Book Review: Hollow World by Michael J. Sullivan

Hollow World by Michael J. Sullivan

Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Tachyon (April 15, 2013)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy's Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hollow World was easily one of my top reads of 2013. I was fortunate to receive the ebook version early because I was a backer in the Kickstarter campaign, a project I pledged my support to as soon as I found out about it because I am a fan of the author. At the time I had just finished reading his Riyria Revelations series and was still coming off from the high, so I was pretty keen on the idea of seeing Hollow World take off.

First, though, a bit of history: in his afterword, Michael J. Sullivan writes that he first took this project to Kickstarter because while everyone he spoke to about it loved the concept behind the book, the general consensus was that this kind of story just wasn't marketable. The science fiction landscape these days is dominated by space operas, military sci-fi, or books from established franchises. It seemed there was very little room left for Hollow World and its good old cross-genre time traveling tale about a 58-year-old man dying from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, who decides to journey into the future in the hopes of finding a cure. 

To be honest, reading about the reasons why Sullivan ultimately decided to crowdfund Hollow World came as a surprise to me, especially after just having finished the book. Yes, the story is undoubtedly very different than what is typical in the mainstream right now, and Ellis Rogers would not be what you would call a traditional protagonist. Yet the character's adventure through time is no less extraordinary. Hollow World tells the tale of a man who has played it safe his whole life until he has nothing left to lose, and what he finds in the far, far future is way more than just the freedom from his illness. 

It's a great time for speculative fiction right now, with what I've noticed is an increased interest in cross-genre novels and so many great and original ideas having found their way into being published in recent years. I thought surely -- SURELY -- this book could have found a place. In any case, thank goodness for small press and self-pubs as well as sites like Kickstarter, because Hollow World is probably my new favorite book by Michael J. Sullivan, right up there with Heir of Novron. I think his style suits a book like this very well, with its modern character and simply astonishing setting. 

The story was compelling from page one, with its masterful introduction to Ellis in the moments after he first receives the life-altering news about his disease. Both character development and world building are Sullivan's greatest strengths, and it was easy to establish a connection with Ellis right away. But that feeling of "Oh wow, this book is something REALLY special" did not hit me until later, when we actually find ourselves in Hollow World. The author has created a breathtaking version of the future.

It's obvious that Michael J. Sullivan drew inspiration from The Time Machine, and he even makes mention to H.G. Wells' classic in his Author's Note. How Ellis Rogers managed to travel forward in time in a disembodied old van seat surrounded by a stack of plastic milk crates isn't the point of Hollow World -- it's the character's story, its fascinating concepts and the heartfelt emotions it invoked, that will make this book stay with me for a long time. Authors of time-travel fiction have long speculated on the future of our planet and humankind, and Sullivan has accomplished something truly amazing with Hollow World, mixing together elements from many different genres including science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thriller and suspense, action-adventure and even a bit of romance.  

This confluence of ideas from so many different genres is likely what made the book such a tough sell to publishers to begin with, but its multiple facets is actually what I enjoyed the most. In fact, Hollow World is like a study in pluralities. There are some heavy subject matters within, from interpretations of God and religion, to sociological discussions of hive mind versus individuality, harmony versus chaos. It asks questions like, when does a utopia become a dystopia, and does it matter from whose perspective we look at? Is it worth it to trade comfort and security for freedom? Or how about sacrificing peace and happiness for a sense of accomplishment? Is there a middle ground? Why can't we have it all? 

Even though I thought I knew the answers, reading this book was an eye-opener. Ellis Rogers' journey to Hollow World changed his understanding of life and love, making him rethink all the things he thought he knew, and I found myself naturally immersed in his experiences. At certain points, the story made me so angry I wanted to smack the main character upside the head; at others, I was so moved that I was almost in tears. Whether or not you'll find yourself shocked, disturbed, ecstatic, annoyed, or deeply touched (I was all of these and more), Hollow World is a character-driven story packed with intensity and emotion.

I rate this book highly based on pure enjoyment factor; Hollow World is so many things, but without a doubt, the best part about it is also its most obvious duality: that is it at once a light and entertaining read, but also heavy on important issues and philosophy. Most important of all, this story will make you think and feel. I absolutely loved it.