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eclectictales's review against another edition
3.0
I received an eCopy of this book through my support of a Kickstarter project by the author. My review of the novel can also be found on my blog, eclectictales.com: http://www.eclectictales.com/blog/2016/11/14/review-hollow-world/
Well, this book certainly doesn’t take its time easing itself into the story, sending readers straight into Ellis’ predicament and right into the time travel story within two chapters. Which is all right, though it did leave me with a few questions about Ellis’ background and the whole spectrum of his mindset when he does decide to use his time machine. But the way that Michael Sullivan crafts this particular tale, he fills in the blanks about Ellis’ backstory–his education, the full nature of his relationship with his wife Peggy, the events surrounding his own personal tragedy (no spoilers here)–as the story progresses, which is cool because actually I was more interested in Ellis’ personal story and how events in the future leaves him reflecting on his own past and his failings and the relationships he’s left behind or have broken down along the way than in the mystery of the storyline.
The story was interesting, Ellis ending up far in the future where the world has been ravaged by so many changes–the impact of climate, of war–and humanity has evolved where there is no disease, no death (to some degree), no war, no religion, no gender. The story has all the elements of a science fiction in that it does tackle larger themes of what it means to be in such a society, what does it mean to be human, what happens to identity in such an advanced state where everyone looks the same, what happens to personal interest, etc. Sometimes it feels perhaps like there’s so many themes that are being tackled in this book, but with the way that this futuristic society is structured, there’s no way all of these themes can’t not be touched on to some degree.
Overall I enjoyed reading Hollow World. It’s different from his Riyria Revelations from the most obvious reasons to the more thematic nature of the novel. Admittedly story flow-wise there were some lulls as things quieted down after he travelled to the future and again in the last third right before the antagonist’s dastardly plan is revealed, and it did feel like I was pushing myself to finish the book at times but I was compelled enough about the reveals into Ellis’ character and backstory to keep reading.
Well, this book certainly doesn’t take its time easing itself into the story, sending readers straight into Ellis’ predicament and right into the time travel story within two chapters. Which is all right, though it did leave me with a few questions about Ellis’ background and the whole spectrum of his mindset when he does decide to use his time machine. But the way that Michael Sullivan crafts this particular tale, he fills in the blanks about Ellis’ backstory–his education, the full nature of his relationship with his wife Peggy, the events surrounding his own personal tragedy (no spoilers here)–as the story progresses, which is cool because actually I was more interested in Ellis’ personal story and how events in the future leaves him reflecting on his own past and his failings and the relationships he’s left behind or have broken down along the way than in the mystery of the storyline.
The story was interesting, Ellis ending up far in the future where the world has been ravaged by so many changes–the impact of climate, of war–and humanity has evolved where there is no disease, no death (to some degree), no war, no religion, no gender. The story has all the elements of a science fiction in that it does tackle larger themes of what it means to be in such a society, what does it mean to be human, what happens to identity in such an advanced state where everyone looks the same, what happens to personal interest, etc. Sometimes it feels perhaps like there’s so many themes that are being tackled in this book, but with the way that this futuristic society is structured, there’s no way all of these themes can’t not be touched on to some degree.
Overall I enjoyed reading Hollow World. It’s different from his Riyria Revelations from the most obvious reasons to the more thematic nature of the novel. Admittedly story flow-wise there were some lulls as things quieted down after he travelled to the future and again in the last third right before the antagonist’s dastardly plan is revealed, and it did feel like I was pushing myself to finish the book at times but I was compelled enough about the reveals into Ellis’ character and backstory to keep reading.
lkmreads's review against another edition
4.0
I-I don't think I ever came across a book that was quite this hard to rate! I kept going back and forth between 3 and 4 stars, yet 3.5 doesn't seem to quite do it justice either. So I'll just say that I "really liked" parts of it, and just "liked" others, and some others were "ok".
The pace was a bit strange, and I wasn't quite buying
In the end, I'm rounding it up to 4 There's other reasons too, but I'll stick to that for the main one.
I do hope we get to see more of Sol if there's more books in the future - I don't think I would want to revisit the same characters, I like to leave well enough alone and I think there's a lot of potential there.
The pace was a bit strange, and I wasn't quite buying
Spoiler
Warren, but I guess crazy is crazy and follows no logic. lolIn the end, I'm rounding it up to 4
Spoiler
because I love unexpected love stories and I love that he went with loving the genderless character (which I hope will remain genderless if there's any future books - or at least won't suddenly turn into a woman, lol).I do hope we get to see more of Sol if there's more books in the future - I don't think I would want to revisit the same characters, I like to leave well enough alone and
Spoiler
I would only hope a fleeting mention of them still being well and together while moving on to other subjects/characters.Spoiler
Also, that first kiss scene was lovely.amynbell's review against another edition
5.0
Once I saw the promotional poster for this book, I knew immediately that this was a world I wanted to go to even if it is a future world accessible only by fictional time travel. And it turned out to be a world that I was sad to leave at book’s end, along with the adorable Pax and his bowler hat.
This is the story of a man named Ellis who abandons everyone he’s ever known to take a one-way trip to the future. He sees the future as an escape from the life of the present, and perhaps the future holds a cure for his terminal illness. What he discovers is a Ray-Bradbury-esque world full of beauty and wonder. Climate change has pushed humans underground, but the 3 Miracles have brought heaven to this underground utopia. Immortality is a reality and nobody wants for anything. In a world where nobody has to work, many seek leisure in art, resulting of a world where you might take a shower in an indoor waterfall or port to an Ansel Adams photo location for a picnic.
When Ellis first lands in the future, he finds himself immediately drawn into a friendship with Pax who himself is an odd person out among his peers. “The two of them just sort of clicked, like old friends who’d just met. Friends-at-first-sight, if there was such a thing.” It’s through this friendship and the adventures that he has with Pax that Ellis is finally able to find redemption from the mistakes of his past. The friendship between Ellis and Pax is worth everything that Ellis left behind. I love how Pax accepts Ellis as he is: “Your skin sags, and has all those great creases, like a beloved knapsack that has been taken everywhere and shows evidence of every mile.”
This is a book that, at the surface looks like a straightforward time travel story, but its true strength is that it hits on several topics of depth. What is love beyond sex? Why do people need each other? What makes us human? What makes us unique? What are people truly striving for within religion? What do people long for? What is the point of life? Is there ever a justification for murder? How far do you have to go to forgive yourself? What barriers are worth breaking down for love?
I keep finding books that become new favorites that I think everyone should read, and this falls in that category. It has a gorgeous setting, features time travel and a post-apocalyptic world, has well-developed characters, has a plot that is tightly woven, and is full of nuggets of wisdom. But I think this is the first time I’ve recognized my own personality in someone else’s writing.
“Oh dear, if I wrote a book, I’d do that,” I kept saying to myself as I finished reading the introductory justifications at the beginning of the ebook version of the novel, the author’s book review, and the book’s afterward. They all go into the details of how the novel came about and various reasons for this and that. The book information the author provided on GoodReads was so thorough that I didn’t have to do any work other than copying and pasting it into the initial informational post for our book club. I also recognized my own personality in the way that the author portrays both sides of an issue with equal aplomb, equally able to sympathize with both sides of very different opinions and making me wonder whether he believes this that or nothing. The author says that “One truth doesn’t refute another. Truth doesn’t lie in the object, but in how we see it.” In other words, two people can have completely different opinions and yet they can both be ‘right’.” Ren is Hollow World’s Hitler, yet the author has him use life’s wisdom and an almost empathizable logic for his dastardly plans of upsetting utopia. Ren says that “Life is all about conflict. The pursuit of happiness—that’s life, not the achievement. It’s all about the journey…” Then Ellis says that “As twisted as Ren was, I understood him—even sympathized, because part of me was Ren.” I knew what the author was saying because part of me was Ellis and part of me was Ren as well. I don’t mean that I could sympathize with a Hitler-wanna-be, but that I understand the madness behind his logic, albeit a faulty logic. I don’t think I’ve ever looked up an author’s birthday before. But when you recognize your own idiosyncrasies, musings, and aphorisms in someone else’s writings, you just have to. And it turns out that the author is a Virgo with my same birth week, a personality type that seemingly thrives on justification, explanation, and seeing both sides of a point (among other things).
I’m not usually a fan of fantasy, but I might be convinced to try one of the author’s other works which are all fantasy because Hollow World is such a work of art. But I’m hoping more strongly that some of the forthcoming novels the author mentions at the end of this book are sequels set in Hollow World. I need to dance with Pax in the rain again and explore more of the depths of this world of the future.
This is the story of a man named Ellis who abandons everyone he’s ever known to take a one-way trip to the future. He sees the future as an escape from the life of the present, and perhaps the future holds a cure for his terminal illness. What he discovers is a Ray-Bradbury-esque world full of beauty and wonder. Climate change has pushed humans underground, but the 3 Miracles have brought heaven to this underground utopia. Immortality is a reality and nobody wants for anything. In a world where nobody has to work, many seek leisure in art, resulting of a world where you might take a shower in an indoor waterfall or port to an Ansel Adams photo location for a picnic.
When Ellis first lands in the future, he finds himself immediately drawn into a friendship with Pax who himself is an odd person out among his peers. “The two of them just sort of clicked, like old friends who’d just met. Friends-at-first-sight, if there was such a thing.” It’s through this friendship and the adventures that he has with Pax that Ellis is finally able to find redemption from the mistakes of his past. The friendship between Ellis and Pax is worth everything that Ellis left behind. I love how Pax accepts Ellis as he is: “Your skin sags, and has all those great creases, like a beloved knapsack that has been taken everywhere and shows evidence of every mile.”
This is a book that, at the surface looks like a straightforward time travel story, but its true strength is that it hits on several topics of depth. What is love beyond sex? Why do people need each other? What makes us human? What makes us unique? What are people truly striving for within religion? What do people long for? What is the point of life? Is there ever a justification for murder? How far do you have to go to forgive yourself? What barriers are worth breaking down for love?
I keep finding books that become new favorites that I think everyone should read, and this falls in that category. It has a gorgeous setting, features time travel and a post-apocalyptic world, has well-developed characters, has a plot that is tightly woven, and is full of nuggets of wisdom. But I think this is the first time I’ve recognized my own personality in someone else’s writing.
“Oh dear, if I wrote a book, I’d do that,” I kept saying to myself as I finished reading the introductory justifications at the beginning of the ebook version of the novel, the author’s book review, and the book’s afterward. They all go into the details of how the novel came about and various reasons for this and that. The book information the author provided on GoodReads was so thorough that I didn’t have to do any work other than copying and pasting it into the initial informational post for our book club. I also recognized my own personality in the way that the author portrays both sides of an issue with equal aplomb, equally able to sympathize with both sides of very different opinions and making me wonder whether he believes this that or nothing. The author says that “One truth doesn’t refute another. Truth doesn’t lie in the object, but in how we see it.” In other words, two people can have completely different opinions and yet they can both be ‘right’.” Ren is Hollow World’s Hitler, yet the author has him use life’s wisdom and an almost empathizable logic for his dastardly plans of upsetting utopia. Ren says that “Life is all about conflict. The pursuit of happiness—that’s life, not the achievement. It’s all about the journey…” Then Ellis says that “As twisted as Ren was, I understood him—even sympathized, because part of me was Ren.” I knew what the author was saying because part of me was Ellis and part of me was Ren as well. I don’t mean that I could sympathize with a Hitler-wanna-be, but that I understand the madness behind his logic, albeit a faulty logic. I don’t think I’ve ever looked up an author’s birthday before. But when you recognize your own idiosyncrasies, musings, and aphorisms in someone else’s writings, you just have to. And it turns out that the author is a Virgo with my same birth week, a personality type that seemingly thrives on justification, explanation, and seeing both sides of a point (among other things).
I’m not usually a fan of fantasy, but I might be convinced to try one of the author’s other works which are all fantasy because Hollow World is such a work of art. But I’m hoping more strongly that some of the forthcoming novels the author mentions at the end of this book are sequels set in Hollow World. I need to dance with Pax in the rain again and explore more of the depths of this world of the future.
sumayyah_t's review against another edition
4.0
Well!
Ellis Rogers is handed a death sentence by his doctor. Deciding that he has nothing left to lose, he leaves his notes on the time machine with his best friend, and hits the button. Ending up 2,000 years in the future, he happens across a ghastly murder in a society that does not understand things such as death, war, greed, and disease. Within days, he stops another murder, becomes a celebrity, is cured of his deadly disease, and uncovers a chilling plot against the people of Hollow World that has its roots in his past. Points off for heavy-handed treatment religious themes in the last third of the book. Also, points off for heavy handed discussions of socialism and gender/sex roles but, ultimately, I enjoyed this book immensely. Convenient plot is convenient, and plot twist in the climax gets foreshadowed maybe halfway through the book, but it still makes for good reading.
Ellis Rogers is handed a death sentence by his doctor. Deciding that he has nothing left to lose, he leaves his notes on the time machine with his best friend, and hits the button. Ending up 2,000 years in the future, he happens across a ghastly murder in a society that does not understand things such as death, war, greed, and disease. Within days, he stops another murder, becomes a celebrity, is cured of his deadly disease, and uncovers a chilling plot against the people of Hollow World that has its roots in his past. Points off for heavy-handed treatment religious themes in the last third of the book. Also, points off for heavy handed discussions of socialism and gender/sex roles but, ultimately, I enjoyed this book immensely. Convenient plot is convenient, and plot twist in the climax gets foreshadowed maybe halfway through the book, but it still makes for good reading.
taysbookshelf's review against another edition
5.0
What a wonderful book. I was one of the Kickstarters for this book, even though I hadn't ever read any of MJS's stuff! He was (is) an active contributor on /r/fantasy on Reddit, so I wanted to help out. I am amazingly happy I did.
First, the negative. Once the story gets rolling, and the main antagonist is introduced, my biggest complaint is that the story is predictable. However, is being predictable really a bad thing? I think all of my time reading George RR Martin and others has left me *expecting* unpredictable.
The fact is, whether a novel is predictable or not doesn't matter as much as the story being good. And Hollow World is a damn good story. Michael, if you're reading this, just know there are those of us who would LOVE to see more in this universe.
First, the negative. Once the story gets rolling, and the main antagonist is introduced, my biggest complaint is that the story is predictable. However, is being predictable really a bad thing? I think all of my time reading George RR Martin and others has left me *expecting* unpredictable.
The fact is, whether a novel is predictable or not doesn't matter as much as the story being good. And Hollow World is a damn good story. Michael, if you're reading this, just know there are those of us who would LOVE to see more in this universe.
drolefille's review against another edition
5.0
It started off a bit like Wells, but ended somewhere beautiful. I love it!
skyeblue1737's review against another edition
5.0
I'm honestly not sure what to say about this book, other than it was fantastic. It's very real about what happens to the main character and how he feels about the events in the story. It's relate-able in that aspect, but also extremely deep. It has a lot, if not all, of the things good stories should have. It does story-telling very good. It made me happy, at the end.
fertilepress's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lilian_456's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25