Hollow Men
Men from South Hanguk undertake quests to gain social standing, to stand above their peers, to make names for themselves.
To become heroes.
Few ever return.
Ha Jun, sixteen years old, possesses a glyph sword crafted in foreign lands. Alongside a soldier, a knight, and a monk, he travels across the country to destroy a demon lurking beyond the running trees of Naganeupseong Fortress. Accompanying them is the dark elf, Windshine, who emigrated to South Hanguk from her own war-torn country centuries ago.
Distrusted by the people of South Hanguk, Windshine has the Emperor’s protection and is tasked with recording the valiant acts of quest groups battling creatures born from nightmares.
Ha Jun becomes drawn to Windshine as they near Naganeupseong Fortress, but when he discovers the blood connection between the demon and the dark elf, he will either succumb to his fear, or rise up and become a hero.
Title: Hollow Men
Author: Todd Sullivan
Genre: Fantasy
Paperback: 136
Publisher: Mocha Memoirs Press
Publishing Date: 12/09/2019
Language: English
ISBN: 0999852272
ISBN-13: 978-0999852279
My Review
To the observer, there is an astute grace and beauty to martial arts that innately connect the mind and body of the practicer in the pursuit to master self-control and perseverance. What happens when you combine these strengths with skillful writing and regard for perfect restraint? An amazing novella like Hollow Men, exquisite and intrepid simultaneously.
Set in South Korea or Hanguk as it is referred to, this novel takes place during the middle ages, combining true places with fiction and fantasy. Young Ha Jun (16 years old) is sent by his father to aid in a mission that takes him across the far reaches of the mainland. All he is equipped with is the specially crafted sword he has trained with for most of his life and the hardened scars all over his body left by the whips of his father.
Ha Jun begins his trek over the inactive volcano Mt. Hallasan on Jeju Island towards his destiny. When he meets with the other selected warriors, they are to be ferried across to the mainland and travel north to the Naganeupseong fortress to destroy a mysterious demon.
Accompanying them is the dark elf Windshine who happens to teach young Ha Jun a thing or two about his special glyph sword she is very familiar with. After bonding along the way and becoming brothers in arms, the warriors will face the unimaginable, brutal reality behind their mission.
Not everyone will stay unscathed.
***
What an unexpected gem of a novel this is. Albeit the short page count, the story flows and builds tension perfectly through precise word choice to personify the characters and develop the history of places and events. It all came together really well, devoid of underdeveloped or shallow concepts, ending on a note that promises an interesting continuation in The Windshine Chronicles #2.
Fascinating to me were the places in the novel and their authenticity. As a person who hasn't traveled to South Korea (yet), I was prompted to look up everything I could to learn more about the different areas in the story. The beauty of the landscapes and the amazing historical sites offer a perfect fantasy setting, I discovered.
(credit wikipedia, images left to right: Seoraksan Mountain, Mt. Hallasan, Naganeupseong village)
There wasn't anything I didn't like about this novel, but perhaps that I wished it was longer. For now, I look forward to book two and I definitely recommend Hollow Men in the meantime.
Enjoy!
I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.
All opinions are my own. Thank you.
