Review: Hollowland by Amanda Hocking

I don’t think I ever really lived until this. I’ve never done anything that mattered before, but now. I’m fighting to save my life, and yours. And I know it sounds really cheesy and lame, but I don’t think I ever really felt alive. Not until I met you.”

"Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies."

Hollowland is the first book in the series The Hollows by Amanda Hocking. The book follows Remy as she travels across a post-apocalyptic Earth to save her brother. The book is written from her perspective, and handles the often generalized zombie survival genre with tact and intelligence. Maybe due to watching the entire first season while reading the book, but I drew some heavy parallels between Hollowland and AMC's series The Walking Dead.

What struck me most about the novel was how easily it roped me into a world with no prior knowledge. This isn't a world with magic and superhumans. It's a very accurate take of how our very own country would look if a major zombie outbreak happened right now. (And just in time for Halloween, how convenient.)

The characters are believable, the pain they feel genuinely grabs your heart from within the pages and makes you feel sympathetic for their cause and their loss. Remaining spoiler-free, I can tell you that all the way until the end, Hollowland has you intrigued about the next step, afraid for the character's well-being, and hopeful for their victory, all at once. Also, if you aren't the reading type (be aware, however, that you're reading a book blog), Amanda Hocking has announced that she is releasing Hollowland as a comic series with Dynamite Entertainment, to be released in 2012. Even though I've read the book, I'm super excited for this series, and you'll definitely hear from me again when it comes out. (Or not, you know, if I'm totally absorbed by them.)

It was a very quick read for me, which left me craving more of the tale that Amanda wove. Lucky for me, Hollowmen (the second part in the series) is with an editor right now, and should be released soon! (Please don't click that link if you haven't read the first book. MAJOR SPOILERS for Hollowmen!)

My rating for this book:

Amanda Hocking lives in Minnesota with her best friend Eric. She is the author of the My Blood Approves series as well as the Trylle Trilogy. Hocking was recently signed by St. Martin’s Press and You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads,  Email: hockingbooks@hotmail.com and Blog.