Hollow Men

The Windshine Chronicles #1

by Todd Sullivan

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.

Genres: Fantasy

136 pages, Paperback

Published December 9, 2019

About the author

Todd Sullivan attended his first serious writing class in 1995 at Stanford University. Between 1997 and 2002, he participated in the National Book Foundation's 10 day summer writing retreats. In 2006, he graduated with a Bachelors in English with Concentrations in Creative Writing from Georgia State University. He moved to New York that same year, and received a Masters of Fine Arts from Queens College in Flushing, New York in 2009. Todd moved to Jeju, South Korea, where he taught English in the public school system for five years. He currently lives in Seoul, and is studying the Korean language at Yonsei University. He is also working on a speculative fiction/urban horror novel that takes place in Korea.

Reviews

[Scarlett Readz and Runz....Through Novel Time & Distance · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

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.

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.

More of my reviews here:
Through Novel Time & Distance

[Sheena ☆ Book Sheenanigans · Rating 4 out of 5]

First things first, let’s talk about the book illustration. It definitely gave me LOTR Legolas vibes and I loved every part of it, so of course I couldn’t wait to dive into this fantasy read. Needless to say, the author didn’t disappoint!

In the span of (less than) 136 pages, we get a fast-paced epic fantasy adventure filled with action, death, magic, heroism, and diverse/multicultural characters (a big plus for me). I loved how the author contributed Korean elements to the story and the twists and turns that made this a fun read and the perfect pick me up.

[WS_BOOKCLUB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is available now.

There was a lot more to the book than I originally expected. I made the mistake of thinking that, because it’s a short book, there wouldn’t be much detail. I was wrong. The world is fully formed, including customary responses to situations, histories, and even social expectations. I am incredibly impressed.

Sixteen-year-old Ha Jun goes on a quest. It’s expected of young men, as a way to earn honor and glory. However, sixteen is much younger than the usual age. His glory-hungry father has trained him for this-plus he has a glyph blade, so he’s sure to succeed, right? Hopefully? In his pursuit of honor, Ha Jun joins a monk, a knight, a solider, and the dark elf Windshine on a journey to destroy a demon. As all fantasy readers know, a quest can create the coolest of stories.

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This book goes in unexpected directions, and is chock-full of action. Where this book stands out, however, is in the richness of its lore. For example, there’s a man-eating tiger mentioned at the beginning of the book. Instead of just being a tiger with unfortunate taste, more is added to make it memorable. If the author were to ever write a book of legends from his world, I’d be first in line to buy it.

I did struggle to adjust to certain things in this book. The last few fantasy books I’ve read felt less formal (for lack of a better term) so emotions, while definitely present in this book, seemed to be buried a little bit deeper. It took me a couple of chapters to get used to that. It added depth to the characters, seeing the small ways they conveyed emotion.

Lastly, I have to mention the cover. It has a Forgotten Realms feel to it, and definitely grabs the eye. This is a very well-written novella, and one I recommend to those who like their fantasy with a unique, diverse feel.

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[JJ Broenner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced fantasy story that involves a quest for young Ha Jun, at sixteen he is on a quest to hopefully become a hero. The special sword helps him on his journey and when his group encounters the hollow men, a legendary group of murderers. There are twists and turns along the quest and Ha Jun is a natural with his sword and his instincts. At the journeys end, he finds out the story of a quest and heroes becoming heroes, are not always as they happened, but there is a good reason for that in this particular quest, avoiding war.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A massive thank you to Todd for sending me a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review.

Hollow Men is a fast-paced adventure quest story that has echoes of epic fantasy wrapped up in a small package. The book begins not with Ha Jun or Windshine, the two main protagonists but with Ha Jun’s father. Jeong Seok has made a huge financial sacrifice to obtain a glyph sword for his son so that he can become a hero. He inflicts horrific abuse on Ha Jun as the financial burden weighs heavily on him fuelling him to push his son to become the hero worthy of the sword. The irony is that as a result of him pushing his son, their relationship is fractured, lacking any warmth, the only thing he can offer his son is a purpose.

‘You will stand above other men and claim your place amongst the stars.’

His father is living through him, not able to become anything more than an orange salesman himself, he longs to live the heroic dream through his son. Ha Jun in the beginning is fragile emotionally despite his physical strength, with a whirlpool of emotions pushed down inside of him. I love how his character has growth even within the short page span of the novel as he is able to prove himself to be not just a shiny eyed youth but a decisive and brave young man. The other boys in his quest group underestimate him, believing that he won’t survive their deadly quest but his father’s gruelling regime and financial sacrifice together have formed a true warrior ready to be unleashed.

My favourite character is Windshine, the dark elf. It’s mentioned that the Dark Elves arrived four hundred years ago after fleeing their war ravaged lands to seek a peaceful life. Windshine’s job is to accompany warriors on their quests and capture their stories. She is employed by the emperor and as such she has a layer of protection in place however, this does not stop humans from mistrusting her and labelling her a ‘foreigner’. The history of the dark elves is part of the exquisite worldbuilding that takes place in this book. I love how we are told that the humans fear the magic of the elves so much that the emperor has forced male and female elves to live separately so as to control their population. This is one small detail amongst others that flesh out this Korean-inspired fantasy realm. Elements of the landscape come from real Korean places and coupled with the martial art references and diverse characters the world of South Hanguk is vibrantly bought to life.

Accompanying Ha Jun on his quest are three other men who come from varying backgrounds, each adding their own strengths to the success of the quest. Seong Min is a seasoned warrior who is fighting for the chance to return to his wife and son, Su Won is a monk with spiritual powers that can even penetrate the world of the dead and Yeong-Su, an officials son who has to prove himself worthy of his families famed name. Without spoilers, each character has a short amount of time to blossom within the book and each come to their own fated ends or beginnings.

The book quickly builds up to the final battle which has many twists and turns including one huge twist that I didn’t see coming, no spoilers here! Once the book had finished it left me wanting more, I wanted to know what happens to Han Ju and Windshine next, I wanted to know more about the dark elves history, I wanted to know more about the hero Han ju would become and the future quests he would undertake. The book felt like the beginning of a grand adventure for me rather than the end. Hollow Men may be a short book but contained within it is an adventure story with authentic characters, beautiful world building and the door left open for exciting future instalments.

[Judy Ferrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

When boys go on adventures...

Elves and humans adventure together to find what is killing other villages. This is an easy read full of high adventure. A tale for for a rainy day to let your mind go adventuring!

[Jill Hand · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fantasy novel is set in an intriguing world. Sixteen-year-old Ha Jun's father arranges for him to undertake a quest that if successful, will make him a hero and give him high social standing among the people of South Hanguk. Ha Jun is reluctant at first, aware that few who set out on such quests ever return. Armed with a sword crafted in a foreign land, Ha Jun sets out, accompanied by a soldier, a knight, and a monk, to destroy a demon lurking beyond the running trees of Naganeupseong Fortress. They are accompanied the dark elf, Windshine, who emigrated to South Hanguk from her own war-torn country centuries ago. 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.
I won't give away the ending, but this was an exciting book with well-drawn, complex characters and exceptional world-building. I look forward to reading more of Sullivan's work.

[Samantha Kroese · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining quest adventure!

I found this story to be entertaining. An interesting take on a quest fantasy with a twist ending. It also had the feel of a martial arts tale. If you like stories about young adventurers, chosen ones, and high stakes quests then give this book a try!

[Nyasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ha Jun was a main character that I did not expect. He's cowardly and naivety in the beginning but it gives him a growth in character throughout the book and how he changes around Windshine.

There's a lot of potiental for a prequel into Windshine's origins and other questions that also could be answered: Why did Windshine create Ha Jun's sword? How did Ha Jun's father get a hold of the sword in the first place? Monks seem as strong as Summoners, what is the origin of their story?

I think K-Pop fans, Dragon Age, Fable and Dark Souls gamers would love reading this book because there's a lot of cultural and language references with Jeju, Korea and other parts of Asia e.g. Ilbon-Nala or known as Japan's Nara (일본의날라) that I noticed when reading the book.

A great book!

[Susan Ragsdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chambara action with a high fantasy bent set in a alternate Korea. Monsters, betrayal, deceit, magic, and honor - this book has it all. Can’t wait for the next one!

It literally whisked me away to another place and time as I rooted for the heroes. And, Todd Sullivan wove in some teachable moments that made me pause to reflect on my own journey and the different choices we make.

[Rie Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating look at a well-crafted world

I came to this book because I am editing the new entry to the series. I am so glad I did. Set in an alternate Korea, it blends that culture with Dark Elves to create a hybrid adventure that carries the reader forward on the adventure of a lifetime. Now I'm off to start the next one. I can't wait.

[T.C.C. Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who has lived in Korea for nearly as long as the author, I really appreciated how the narrative combines Korean culture and history into its fantasy world. Using real-world places and realistic Korean names and cultural norms, the author creates a fast-moving and quick adventure tale. A quick and easy fantasy read, and a great start to a longer series.

[Leah M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author. I am providing my honest opinion voluntarily.

TRIGGER WARNING: child abuse, harming an animal, gore

I liked the cover. The vibrant colors drew my attention, and it reminds me of the elf guy from the Lord of the Rings movies.

For a quick read, it included a pretty detailed story. There was a lot of action involved, and the plot was an interesting one. The author clearly understands and respects traditions in Asian culture, and they seemed to be well represented in this story.

I was initially shocked at the casual way that major abuse of a character was mentioned, and I was especially turned off by the way that abuse to an animal was used in a gratuitous way. I also struggled with understanding a lot of the words in the text, that were unfamiliar and undefined completely. I also couldn't connect emotionally to a single character, which made it difficult to really get invested in the story.

[ceri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I get into the review, I would like to thank Todd for kindly sending me a physical copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hollow Men follows the protagonist, Ha Jun, on his quest to become a hero in South Hangkuk, in order to raise his social standing. He is joined by three companions in a bid to destroy a demon lurking in Naganeupseong, as well as the Dark Elf, Windshine. Ha Jun and Windshine soon strike up an unlikely friendship - but when he finds out about her connection to the demon he has a difficult decision to make.

I think one of my favourite things about Hollow Men would definitely have to be the strong sense of friendship throughout. Although they were all strangers at the book's beginning, they soon became a really tightly knit group, referring to each other as brothers and becoming a family. I really admired the way they all looked out for each other when completing their quest, and you could see how important they all were to each other.

I also really liked Ha Jun. I really admired the way he looked out for Windshine, despite the prejudice the dark elves faced, and his overarching strength and courage throughout. He was a really strong and likeable character, and soon became my favourite. He was impossible not to root for!

Of course, the whole history of the dark elves was very fascinating. Sullivan really dived into the matter and it was clear how much thought had went into developing it. It was definitely one of my favourite aspects of the book, and I loved the personal touch Windshine's own story added to it. It certainly made for an interesting read!

I also really liked the twist. Right at the very end Sullivan hits the readers with something I definitely didn't see coming, but I loved it all the same! The truth about the demon was shocking with a really dramatic scene between the characters and I loved every second of it!

It would also be a crime to talk about the ending without mentioning the sheer amount of action - and it wasn't just at the end, too! I loved all of the action and adventure Sullivan packed in there and there was never a dull moment... From being chased by treelike creatures through to awesome battles at the end, it was absolutely brilliant.

Overall, I would recommend Hollow Men for any fantasy fan, as this was a really unique addition to the genre. I would also recommend it to anyone who likes a good adventure, as the quest was really interesting to read.

However, please be mindful that this book has trigger warnings of family abuse, so please do not read if that's something you're uncomfortable with.