zurfloo's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
cassidee_omnilegent's review against another edition
4.0
Slow burning but full of heart! I love stories like this. Though our tale unwinds slowly, our three main characters keep us on track. There were plenty of fights to keep the battle-hungry readers satisfied while weaving the web of storytelling around us. We are submersed in lore about the Maer (which sound a bit like Bigfoot or a Werewolf when folktales are uttered throughout the novel). There is more than meets the eyes to these supposedly savage and mythic brings.
I found it funny that while our author is spinning his story, it is almost too easy to forget that this quest started as a means to bring their friend to rest. Throughout the novel, our main characters are charting a coffin around. With all of the action and banter, it’s easy to forget how the tale begins, in the best way possible. Just a truly fun read!
I found it funny that while our author is spinning his story, it is almost too easy to forget that this quest started as a means to bring their friend to rest. Throughout the novel, our main characters are charting a coffin around. With all of the action and banter, it’s easy to forget how the tale begins, in the best way possible. Just a truly fun read!
dinipandareads's review against another edition
3.0
This cover kept making me think that I had chosen to read a supernatural horror so it was a wonderful surprise to find (and eventually remember) that this was actually a fantasy with supernatural elements! I didn’t have any expectations going into this but I’m glad to say that I ended up enjoying it.
I do read a lot of YA fantasy so this was already different to my regular reads, but I liked the plot, world building and characters and was quickly pulled into the story. That said, the pace was rather slow, especially half-way through, and required a bit of push for me to continue. A lot of the book is spent on the road ‘journeying’ from one location to the next and it was a great way to not only get to know the characters, but to also learn about the world. I enjoyed learning about the folklore full of ‘creatures of old’ that humans used to scare their children. But we quickly learn that these creatures don’t just exist in myths and I found myself becoming even more intrigued with the story! Aside from the Maer, there are encounters and mentions of vampires, dragons, and ogres, amongst other unfamiliar mythological creatures. One aspect I wish we learned more about was the history of this world — the politics, the government, and especially the magic — but as an introduction I thought the world building was done well.
Hollow Road seems to me the beginning of a series of adventure filled tales of three friends who end up being more like ‘small town heroes’ in this realm. I’m a sucker for great friendships in stories, so I really liked Carl, Sinnie and Finn and I appreciated that we get all of their perspectives. Finn was my favourite character though! They’re all flawed and face personal situations that were relatable. There were moments of envy between them but they are without doubt a group of friends who truly trust and respect each other, even if they might not always agree. They have distinctive voices that made it easy to know whose chapter you’re reading, but I wish that we got more development in their characters. While I liked them, I didn’t really feel connected to them and wished they’d been more fleshed out.
My favourite part of the story was learning about the Maer. The descriptions made them seem like werewolves, but more human and less animalistic. I loved that they had their own language, culture and history, and I appreciated the gradual change in mentality of the characters as we learn that Maer are a lot more humanlike than the myths led people to believe. There was a good message about accepting others despite obvious differences. I wanted to spend more time with the Maer and to also learn more about their origin, but I do have a feeling that’ll happen in the second book, so I’m looking forward to that! Plus, the story ended with a rather cryptic message from one of the characters and I’m really curious to see what surprises lie ahead.
I do read a lot of YA fantasy so this was already different to my regular reads, but I liked the plot, world building and characters and was quickly pulled into the story. That said, the pace was rather slow, especially half-way through, and required a bit of push for me to continue. A lot of the book is spent on the road ‘journeying’ from one location to the next and it was a great way to not only get to know the characters, but to also learn about the world. I enjoyed learning about the folklore full of ‘creatures of old’ that humans used to scare their children. But we quickly learn that these creatures don’t just exist in myths and I found myself becoming even more intrigued with the story! Aside from the Maer, there are encounters and mentions of vampires, dragons, and ogres, amongst other unfamiliar mythological creatures. One aspect I wish we learned more about was the history of this world — the politics, the government, and especially the magic — but as an introduction I thought the world building was done well.
Hollow Road seems to me the beginning of a series of adventure filled tales of three friends who end up being more like ‘small town heroes’ in this realm. I’m a sucker for great friendships in stories, so I really liked Carl, Sinnie and Finn and I appreciated that we get all of their perspectives. Finn was my favourite character though! They’re all flawed and face personal situations that were relatable. There were moments of envy between them but they are without doubt a group of friends who truly trust and respect each other, even if they might not always agree. They have distinctive voices that made it easy to know whose chapter you’re reading, but I wish that we got more development in their characters. While I liked them, I didn’t really feel connected to them and wished they’d been more fleshed out.
My favourite part of the story was learning about the Maer. The descriptions made them seem like werewolves, but more human and less animalistic. I loved that they had their own language, culture and history, and I appreciated the gradual change in mentality of the characters as we learn that Maer are a lot more humanlike than the myths led people to believe. There was a good message about accepting others despite obvious differences. I wanted to spend more time with the Maer and to also learn more about their origin, but I do have a feeling that’ll happen in the second book, so I’m looking forward to that! Plus, the story ended with a rather cryptic message from one of the characters and I’m really curious to see what surprises lie ahead.
wittyandsarcasticbookclub's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to the author for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is available now.
Full of excellent, deep character-growth, The Hollow Road perfectly explains the term, “the joy is in the journey.” Three childhood friends have the somber task of returning their dead friend’s body to his home. At the same time, the friends take it upon themselves to figure out the truth behind some troubling rumors. In essence, most of the book takes place during that journey, and I loved that concept. It’s been way too long since I’ve read a book that plays out like that.
In a way, the plot followed behind the characters. And what characters! They are deep, complex, and ever-evolving. Even Carl, who I loved to dislike for a good chunk of the time, had layers upon layers to his personality. While they were all fantastic to read, my favorite was Finn. He just clicked for me. I also thought it was pretty cool that one of the characters was a circus performer. That’s incredibly creative and unique.
I liked that the magic was less present than in some other fantasies I’ve read recently. It’s there-Finn himself is a mage-in-training-but it’s not flashy or over the top. It’s clear that it is meant to play second fiddle to the characters’ growth, and to the folklore surrounding the Maer themselves. The Maer were fascinating, and I found myself curious about them from the get-go.
The Hollow Road is a slower book, without any unnecessary action beats (not to say there aren’t any, just that each has a purpose). Each scene is written with a goal in mind, and I never felt like the author rambled or wandered from what he wanted to convey.
This book is perfect for readers who like well-rounded characters who grow throughout the story, not only separately but together as a group. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2020/11/12/the-hollow-road-by-dan-fitzgerald/
Full of excellent, deep character-growth, The Hollow Road perfectly explains the term, “the joy is in the journey.” Three childhood friends have the somber task of returning their dead friend’s body to his home. At the same time, the friends take it upon themselves to figure out the truth behind some troubling rumors. In essence, most of the book takes place during that journey, and I loved that concept. It’s been way too long since I’ve read a book that plays out like that.
In a way, the plot followed behind the characters. And what characters! They are deep, complex, and ever-evolving. Even Carl, who I loved to dislike for a good chunk of the time, had layers upon layers to his personality. While they were all fantastic to read, my favorite was Finn. He just clicked for me. I also thought it was pretty cool that one of the characters was a circus performer. That’s incredibly creative and unique.
I liked that the magic was less present than in some other fantasies I’ve read recently. It’s there-Finn himself is a mage-in-training-but it’s not flashy or over the top. It’s clear that it is meant to play second fiddle to the characters’ growth, and to the folklore surrounding the Maer themselves. The Maer were fascinating, and I found myself curious about them from the get-go.
The Hollow Road is a slower book, without any unnecessary action beats (not to say there aren’t any, just that each has a purpose). Each scene is written with a goal in mind, and I never felt like the author rambled or wandered from what he wanted to convey.
This book is perfect for readers who like well-rounded characters who grow throughout the story, not only separately but together as a group. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2020/11/12/the-hollow-road-by-dan-fitzgerald/
nick_borrelli's review against another edition
4.0
HOLLOW ROAD was a really enjoyable read for me. I'm a sucker for a bit of quest fantasy and although this isn't what you would classify as standard quest fantasy, the journey that these three friends undertake and their subsequent investigation of the fabled Maer hidden in the mountains around their village, provide for some truly cool moments that remind me of some of the best quest reads that I've come across in my reading life. It's also not especially heavy-handed when it comes to magic, which I actually felt was very refreshing.
This is also a book that deals a lot with stereotypes and prejudice. The Maer are portrayed in the beginning of the book as brutal monsters that may or may not exist. They are written off as unthinking savages whose only motivation is to kill the innocent. Much of what has been ascribed to them is for purposes of scaring certain segments of the population into capitulation. Nobody even thinks to question their origins or if they are even close to how they are portrayed.
After a brief encounter with the Maer on their journey to bring home their dead friend, they begin to question whether or not legends can sometimes be exaggerated. Could it be that the true monsters are those that they never would have suspected. Or are the Maer really as evil as everyone says they are? Carl, Sissie, and Finn, will soon uncover the truth and also get a number of life-changing surprises that they didn't expect.
I loved the main characters in this book and how they each had their own strengths that they brought to the table. Friends since childhood, it was also fun to see how they verbally jousted with each other as only friends who know each other well can do without causing offense. They also each come from very different backgrounds and have very different skills. This definitely comes into play as the story unfolds and they are tested beyond anything that any normal person would have to go through. The friendship angle really does give the story an extra component that makes you want to root for their success.
But the main thing that I loved about this book was the story itself, which drew me in immediately with the mystery of the Maer and then kept me there with the promise of discovering so much more being at work behind the scenes. A fascinating fantasy story that I unequivocally recommend to even the most picky reader. There is much to like about this book and I can't wait to read book two which I think I heard the author say was coming out in December. That's good because I need to continue with this story after eagerly gobbling this one up!
This is also a book that deals a lot with stereotypes and prejudice. The Maer are portrayed in the beginning of the book as brutal monsters that may or may not exist. They are written off as unthinking savages whose only motivation is to kill the innocent. Much of what has been ascribed to them is for purposes of scaring certain segments of the population into capitulation. Nobody even thinks to question their origins or if they are even close to how they are portrayed.
After a brief encounter with the Maer on their journey to bring home their dead friend, they begin to question whether or not legends can sometimes be exaggerated. Could it be that the true monsters are those that they never would have suspected. Or are the Maer really as evil as everyone says they are? Carl, Sissie, and Finn, will soon uncover the truth and also get a number of life-changing surprises that they didn't expect.
I loved the main characters in this book and how they each had their own strengths that they brought to the table. Friends since childhood, it was also fun to see how they verbally jousted with each other as only friends who know each other well can do without causing offense. They also each come from very different backgrounds and have very different skills. This definitely comes into play as the story unfolds and they are tested beyond anything that any normal person would have to go through. The friendship angle really does give the story an extra component that makes you want to root for their success.
But the main thing that I loved about this book was the story itself, which drew me in immediately with the mystery of the Maer and then kept me there with the promise of discovering so much more being at work behind the scenes. A fascinating fantasy story that I unequivocally recommend to even the most picky reader. There is much to like about this book and I can't wait to read book two which I think I heard the author say was coming out in December. That's good because I need to continue with this story after eagerly gobbling this one up!
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