The Hollow Ones

By: Guillermo del Toro, Chuck Hogan

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley

Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's Summary

A horrific crime that defies explanation, a rookie FBI agent in uncharted territory, and an extraordinary hero for the ages: an investigation spirals out of control in this heart-pounding thriller.

Odessa Hardwicke's life is derailed when she's forced to turn her gun on her partner, Walt Leppo, a decorated FBI agent who turns suddenly, inexplicably violent while apprehending a rampaging murderer. The shooting, justified by self-defense, shakes the young FBI agent to her core. Devastated, Odessa is placed on desk leave pending a full investigation. But what most troubles Odessa isn't the tragedy itself - it's the shadowy presence she thought she saw fleeing the deceased agent's body after his death.

Questioning her future with the FBI and her sanity, Hardwicke accepts a low-level assignment to clear out the belongings of a retired agent in the New York office. What she finds there will put her on the trail of a mysterious figure named Hugo Blackwood, a man of enormous means who claims to have been alive for centuries, and who is either an unhinged lunatic, or humanity's best and only defense against unspeakable evil.

From the authors who brought you The Strain Trilogy comes a strange, terrifying, and darkly wondrous world of suspense, mystery, and literary horror. The Hollow Ones is a chilling, spell-binding tale, a hauntingly original new fable from Academy Award-winning director Guillermo del Toro and best-selling author Chuck Hogan featuring their most fascinating character yet.

©2020 Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan (P)2020 Grand Central Publishing

Critic Reviews

"A transporting, pageturning thriller that rips open a brand new universe, filling it with suspense. Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan have a dark vision to share - and they've created quite a duo in Hugo Blackwood and Odessa Hardwicke, a Sherlockian partnership for the ages." (Brad Meltzer, number-one NYT best-selling author of The Escape Artist)

"If one could combine the world-conjuring magic of C. S. Lewis with the dark energy of Thomas Harris, one would be at least part of the way to understanding what makes The Hollow Ones so special. Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan have yet another twisted masterpiece on their hands. An enduring new series combining horror, suspense, and fable." (Stephen Chbosky, NYT best-selling author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Imaginary Friend)

"A welcome gift to disciples of Lovecraft-ian fiction. Odessa Hardewick is cast in the mold of Clarice Starling.... Inventive and macabre." (Kirkus)

Worth The Wait!

I'm several hours into the book and already know it's going to be a favorite! I am a C J Box, Robert B Parker and John Sanford fan. I also like good SciFi (The Breach). I liked parts of The Strain, but it was too dark overall for me.

I can't stop listening (and I should be working) if that tells you anything.

I return way too many books to Audible because they do not grab my attention. The Hollow Ones will grab you and keep you.

I hope you enjoy!

Hollow Ones needs filling out more

I have the Strain Trilogy books and audio and I truly enjoy listening to them and reading them over and over. The Strain Trilogy is up there with The Stand and Swan Song. I did not like the "made for TV version" of The Strain or The Stand. Too much is lost from the book when it is adapted to screen play. The characters are melded together to make someone new and the story is changed enough so that the people that truly loved the book cannot bear to watch. But I am rambling.

I have had this book on my wish list and even pre-ordered so that I could have it right away. That's how much I like these authors and their collaboration. That being said let me inform you as to why I did not like the book as much as I though I would. I had to remind myself that this was a new story line to follow and that it was unfair to compare this book with the previous works.

I felt like I was reading a pitch for a screenplay. There was so much missing that I almost stopped listening after the first 90 or so minutes. I continued listening thinking that the pace would pick up and the characters would be fleshed out more. I don't think they ever were. I wanted to know more about Solomon and Vernon. The who, what, when, where and why is missing from the little boy's story. The beginning of the connection with Solomon and Blackwood was only briefly touched upon. I spent much of my time thinking "wait, what?" and rewinding to listen again. There was much jumping back and forth in time in the story and I am hoping that the next book will fill in a lot of what seems to be missing. Why Odessa? And who exactly are Blackwood's two helpers? What's on the tapes?

I will be listening to this book again and I hope to pick up a few more pieces of the story. As I said before I like these two authors a lot and I will purchase the next book in this trilogy. Bottom line is I think it's an okay book. I think much is missing but I have high hopes that those missing things will be brought out into the light with the next book.

Apparently, the hook has been set and I am waiting to be reeled in by the next book. I say try it.

Entertaining, but not original

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the book. However, the plot is a modern amalgam of Dracula, Constantine, and that Denzel Washington movie from the 90’s called Fallen. Still liked it and recommend it, but don’t be surprised if you frequently think, “that’s sounds familiar”.

Good story, wrong protagonist

The overall premise of this story is pretty good and fairly interesting. I enjoyed the narrators performance and I’m willing to overlook the dangling plot lines as this is the first book in a series. What I can’t overlook, what I won’t overlook is a terrible protagonist. Towards the end I was so irritated by the main character that I had to force myself to finish the book. Whiny, ineffective and childish. Literally every other character was leagues more interesting and compelling than the main character. It’s a shame I’d be much more interested in continuing the series if she had died. Alas she didn’t but my interest in this series sure has.

Terrible story

The lady reading this was terrible. Couldn’t stand her reading, made stop listing. Story was turning into a magma storyline. Couldn’t keep me interested. Wasted my money

Way too short

It was interesting, but I felt as though a lot was missing. If a bit more depth was added and if the end wasn't so anticlimactic, I would have enjoyed it more.

Solid book, but nothing new.

This book was well written and I enjoyed the characters, but it was incredibly predictable. No real new twists to add to the supernatural cop genre, but a solid enough story. For fans of Supernatural, the X-Files, and/or the Dresden Files.

Loved it!!

Absolutely loved it! Kept me engaged and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next! Definitely recommend!!

SO BAD! Do not buy!

So cliched. A cross between Silence of the Lambs with Constantine without any of the quality that made that book and that character memorable. Why do male writers often write female protagonist who are insufferable? Totally inflexible, irrational, but of course, so hot no man can resist them 🤮. If crazy supernatural stuff happened you’d be in denial … but not for the entire book and certainly not after supernatural beings start trying to kill you, but this supposedly BRILLIANT FBI agent is acting like an angry toddler for the entire narrative. At a certain point her reactions were just silly. Plus, I can tell these white authors thought they were being so diverse, having so many Black characters, NEVERMIND the total disrespect shown to the Black characters. A narrative about slavery exploited in the cheapest way. DEFINITELY GETTING MY CREDIT BACK THIS BOOK IS BEYOND BAD!

Fun read

I thought this was a fun read. I am a huge fan if these two, if you think this is going to be along the lines of the Strain series then you are mistaken. However it does take you on a nice supernatural ride.