in South Hangkuk, in order to raise his social standing. He is joined by three companions in a bid to destroy a demon lurking in Naganeupseong, as well as the Dark Elf, Windshine. Ha Jun and Windshine soon strike up an unlikely friendship - but when he finds out about her connection to the demon he has a difficult decision to make.
I think one of my favourite things about Hollow Men would definitely have to be the strong sense of friendship throughout. Although they were all strangers at the book's beginning, they soon became a really tightly knit group, referring to each other as brothers and becoming a family. I really admired the way they all looked out for each other when completing their quest, and you could see how important they all were to each other.
I also really liked Ha Jun. I really admired the way he looked out for Windshine, despite the prejudice the dark elves faced, and his overarching strength and courage throughout. He was a really strong and likeable character, and soon became my favourite. He was impossible not to root for!
Of course, the whole history of the dark elves was very fascinating. Sullivan really dived into the matter and it was clear how much thought had went into developing it. It was definitely one of my favourite aspects of the book, and I loved the personal touch Windshine's own story added to it. It certainly made for an interesting read!
I also really liked the twist. Right at the very end Sullivan hits the readers with something I definitely didn't see coming, but I loved it all the same! The truth about the demon was shocking with a really dramatic scene between the characters and I loved every second of it!
It would also be a crime to talk about the ending without mentioning the sheer amount of action - and it wasn't just at the end, too! I loved all of the action and adventure Sullivan packed in there and there was never a dull moment... From being chased by treelike creatures through to awesome battles at the end, it was absolutely brilliant.
Overall, I would recommend Hollow Men for any fantasy fan, as this was a really unique addition to the genre. I would also recommend it to anyone who likes a good adventure, as the quest was really interesting to read.
However, please be mindful that this book has trigger warnings of family abuse, so please do not read if that's something you're uncomfortable with.
Hollow Men follows the protagonist, Ha Jun, on his quest to become a hero in South Hangkuk, in order to raise his social standing. He is joined by three companions in a bid to destroy a demon lurking in Naganeupseong, as well as the Dark Elf, Windshine. Ha Jun and Windshine soon strike up an unlikely friendship - but when he finds out about her connection to the demon he has a difficult decision to make.
I think one of my favourite things about Hollow Men would definitely have to be the strong sense of friendship throughout. Although they were all strangers at the book's beginning, they soon became a really tightly knit group, referring to each other as brothers and becoming a family. I really admired the way they all looked out for each other when completing their quest, and you could see how important they all were to each other.
I also really liked Ha Jun. I really admired the way he looked out for Windshine, despite the prejudice the dark elves faced, and his overarching strength and courage throughout. He was a really strong and likeable character, and soon became my favourite. He was impossible not to root for!
Of course, the whole history of the dark elves was very fascinating. Sullivan really dived into the matter and it was clear how much thought had went into developing it. It was definitely one of my favourite aspects of the book, and I loved the personal touch Windshine's own story added to it. It certainly made for an interesting read!
I also really liked the twist. Right at the very end Sullivan hits the readers with something I definitely didn't see coming, but I loved it all the same! The truth about the demon was shocking with a really dramatic scene between the characters and I loved every second of it!
It would also be a crime to talk about the ending without mentioning the sheer amount of action - and it wasn't just at the end, too! I loved all of the action and adventure Sullivan packed in there and there was never a dull moment... From being chased by treelike creatures through to awesome battles at the end, it was absolutely brilliant.
Overall, I would recommend Hollow Men for any fantasy fan, as this was a really unique addition to the genre. I would also recommend it to anyone who likes a good adventure, as the quest was really interesting to read.
However, please be mindful that this book has trigger warnings of family abuse, so please do not read if that's something you're uncomfortable with.
jferrell526's review
5.0
When boys go on adventures...
Elves and humans adventure together to find what is killing other villages. This is an easy read full of high adventure. A tale for for a rainy day to let your mind go adventuring!
Elves and humans adventure together to find what is killing other villages. This is an easy read full of high adventure. A tale for for a rainy day to let your mind go adventuring!
samanthakroese's review
4.0
An entertaining quest adventure!
I found this story to be entertaining. An interesting take on a quest fantasy with a twist ending. It also had the feel of a martial arts tale. If you like stories about young adventurers, chosen ones, and high stakes quests then give this book a try!
I found this story to be entertaining. An interesting take on a quest fantasy with a twist ending. It also had the feel of a martial arts tale. If you like stories about young adventurers, chosen ones, and high stakes quests then give this book a try!
leahsbooks's review
3.0
I received a copy of this book from the author. I am providing my honest opinion voluntarily.
TRIGGER WARNING: child abuse, harming an animal, gore
I liked the cover. The vibrant colors drew my attention, and it reminds me of the elf guy from the Lord of the Rings movies.
For a quick read, it included a pretty detailed story. There was a lot of action involved, and the plot was an interesting one. The author clearly understands and respects traditions in Asian culture, and they seemed to be well represented in this story.
I was initially shocked at the casual way that major abuse of a character was mentioned, and I was especially turned off by the way that abuse to an animal was used in a gratuitous way. I also struggled with understanding a lot of the words in the text, that were unfamiliar and undefined completely. I also couldn't connect emotionally to a single character, which made it difficult to really get invested in the story.
TRIGGER WARNING: child abuse, harming an animal, gore
I liked the cover. The vibrant colors drew my attention, and it reminds me of the elf guy from the Lord of the Rings movies.
For a quick read, it included a pretty detailed story. There was a lot of action involved, and the plot was an interesting one. The author clearly understands and respects traditions in Asian culture, and they seemed to be well represented in this story.
I was initially shocked at the casual way that major abuse of a character was mentioned, and I was especially turned off by the way that abuse to an animal was used in a gratuitous way. I also struggled with understanding a lot of the words in the text, that were unfamiliar and undefined completely. I also couldn't connect emotionally to a single character, which made it difficult to really get invested in the story.
ws_bookclub's review
3.0
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is available now.
There was a lot more to the book than I originally expected. I made the mistake of thinking that, because it’s a short book, there wouldn’t be much detail. I was wrong. The world is fully formed, including customary responses to situations, histories, and even social expectations. I am incredibly impressed.
Sixteen-year-old Ha Jun goes on a quest. It’s expected of young men, as a way to earn honor and glory. However, sixteen is much younger than the usual age. His glory-hungry father has trained him for this-plus he has a glyph blade, so he’s sure to succeed, right? Hopefully? In his pursuit of honor, Ha Jun joins a monk, a knight, a solider, and the dark elf Windshine on a journey to destroy a demon. As all fantasy readers know, a quest can create the coolest of stories.
REPORT THIS AD
This book goes in unexpected directions, and is chock-full of action. Where this book stands out, however, is in the richness of its lore. For example, there’s a man-eating tiger mentioned at the beginning of the book. Instead of just being a tiger with unfortunate taste, more is added to make it memorable. If the author were to ever write a book of legends from his world, I’d be first in line to buy it.
I did struggle to adjust to certain things in this book. The last few fantasy books I’ve read felt less formal (for lack of a better term) so emotions, while definitely present in this book, seemed to be buried a little bit deeper. It took me a couple of chapters to get used to that. It added depth to the characters, seeing the small ways they conveyed emotion.
Lastly, I have to mention the cover. It has a Forgotten Realms feel to it, and definitely grabs the eye. This is a very well-written novella, and one I recommend to those who like their fantasy with a unique, diverse feel.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2020/02/20/hollow-men-by-todd-sullivan/
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