Hollow King
By Waylon Graves
Pub Date: Jan 5,2026

This book has a Dresden Files feel to it, a bit darker and without the humor. I just will definitely read the next book because I feel like this one didn't give me enough time to really get to know the characters that well and I think with another installment we can flesh that out a little more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Buffhaus Print + Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book early in return for my honest review.

Bloody, darkly funny, almost tongue-in-cheek, buddy road trip with an unlikely crew of human and non chasing down the evil smiling dude intent on world domination and coming upon some otherworldly battles along the way! If you picture Carl as Bruce Campbell, you are not alone. Horror humor at it's best, this one is genuine fun!

This is the first book in a series featuring Cryptid Carl, as he's known. He's a younger guy who was born and raised on a mountain and has best friends not exactly of the natural variety. These include a Bigfoot like creature called a Yaya and a weird but compassionate "thing" called Squonk.

But something evil is threatening his life and home, something terrifying and parasitic. Together with a woman he meets and his motley crew of strange creatures, they'll put themselves in danger in order to stop the bloodshed.

This could be classified as a horror/comedy and there's enough humour to qualify but it's also bloody, gory, and filled with a lot of action and heart. There will be appearances from mythic creatures you'll recognise and others which you won't. But it's a wildly fun and entertaining read and I'm looking forward to future books. I highly recommend it.

Spoiler alert.






This is the first book in a series.
Thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Go buy this book! No, I'm serious. This was a fun read with heart, oh, and with monsters but not all bad monsters. So much going on in this novel, plenty of action, humor, and heart. Highly, highly recommended.

Fun, cozy cryptid horror. It's a bit disjointed at times and I wish Bex and Yaya were more fleshed out, but an enjoyable read overall.

Thank you to NetGalley and Buffhaus Print + Publishing for an eARC copy of Hollow King by Waylon Graves

The Hollow King is a gritty, atmospheric dive into Appalachian horror that blends folklore, cosmic dread, and deeply personal stakes with impressive confidence. From its opening pages, the novel established a sense of rot and unease - both in the land itself and in Carl, its half-feral, haunted protagonist. What begins as a familiar monster-hunting job quickly spirals into something far darker and more unsettling.

This is one of my favorite books with an Appalachian setting, and it is the greatest strength overall. The dying towns, empty hollers, and shadowed mountains feel lived-in and menacing, grounding the supernatural elements in a place that feels just as wounded as its people. The use of regional folklore - especially Mothman (who doesn't like a good Mothman story) and the chilling presence of Indrid Cold - adds texture and mythic weight without slipping into pardoy.

Carl is a compelling lead: rough, guarded, and shaped by a past he's tried hard to outrun. The story itself becomes increasingly horrifying in an intimate way, turning his memories and bloodline into weapons against him. Emotional undercurrent gives the novel more depth than a straightforward monster tale, even when the pacing slows under the weight of its revelations. He is is just one of my favorite main characters in a book that I've read in a while.

While not every thread is perfectly tied together, The Hollow King delivers a tense, eerie ride that horror fans - especially those drawn to Appalachian and folklore terror - will appreciate. It's a strong entry in the genre and well worth the trip into the dark.

This was visceral and exciting, in a way I never thought i'd say. When it said it was blood-soaked they weren't joking!