The Hollow Ones is an engaging book that balances a modern tragedy with a related event that took place decades before. Follow two different FBI agents from separate times as they unravel the mystery, and the man, that will ultimately connect them. While at times the pacing of the book can be a bit slow, it's well worth a listen.

For some reason, I was a bit hesitant to dive into this book. I wasn't seeing a lot of raving reviews and the plot seemed to be a maybe. However, I'm so glad I took the plunge because this book was amazing. There's definitely a creep factor, think THE WHISPER MAN. I highly recommend it.

I like the works of Guillermo del Torro, so I gave this one a try. The story is a mix of thriller and horror. While investigating a crime, an FBI agent Odessa Hardwicke, encounter some unexplainable things. The Hollow Ones is a fast-paced thriller with elements of the supernatural, and I can easily picture it as a movie.

This book is not my favorite Del Toro work, but it is a good one, anyway. The narrator did a great job. Overall, I liked the story and narration, though I have to admit, it took me more time than usual to finish it.

3.5 stars rounded to 4. I will seek the next book when available. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this! All opinions are my own.

Thoughts: I will forever be a fan of Guillermo del Toro. He’s created some of the most fascinating yet horrific worlds but I don’t think I can ever get past how every single one of his books seems to be written in the hopes of them someday being turned into a film. The summary of this gave me the idea it could be like an old X-Files episode: a young FBI agent investigating a terrible crime turns to a man of the occult after being unable to rationalize the supernatural aspects of the case. No, we’re not talking aliens, but the supernatural aspect actually reminded me far too much of another book which I had only recently read. I’m not sure the close comparisons were what ultimately left me unimpressed or if it was the considerable amounts of gratuitous violence and the fact that I didn’t realize this wasn’t a standalone novel until the final page.

Verdict: I just realized that every single Guillermo del Toro book I’ve read has been him paired up with someone else. Makes me want to give Hogan’s individually written books a shot. In regards to The Hollow Ones, while I can see where the authors plan to take this series, I’m not sure the first installment left me feeling invested enough to continue.

For some reason I was unable to listen to this as it wouldn't work! I did however purchase a physical copy upon release and can happily say I devoured it. It's been a long time since I read The Strain Trilogy and I forgot just how cohesive del Toro and Hogan work together as a single writing voice. Also very happy to learn that this is in fact also a trilogy/1

I have been trying to finish this audiobook for months. At just about 50% through it, I think it's about time I finally call it quits.

The story follows a young FBI agent named Odessa sent on a mission with her partner to bring in a man acting his own family. Something about the mission is off, though, and it quickly goes sideways. (I'd say that it has dire consequences for Odessa, but that would imply that the consequences meant anything to the story at all). Running parallel to her story are flashbacks to another agent named Solomon who, decades in the past, was sent to investigate lynchings. Both Solomon and Odessa's paths cross, and a monster enters the foray.

There's an underlying sense of humor to this whole story, as if it doesn't quite take itself seriously. I admire this in instances such as the name for the monster, which is absolutely hilarious. Other times, it sucks out all the tension of a story that is intended to be at least a little bit of a supernatural thriller. I'm intrigued by the mystery and a part of me still wants to know how it all ends, but again: there's no tension, so ultimately I can't be bothered to stick around long enough to find out. And that's another thing: I'm 50% through this audiobook and I still have almost no idea what's going on. I still feel like I'm stuck in the exposition. I'm all for slow openings, but this is kind of ridiculous. 

To end on a positive note, I did appreciate the choice of narrator. Her voice reminds me of the person who narrated The Flight Attendant (and no, they are not the same voice actors, I checked). The voice actor of The Hollow Ones does an excellent job embodying the character of Odessa for me, and also varies her tones/inflections well enough that always can tell which character is speaking.

This was a pretty strange story, which I expected going into it. It started out strong and interesting but I think got convoluted as it went on. There's three timelines and three sets of characters to keep track of. 
The narration was good, I liked the voices and accents. 

Overall, it's a decent read but not a favourite.

Unfortunately, the audio in the audiobook was so distorted, I was unable to listen and make out much of the words.

This was rough as I found that the narrator just didn't seem to have the grasp of the story.

I think the story was solid but needed a bit more polish.

3.5 Stars

I received an advanced audiobook copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

The first part that is a bit frustrating is essentially what one would call intellectual theft, and that is these authors taking the character of Aloysius Pendergast from Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child and writing John Blackwell as almost exactly the same...down to the car. I loved the Pendergast series, however, it certainly made me roll my eyes as I feel these are good authors and they were not at all original in their elusive character.

Otherwise, this was an enjoyable novel and I do greatly enjoy these authors and their previous Strain trilogy. This novel was a little confusing at first with bouncing between three different timelines, however, they finally made sense pretty quickly as the story unfolded in a wonderful manner. This book could definitely be read as a stand-alone, however, it does have a delicious little ending that hooks you and certainly makes me want to read the next book if this series continues!

When I hear mystery/thriller mixed with sci-fi I get excited. This is mostly because I think of Stephen King and love the way he melds the two together. Also, I am a huge fan of Guillermo del Toro. His stuff makes me have this kind of icky feeling in my stomach. Sort of like this anxious energy that is just brewing in my stomach, like angry butterflies where I am excited, enthralled, nervous, and all tangled up. I compare it to a moment where something really exciting is happening that you've been waiting for, and it is finally time.

This book tickled my weird bone - in a good way. It made me rewind it a few times to make sure I was tracking all the information because I felt like this was not an audiobook to nonchalantly listen to while driving to work. I felt like I needed to focus more. For me, personally, I would have preferred this book in a hard copy but that is not due to the narrator. It is more personal preference.

No,I'm not going to review this audiobook in detail, because I would inadvertently spill out spoilers.
All I would like to say that when it's written by Guillermo del Toro you know it's a masterpiece.
Absolutely loved the narration style.Excellent work by Hachette Audio by making an audiobook of this book.
Many thanks to Hachette Audio for providing me with an audiobook.

Guillermo del Toro always brings life and dynamism to horror, something we desperately need as often much of horror (with notable exceptions like Tananarive Due, Silvia Morena Garcia, and Stephen Graham Jones and the like) is repeated storylines and tropes. This was a refreshing take, with a solid narrator and audio production.

What a strange little trip this was. 

I grew up being a fan of Anne Rice, and I have to admit, that was the thing that was most called to my mind when I was listening to this book. A little of Taltos, a little of Body Snatcher, et cetera, et cetera. That said, all the pieces, from the cop drama to the personal drama to the, oh yeah, immortal magician hunting spirits who get off by possessing people as they die, were all very seamlessly woven together into a surreal little story. My only complaint would be that this was very clearly the first book in a series - at 90%, I felt like I was in the middle of something, not at the end, and while I certainly don't mind series, especially not of this caliber, this definitely felt like a piece of something bigger and perhaps something that will be served better as section of a whole. It absolutely stood alone, but at the same time, was also very aware that it was set-up. Definitely creepy, crawly, and enjoyable.

I mentioned I was reading this in my September 18th, 2020 Friday Reads. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na53OuwonYs&ab_channel=Josh%27sBookishVoyage

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The asiest way to describe this book is like an episode of supernatural. Now if you've seen supernatural, you'll know they've taken that way further than they needed to. Luckily this one feels like a pretty good episode. 

In this book we follow an FBI detective who is instructed to go investigate a distress call of a father attacking his wife and daughter. When she gets there, things start getting weird. People who are normally entirely fine seem to get infected with some sort of inherent rage and violence. What follows is a series of events that gets her put on desk duty. That doesn't stop her from trying to figure out what going on. 

In her investigations she comes across this man who seems to have a weird British dialect and who can do weird things. She soon discovers that what she's experiencing isn't new. That the monster responsible is much more ancient and grand than anything she could ever imagine. 

This book was an enjoyable ride. It wasn't difficult, but it was never overtly scary. Nevertheless, del Toro definitely knows how to set a good tone. Of course, he is known for all of his works in film and television, and I'm glad to see that he's able to do a decent job as an author. I was a little irked I have to deal with another detective story, but the author is more critical than praising of the FBI. The FBI is definitely seen as an antagonist or at least a mild one. 
It was also a conversation of race. Coming fresh off of Lovecraft country, this isn't nearly as nuanced, but I thought it was fairly good. In the end though, that kind of distinction isn't mine to have, and I would advise you to look into reviews from people of color.

To sum up, I thought it was an enjoyable ride. I don't regret reading it, and there is a pretty good chance I'll pick up the next one, especially if it's also on NetGalley.

When I saw the authors of this book, I was excited to listen to it. I have enjoyed the books of both authors. 
This book is about an FBI agent, Odessa, who shoot and killed her partner, Walt, while they are on a call. She shot him because he had a knife and was going to kill an innocent child. Walt was a decorated agent and his actions were completely out of character. It was if he was possessed. 
Odessa is placed on desk leave and is assigned to another office. The desk she is assigned to used to belong to Earl Solomon, a retired agent, in the hospital. She finds some items in the desk and decides to find him and return the items. 
She visits him and tell him her story. Her experience sounded familiar and he arranged for her to meet Hugo Blackwood. Hugo will help her understand the experience and guide her throughout the book.   
The first few chapters were interesting and kept my attention but after a while, it was too convoluted and lost my interest. I finished the book because I was on a long road trip and hoped it might capture my interest again. It did not. I can’t recommend this book.

Let’s get the elephant in the room talked about right away. This is NOT the strain. It feels like a lot of people are really disappointed in The Hollow Ones because it is not the same feel as The Strain. And it’s true, it’s not. It doesn’t even really feel like it’s by the same authors. BUT…. The Strain is straight up ghastly bloody horror. Hollow is much more of a nod to OLD school Victorian occult detective novels, but set in a modern era. Those old occult novels were much slower with not as much action as books today. It is a much different beast all together, and it is a little unfair to compare the two different books. Del Toro is such a big fan of retro horror, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he was into Victorian occult novels and detectives. I admit though, that if you are a big fan of his work and The Strain trilogy, it is hard NOT to constantly think about the differences or similarities between the two books.

I really like the concept for this story. Very interesting and it gave me enough of a mystery to keep me going through the book. I do feel like I didn’t really get to know the main characters enough even though the plot is filled with set up. By the time the book was over, I only had an inkling of what the characters were like. I also thought the creature concepts were interesting, but they too didn’t feel fully explored. I wished we had only focused on one creature and get told it’s story fully, instead of doing multi-creatures in book 1.

The Hollow Ones takes place in 3 different eras with new sets of characters for each era. Sometimes it was a little difficult for me, not to keep up, but to remember where which era left off where. The story following Blackwood’s era was a little bit confusing to me. :/ I wasn’t totally 100% sure of the why’s and the what’s about his role in everything. I mean, I get what his job title was, but it just felt like …. I don’t know… maybe it wasn’t really explained all the way or something?

The narrator did a very nice job. She was extremely convincing in the role of Odessa, and she had a lot of variety between the characters. Some people can’t pull off age differences very well, but the narrator did a pretty spot on cadence and flow for both young and old. I had never heard this narrator before. I would have no problem listening to her again.

It felt like Hollow Ones had a lot more set up then answers. I don’t know how the authors work out who does what with their books, but it did feel like del Toro was more hands off on this one? I don’t know for sure, but I would be curious to know if he was as involved as this novel as their previous collaborations? I was entertained, but I didn’t feel as WOWed as normal with something from these guys. I will be interested in book 2, just to see what the next one is like, but it wasn’t an instant MUST READ STAT!!!! situation. Still a decent book, just not as exciting as their other stuff.

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.**

In an attempt to stop a spree killer, rookie FBI Agent Odessa and her partner, Walt, rush to killer's house to find a massacre. When Odessa arrives upstairs, she sees Walt wrestling with the assailant, but it appears he is trying to kill him not disarm him. Walt kills the man, runs into the next room where the surviving child is located, and turns his knife on the the young girl. Confused and terrified for the girl's safety, she shoots Walt whereupon a strange black mist smelling of sulfur departs his body.

Assuming she's lost her mind, she is set on desk duty until she is asked to clean the desk of a retired FBI agent and return his belongings. Odessa meets Earl Soloman, who apparently has been working way past retirement age. Worried about what she may have seen, she confides in Soloman, who gives her a very specific set of instructions to illicit the aid of John Blackwood. Then things really begin getting weird.

I must admit, while I have the trilogy on my shelf, I have not read del Toro and Hogan's Strain books. But perhaps they should be moved up the TBR because this was some book! The characters were well-developed, there were some interesting settings. I like the set-up showing where Soloman initially met Blackwood 50 years prior. And some really weird shit happens - and I happen to like that too. The narrator was also really good - a solid voice performance.

Overall, very enjoyable. I will definitely be seeking out the next one.

I listened to The Hollow Ones since I’m a fan of  Guillermo Del Toro’s films, like The Shape of Water and Pan’s Labyrinth. In this story, an unlikely trio must team up to stop the murderous rampage of an evil, shadowy entity.

I was eager to see how the three different timelines would collide: that of a creepy British guy straight out of 16th century London (Hugo), an elderly and ailing ex-FBI octogenarian (Walt), and a green FBI agent suspected of murder (Odessa). Alas, this book skimped on fleshed-out plot. Everything felt flat. Clichéd. Storylines weren’t resolved in satisfying ways. On top of that, certain plots choices and devices (lynching of a white man, ill-placed humour) were questionable. The monsters? Meh. Not original nor terrifying.

I will say, though, the narrator—Brittany Pressley—was excellent. She brought all the characters to life with different voices and accents without it being distracting or off-putting. Great production.

Rating: ⭐ ⭐

I’d like to thank Hachette Audio and NetGalley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy. Thoughts are my own.