Hollowland (The Hollows #1)

By Amanda Hocking

"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amanda Hocking
• Release date: Dec 7, 2010
• ISBN: 9781458122308

Amanda Hocking

Amanda Hocking lives in Minnesota, had never sold a book before April 2010 and has now sold over a million. According to the Observer, she is now 'the most spectacular example of an author striking gold through ebooks'. Amanda is a self-confessed 'Obsessive tweeter. John Hughes mourner. Batman devotee. Unicorn enthusiast. Muppet activist.' Her books include the Trylle Trilogy, the Watersong series and the Kanin Chronicles.

Book preview

Hollowland

Hollowmen

The Hollows: A Graphic Novel

Switched

Torn

Ascend

Frostfire

Ice Kissed

Crystal Kingdom

Wake

Lullaby

Tidal

Elegy

Forgotten Lyrics: A Short Story

My Blood Approves

Fate

Flutter

Wisdom

Letters to Elise: A Novella

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations,

and events portrayed in this novel are either products of

the author’s imagination or are used factiously.

HOLLOWLAND

Copyright © 2010 by Amanda Hocking.

All rights reserved.

Cover and book design by Mae I Design & Photography

www.hockingbooks.com

Second Edition: July 2016

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

About Amanda

This is the way the world ends – not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door.

When the lights first went out, filling the former classroom with frightened gasps, I hadn’t thought much of it. With almost constant blackouts, we were lucky to have power at all.

Then the emergency sirens started wailing.

Even though it was well after midnight, I laid wide awake on my cot, still fully clothed. I jumped up and ran to the large windows. Armed guards and barbed wire lined the perimeter, but when I looked out the window into the night, I couldn’t see any soldiers. Bright flashes lit up the darkness as guns fired, but I couldn’t hear anything over the sirens.

Chaos enveloped the room behind me. Once, not that long ago, this had been an ordinary high school. Now the government kept the uninfected stashed here, quarantined off from the zombies.

I shared the room with twenty-five other girls, ranging in age from ten to twenty. To prepare us for the possibility of an attack, some government officials had set up weekly training with arbitrary safeguards. Now the girls did as they had been taught, propping the army regulation cots on their sides to block the windows and doors.

A girl pushed me out of the way and shoved her cot towards the nearest window, as if it would protect us any better than the glass. It’d do about as much good as the duck and cover method against a nuclear bomb, but it was better than nothing.

A loud crash echoed over the sirens, and the building actually trembled.

They’re inside! Someone shrieked, and my heart skipped a beat.

My little brother was in another part of the building, set up in a makeshift medical center, and I had to get to him. Private Beck might be with him, but I couldn’t bank on that.

At the thought of Beck, my heart wanted to panic further, but he could take care of himself. Max, on the other hand, needed me.

I grabbed my messenger bag, containing the few earthly possessions I still had, and ran towards the door.

What are you doing? Sommer asked. Even though she barely stood five feet tall, she had been chosen to guard the door.

Getting out of here. I pulled the cot away from the door. It moved easily for me, and I couldn’t imagine what it would do against intruders.

Where? Why? Her voice quivered, and her eyes darted around the room.

I glanced back at the room, full of girls without any real way to protect themselves, and I grimaced. Leaving them stranded like this made me feel guilty, even though I couldn’t do much for them. Part of me wanted to stay, to help if I could, but my brother Max was my top priority.

I have to get my brother, I said simply. Just stay here. Lock the door behind me, and don’t let anyone in.

When I opened the door, there were a few protests, as if I might let zombies in along with the draft. Nobody tried to stop me, but they were too busy blockading the room. I didn’t blame them.

The dark hallway appeared deserted. Every room on the floor was full, mostly with kids like us, but no one else ventured out. By the sounds of far off screaming, it was for good reason. I heard noises, but the echoing halls made it impossible for me to tell where they came from.

Guns fired, men yelled, things crashed, and – most disturbingly of all – I could hear the familiar death groan the zombies made. Like a low deep rattle and a desperate howl mixed together.

The lights flickered for a moment, then shut off again completely

Wait! Sommer said behind me.

She crept out of the room after me, with Harlow trailing at her heels, and I glared back at them. Sommer contained all the nervous energy and usefulness of a chipmunk. Harlow was only thirteen and slept on the cot next to mine, which is probably why she followed me out.

What are you doing? I asked.

We’re going with you, Harlow replied.

Blond hair fell into her frightened eyes, but her voice stayed even. She was loyal to a fault, and I didn’t want her traipsing after me and getting herself killed.

Go back inside. I gestured to the door. You’ll be safer in there.

No, I don’t want to be a sitting duck, Harlow said, barely audible over a distant scream. It sounded human, blood curdled and terrified. Sommer paled.

Fine. I shook my head. But run if I tell you to run, okay? You gotta listen to me.

Harlow nodded, and I turned and walked down the hall. I should’ve stopped and made them go back. Leaving the safety of the room could get them killed, but then again, so could staying behind. At least this way they could run.

An emergency light flickered dimly in the stairwell, so I went that way. The death groans only got louder as we got closer, but it would be better to run into the zombies in the light than having them sneak up behind us.

The battered lockers lining the halls were plastered with posters, all of them reminders about how to protect against the infected. Most of them were just graphics explaining the emergency procedures – board up the windows and doors.

That was the only real advice about dealing with zombies. Just keep them away, because if they bit you, you were as good as dead. Getting infected was far too easy, even if the zombies didn’t kill you.

When we reached the stairwell, I leaned over the rail. The landing below had three dead zombies and one dead soldier. They had already made it this far into the quarantine.

Harlow gasped when she saw the bodies, but I’d learned to keep my reactions to myself. The coast looked clear for the time being, so I went down the stairs, stopping at the landing. The zombie bodies were mangled with bullets, their weird blood splattered all over everything.

The zombies weren’t really zombies, at least not the kind that rose from the dead and wanted only brains. They were regular people who had been infected with the lyssavirus genotype 8. A mutation of the rabies virus, it only infected humans, and it turned them into something completely monstrous.

Within a day of being exposed, people would begin having symptoms. Headaches, fever, nausea. Then they’d start hallucinating and getting paranoid and aggressive. Within three days, they’d be angry and violent - incapable of rational thought.

The virus overdosed them with adrenaline so they were crazy strong. Worst of all, they’d be insatiably hungry and eat anything, including dirt and other people.

The plan was to quarantine all the uninfected and let the virus run its course. If nobody else got sick, within a month or two, every infected person should be dead. That’s what they promised when we moved in here.

I had been here for over two months, and some people had been here even longer than that. So much for that theory.

The dead zombies on the steps hardly resembled people anymore. Two of them were very thin and clearly at the end stages of the virus, but the third one was fat, almost bloated. Froth covered their lips from , and their skin had gone almost gray. Their jaundiced eyes had dark rings around them. Zombies tended to attack and eat each other, so they were covered in bruises, scratches, and bite marks.

The thing I hated the most about zombies was their blood. It was thicker than human blood, as if always coagulating, and it had a weird greenish tint to it, making it look darker and alien.

I crouched down next to the dead soldier, glancing behind me to make sure a zombie wasn’t about to spring to life and grab my ankle.

Harlow and Sommer waited a few steps up as I started searching around the soldier’s corpse. I kept my eyes fixed on the dead zombies, pretending to watch them, but I just didn’t want to see the soldier’s face. I was afraid I might recognize him.

The thick ooze of zombie blood covered my hands, and I grimaced. I finally found the clip, along with his service revolver. He’d been using a semi-automatic shotgun, and it was still in his hands. I pulled it free, hating the way it felt to loosen a dead man’s grip. I stood up and turned back to Harlow and Sommer.

Do you know how to use a gun? I asked them.

Sommer was too busy staring down at the dead soldier. I understood her horror, but it didn’t do any good to let it take over, so I pushed it back. Harlow didn’t answer, either, but at least she managed to make eye contact with me when I spoke.

Aim and pull the trigger. I clicked off the safety and handed it to her. And don’t shoot me.

Harlow nodded and took the gun. I wiped my hands on my jeans. I didn’t need them slippery, and zombie blood is hella gross.

Shoving the extra magazine in my back pocket, I stepped over the corpses in front of me. The stairs were slick with blood, and I gripped the railing.

I’d only made it down a few steps when the gun went off behind me, and I ducked. Plaster dropped from the wall, and when my heart started beating again, I looked back at Harlow. She was half-sitting on one of the steps, and her wide eyes were apologetic and terrified. She’d slipped on the blood and accidentally pulled the trigger.

I’m sorry, Harlow said, and she righted herself and stood up straighter. Presuming she learned her lesson about being careful with firearms, she’d do more good with a gun then without one.

Well, at least we know you can take care of any zombies on the ceiling, I said, then turned and hurried down the stairs.

Civilians were housed on the second floor, and the first floor was for army personnel and government officials. The medical facilities were in the gymnasium, and I had to get there for Max.

Blood covered the stairwell door-frame, and I leaned against it, looking down the halls of the main level. Zombie corpses littered the floor, but I saw enough swatches of green camouflage in the bodies to know that they weren’t the only fatalities down here.

Even with dead zombies and soldier on the steps, I couldn’t really believe the zombies had made it in this far. I had thought that the infected would be too crazed to formulate a real attack plan. I was probably right about that, but if there were enough zombies charging, then it didn’t really matter how well thought out it was.

The lights on the first floor flashed red. Things looked deserted, so I stepped out into the hall. I noticed movement a few meters down, something crouched on the ground. My stomach turned when I realized it was a zombie gnawing on a dead body.

I raised the gun and pulled the trigger mid-bite. Its head jerked back, blood sprayed, and it collapsed. Sommer screamed, and I cringed. She wasn’t cut out for this, and I wondered if I’d made a mistake letting her come with. I didn’t want to get her – or the rest of us – killed.

Sommer, maybe you should go back to the room, I said, looking back at her. I can’t have you screaming every time something happens.

I’m sorry! Tears welled in her eyes. Maybe you could give me a warning.

As soon as the zombies let me know when they’re about to attack, I’ll make sure to pass the message along to you.

They’ll never let me in. Sommer gestured to herself. Infected blood had gotten on her clothes, and I knew she was right. None of us would be allowed back in that room. The virus was transmitted the same as rabies, through blood and saliva, but people got paranoid whenever they saw zombie blood anywhere.

You have to be quiet, alright? I told her as gently as I could. I don’t want you attracting any more attention than you need to.

Biting her lip, Sommer nodded quickly, and I turned and walked down the hall. The ground squished under my feet, and I had to look down without really looking. I didn’t want to step on something that would bite me, but I didn’t want to see what we were walking through. I especially didn’t want to see the soldiers. A lot of them had been my friends, and they died trying to protect us.

Gun blasts echoed from around the corner, and I heard men shouting. I took a step back, pressing myself against the wall so I was hidden behind a trophy case. Harlow followed suit, but I had to physically push Sommer to get her back.

Something was happening, and I couldn’t see anything. I just heard a lot of yelling, death groans, and gun fire.

When the guns fell silent, I leaned forward so I could see around the trophy case. About a dozen or more zombies lurched up the stairs. They moved in a pack, something I’d never seen them do before.

But that’s not what made my stomach twist up. They had gotten past whoever was shooting at them, meaning that the soldiers we’d heard yelling were already dead.

They’re going upstairs! Harlow whispered frantically. Everyone is hiding up there!

I pursed my lips but didn’t say anything. The gun felt heavy in my hands. If I fired at them, I might kill one or two, but I couldn’t kill them all. The soldiers hadn’t been a match for them. A couple kids with guns wouldn’t stand a chance.

They’re going to kill everyone! Harlow looked at me, and I shook my head. We were lucky they were going upstairs and not down here after us.

Getting ourselves killed won’t save them, I said thickly. Besides, they locked the door. They might be safe.

Once all of the zombies had disappeared up the stairs, I walked the opposite way down the hall. I didn’t want to hear everyone upstairs dying. And everyone up there was dead. They didn’t have any guns or any real protection. Eventually, the zombies would break down the doors. They always did.

I felt sick but I kept walking, stepping carefully over the bodies. I’d never seen a massacre this bad.

When the virus popped up almost a year ago, it spread like wild fire, but I had never seen so many zombies together. Even the ones that had gotten my mom and dad had only been in a group of three. This had to be hundreds. Something different was happening.

We had to round another corner before we made it to the gym. I heard one gun shot, and then silence. I raised my gun and slowly turned the corner, afraid to find another pack of the infected.

Instead, I saw a single soldier. He stood in the middle of the hall, his gun pointed down at the zombie corpses. He watched to see if they were still alive, and then he killed them if they were.

I lowered my weapon and stepped out.

Hey! I announced myself before he shot us.

He turned to me, automatically pointing the rifle at me, and my heart surged. Even at that distance with a gun in front of his face, I’d recognize him anywhere.

Remy? Beck asked, sounding just as relieved and surprised as I felt, and he lowered the gun. What are you doing?

I heard the zombies knocking, so I thought I’d come down and let them in, I said with a wry smirk. I walked down the hall, fighting the urge to run to him, and checked behind to make sure Harlow and Sommer were following me quickly.

Your brother’s fine, Beck said, knowing exactly what had drawn me out. They already evacuated him.

What do you mean they evacuated Max? I asked, not sure if I should feel relieved or anxious. This wasn’t the safest place anymore, but the open road wasn’t that great either.

As soon as the quarantine was compromised, they got all the medical out, Beck said and looked uneasily at Harlow and Sommer. You shouldn’t be out here. You should’ve stayed in your rooms.

The second floor has been compromised too. I lowered my eyes. We just saw the zombies rush up there.

Beck stared down the hall towards the stairwell, debating whether or not he should go help them, or if he should stay to help us. If I’d been a more selfless person, I would’ve sent him up there. But I needed his help, and I didn’t want him on a suicide mission.

You’ve got to get out of here, Beck said. He nodded in the other direction and put his hand on my back to usher us away.

Where are they taking Max? I need to go with him. I looked up at Beck, but he didn’t answer. He was too focused on getting us out of the school alive.

Three zombies stood by the exit. They hung out there, as if they were waiting to stop people from escaping. Since there was only three of them, Beck shot them down quickly.

What are they doing? Harlow asked, referring to the zombies’ unusual behavior.

I don’t know, Beck said, his voice cracking.

I looked up at him, sensing something more than the trauma going on around us. In the months I had known him, I’d never seen anything rattle him.

The glass doors had been broken in, blood staining the remaining shards poking out from the frame. Beck leaned out first, but I heard the death groans. I looked past his shoulder, and I could see them, massed around the outside of the school, moving like a very slow mosh pit.

What the hell is going on? I asked.

It’s like they were drawn here or something. Beck straightened up and looked at me. They’ve trampled the fence for the most part. If I distract them, you can make a run for it.

You can’t stay here, I said. Zombies have overtaken the place.

It’s my job, Beck brushed me off. I’m not entirely sure where they took your brother. There is another quarantine near Wyoming, so maybe there. If you keep going north from here, you’ll find something.

I don’t even really know where north is. I was only half-lying. I wasn’t great at directions, but I didn’t want to leave Beck behind to die here.

When I open these doors, I’m going to run towards the zombies, shooting, Beck said, ignoring me. The three of you need to run for an opening in the fence and keep running. You can’t stop, no matter what happens.

No, you can’t do that, I shook my head.

I have to stay here. Beck eyed the zombies outside.

I could hear soldiers, somewhere on the lawn outside of my vision, and a lot of the zombies were busy trying to take them out. The rest kind of wandered around, occasionally fighting amongst each other.

They might not even notice if we’re real quiet, I said.

No, I can’t go with you. He looked down at me gravely.

I still didn’t understand, so he pulled up the sleeve of his shirt, revealing the crescent shape of teeth marks in his arm. My heart clenched but I tried to keep my face blank.

I stared at him, trying to reconcile this. He’d been invincible since I met him. Without him, Max and I never would’ve survived. He made sure we were both safe and helped us as long as we’d been here. And through everything he’d seen and done, he always had an easy smile.

They’re getting restless. Harlow pulled me from my thoughts. The gaggle of zombies seemed to be making their way towards the door.

You’ve got to go, Beck said emphatically.

You’re not infected yet, I said. I did not want to leave him, and I wasn’t even sure that I could.

Reviews for Hollowland (The Hollows #1)

[allcrazyhere · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received Hollowland as a free book on the Kindle, and to be honest, as a zombie novel I wasn't expecting much. However, I found myself drawn to Remy as a character, and to the time-tested tale of her looking for her brother, who survived the zombie invasion when they were in quarantine. Now, the reasons behind him leaving were obviously veiled in the beginning, and the reader is obviously aware of it. Come on now, who takes a sick 8 year old boy instead of healthy people?

As the story goes on, though, you begin to be invested in the characters involved. Lazlo, Blue, Harlow, even the craziness that is Koerech and the refugees, all of these become faces, real people in your mind's eye. In zombie novels, too often people are put forward as attractive, would-be heroes and then they are taken all too soon, usually in a gory manner.

Hocking does a good job of keeping it feeling like a zombie novel, while still keeping true to the character's story. I felt like this book was more like the Walking Dead than, say, Dawn of the Dead.

I read this book through to the end, and I couldn't stop! I hope that the second book lives up to the delivery the first book offered.

[silverthistle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Had I known that this book was about a zombie apocalypse I'd have been all over it a LONG time ago. How could I not know that?! I thought it was the usual YA fare and admit that the cover had a lot to do with that. That's a lovely cover and not a hint of zombie about it. It seems it's true what they say about covers, and judging... I'm not sure how long I've had this one but it seems like an age. I wish I'd gotten to it sooner.

It's a very satisfying story and right from the very first line the reader is hauled slap-bang into the thick of it. These zombies are not the slow, lumbering moaners from the usual zom-fests, these zombies are jacked up crazies and can pick up a bit of speed. All the action scenes are pretty frantic.

I felt I really connected with Remy, the main character and liked her a lot. Some of the other character's didn't impress me as much (ie, Blue - although it's a cute name) but I still liked them. Really liked Ripley too, if you can call a lion a character? Yeah, a lion! A very cool lion, actually.

There's a tiny bit of romance and sexual chemistry but I do mean 'tiny'. That's not the main focus of the story though so it makes a nice change from the usual YA boy/girl storylines.

There are some creepy character's in here too and I thought they were dealt with really well. Not TOO creepy for the YA market but 'just' creepy enough to make this adult shudder.

I loved the dialogue, it always felt so natural and suited each character perfectly. Amanda Hocking does character interaction very well, I thought.

I can't believe no publisher wanted this one! It's great. Judging by the money she's making from self publishing I'd say I'm not the only one that thinks that way. In the words of Kevin Costner..."Build it and they will come".

Now for the good news..If you're in the UK you can download this for your kindle for FREE! Amanda is offering a kindle copy of Hollowland for nada, zilch and gratis and I'd advise you to run like the wind to go get it...it's really good!

Book 2 in the trilogy, 'Hollowmen' is already out and I'll definitely be reading it to see what lies in store for Remy!

[daphneh-2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a great book. It was a fun, fast-paced thriller with lots of gore, a love story, and a lion. I loved the lion; she added a layer of stress to my reading experience. I just downloaded Hallowmen. Can't wait to start it!

[kelly_mills-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Hollowland just wasn't my cup of tea. It wasn't bad in any way, it just wasn't for me. I would recommend others try it as you never know what you may like.

[a.j.b.-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hollowland creatively depicts interesting characters engaged in exciting adventure! This was an enjoyable page-turner!

[eviljosh-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I read this indie book because people were saying it was a breath of fresh air into the zombie apocalypse genre. It was well written and well paced, but I beg to disagree.

Two siblings trying to stick together and save each other against all odds. Zombies overwhelming 'safe' compounds and eating those inside. Friends getting bitten, and tough choices about leaving them behind. Some people end up immune to the zombie plague. Sometimes, the surviving humans are worse than the zombies, as they ruthlessly try to preserve their food and security.

We've seen this before, fairly frequently. Again, the book was well written, the main character was well developed and fleshed out. It just wasn't particularly novel.

Also, in a post-apocalyptic environment, any car you take will always run out of gas eventually. Why are all characters in all books/movies so surprised when this happens?

[booketta · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When I started the book and realised it was about zombies, I wondered whether I would even be able to read the book, let alone like it. Like it, I loved it! What an adventure! Okay, not the nicest adventure fighting zombies but full on non stop action. A plot with purpose and plenty of interesting characters along the way. An every teenager's wannabe for a hero and equally likeable people who join her along the way. Of course, they meet the downright weird and some pretty nasty folk on their journey, and as if that's not enough, there's a zombie lurking around every corner to come and get you

[cathy_keaton · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Plot: Remy is evacuating a high school being used as a make-shift quarantine for uninfected humans when it gets attacked by an army of zombies. She discovers that her eight-year-old brother is getting transferred to a different quarantine in another state. Along the way, several characters see how strong a survivor she is and how capable she is of killing zombies, and she ends up dragging a few of themwith her in tow across an apocalyptic desert wasteland on a mission to reunite with her little brother.Characters: Remy is a pretty cool character who has learned before the story begins how to defend herself against the flesh-eating zombies. This makes her stand out because everybody else is scared and many get bitten and infected by the zombies. She even rescues a lioness which she names Ripley and forms a nice bond with her, albeit a bit unrealistic of one. Lazlo is the love interest and he's funny, but not much use in killing zombies, since he's quite weak in that area. I like Blue because he is stoic under all the high tension and even had been a medical student when the zombie virus broke out. The characters are very likable, although many of them do end up dying, but that's to be expected.Story: This one surprised me because I didn't think I'd like it very much, but it ended up being quite an exciting journey through the Nevada and Idaho deserts. Sure, many things are improbable like walking out in the Nevada desert during late summer in the sun for several hours and not getting dehydrated or sunburned. Nobody would realistically survive without shade of some kind, which they did not have. A lioness would probably maul and kill someone in the traveling party, but she never acts like she would harm a soul. Still, I thought it was fun to read. It isn't all that gory, which is good because I would have dropped it otherwise. I'm not a zombie fiction reader, but I felt how hard it was to deal with a world in which, at any moment, the person you've been learning to trust and rely on could get attacked by a zombie and suddenly turn into one themselves.Writing: The quality of the writing does leave much to be desired. As interesting as the story and characters are, the technical writing is sub par. There are several proof errors, as well. Still, I was able to overlook them and just enjoy the exciting pace of the story.Overall Quality: Pretty decent, although poor writing brings it down a little, but it still ends up being an enjoyable read. This book gets classified as Young Adult fiction, but it technically is not. It's an adult novel with a nineteen-year-old protagonist and there is a sex scene with a little graphic description, although it's not as detailed as it could be. I'd say use caution and reserve this read for older teens at the youngest.Favorite Scene/Moment: It's a bit spoilery, but I like the scene when Remy escapes from the cult leader, Korech (not very a very original name, I'm afraid) and how that whole thing goes down. A shotgun is involved and it's pretty intense. The guy doesn't end up being an important character, but Remy's time at his compound is odd and interesting

[mzserena · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Two words I never thought I'd say that I enjoyed: ZOMBIE APOCZAYPSEYeah. I don't do zombie books as a general rule, but I do adore Amanda Hocking's books and I had no idea of the premise of Hollowland before I started reading it. I don't always read the synopsis before reading a book, especially when it's an author that I always read. I'm really glad in this case that I didn't read the synopsis because there is no way I would have read the book.I started the book at bedtime and I finished it before I fell asleep. That doesn't always happen. The premise is that it's the zombie apocalypse. Zombie's are taking over and killing every human that is left. The government is trying to save those who aren't infected by putting them in quarantine while the zombies run loose. Zombies compromise the quarantine that Remy and her little brother Max are in. Remy tries to get to him but finds that he has already be3n evacuated to another quarantine. No one knows why Remy is so hot to get to her brother, but she heads off to find him. The story is well written and quite enjoyable even for someone who doesn't like zombies.

[karenleefield · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Firstly, I honestly don't think I've ever read a book with so many typos in it. Virtually every page had a word or some sort of punctuation missing. The book needs a really good edit because at present it reads like a first draft, which is a shame.Secondly, the main character can do anything (almost). She can single-handedly kill a horde of zombies without so much as a scratch. Some call this "badass", I call it ridiculous and unrealistic.Yet ... if you push these things aside and just read the book at face value, without thinking about it too much, then entertainment wise it was a good read. I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what was going to happen, and who was going to die next.It was gory in parts and there were some imaginative ways of killing used. And no one was immune (excuse the pun) to death, so there's no use pinning all your hopes on any of the support characters.There was even a bit of romance. Not much, mind you, which was good because in all honesty there's no time amongst all the running and killing. This was a free download. I'm not sorry I read it as it was quite entertaining. It's just a pity the author didn't invest more time into polishing it up a bit before releasing it.

[thebumblegirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have to admit, I am a big fan of Amanda Hocking's Trylle Trilogy -I read them as ebooks and just loved everything about the whole trilogy.When I saw Hollowland, I had some high expectations, even with the zombies in it.Hocking did not disappoint me!First, you got one kick ass main character, Remy King.No matter what happens, this girl manages to keep herself together and not break down in any way. I know that some people had issues with this, but no one really knows how you will react if you were in the same situation as Remy - wouldn't you do almost anything for the ones that you love? Remy is trekking across America while killing off zombies to find her brother, the only person left of her family.Along the way she gains a few friends who help her. And towards the last quarter of the book, we finally start to see a bit more of Remy's personality - a softer side where she slowly lets her guard down and we finally start to understand how strong she really is.There is a tiny bit of romance going on, not a lot, but enough to remind you that even though there are zombies lurking in every corner, we always find time to be human and live life as normal as possible.As for the zombies... I guess it's just a personal preference. I don't like gore and slimey things... when I first started reading the book, it didn't bother me. It starts out slow, but as the story moved along and the zombies got older and more started to pop up all over the place - it got weirder and gross!Definitely not my thing. It's going to be a while before I read another zombie book, lol!I give it 3 1/2 stars.And I do hope to read the second book to the series (The Hollows), Hollowmen, later... this year ;)

[halo776 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was introduced to Amanda Hocking, the author, when I read her "My Blood Approves" series, for which I'm still waiting for the last book. (On her blog, the author claims she has put that writing on hold indefinitely.) I really hate it when an author has an unfinished series in publication and yet begins another new series. I have read so many paranormal YA books in the last few years that I sometimes feel I've reached my limit and cannot take another vampire, werewolf, or zombie. For those reasons, I was sure I'd be disappointed with Hollowland. I cannot say enough good things about this author. Somehow, she makes even a book about a zombie apocalypse intriguing. Yes, there are graphic fight scenes and more gory details than I need, but the human element to her books makes them unforgettable. Remy, the 19-year-old heroine, is traveling through a dangerous war zone with an interesting and unlikely group of companions to find her brother. When she reveals the secret of why her brother has been quarantined, you will not be able to put the book down! I can't wait to read the sequel, Hollowmen.

[bearmountainbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was much better than I expected, especially for a zombie apocalypse type book. Fast-paced, great set of characters, a LOT of tension. Had to deduct a star because it ends on a kind of cliffhanger/to be continued and I hate that technique.

[ashleylilliemaria8 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of my top five favorite books. I love the main character because she isn't really a good person, and I feel like I can relate. While we all like to think we are good and altruistic, we truthfully know that we are not. In Remy's situation leaving people that you care about behind hurts, but the need for survival makes us a worse person than we thought. I felt like Remy was a very real character, that I could relate to, and in the end I could only hope to be.

[cmwilson101 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Amanda Hocking's Hollowland is a pretty depressing place. It is a post-apocalyptic world where a virus has decimated most of the population. Those infected are filled with rage and kill indiscriminately (each other as well as survivors). The world is lawless, with the only order in isolated quarantine centers. Outside these camps, survivors have to battle other survivors as well as the zombies. Only animals appear immune to the virus. Our hero is a young adult called Remy, who wakes up one night to find the supposedly safe quarantine camp being overrun by zombies. She manages to escape and save a few of her friends in the process. They all head North, as Remy has been told that her younger brother was likely sent to a camp up North. The story is about their road trip, the monsters they meet along the way (some zombies, some human), and friendships that are formed. Remy has learned to be tough and she kicks butt as she leads the group through danger. Hollowland is a good action story; Remy is an interesting character, as are some of her companions (especially Ripley!). The world is bleak and well described. I've read that the second book in this series is due out this year. I am looking forward to it.

[crystalmitten · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Give me more! C'mon, Amanda - I need another book in this series!

[steelyshan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am a serious book junkie and I have pretty high standards. That being said... entertain me! This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I want MORE. Amanda Hocking better be penning the sequal right now or I might freak! It wasnt super deep, it wasnt poetic and thought provoking, it was pure fun and excitement. I see a movie deal in her future, imagine pairing it up with Zombieland, love it!

[stephanieobannon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amanda Hocking depicts a post apocalyptic/dystopian society where zombies have over the world with lyssavirus genotype 8, a mutated version of rabies. In Hollowland, Remy King is searching for her younger brother after they are separated when zombies attack their quarantine. Hollowland is a book for everyone it has the gore that any zombie book should have but as well as a romance that makes this a young adult must-read.

[brandisbookmusings · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amanda Hocking has done it again!Combine 28 Days later, Quarentine, and Resident Evil. You now have Hollowland. The world has been infected with the lyssavirus,an off shoot of rabies turning people into zombies. You will follow Remy King and the survivors she picks up along the way as she searches for her little brother. They battle religious nuts, marauders, and ZOMBIES along the way. Readers will love this butt-kicking heroine and get sucked into her emotional journey of survival. ***this book contains plenty of zombie gore and a tasteful sex scene

[carolyn nowicki · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is definitely one that you want to read. Even if you are not into Zombie's, the story has everything in it to keep you interested and wanting more. I'm going on to the 2nd book now as I can't wait to see what happens next!

[readingover50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed reading this book. It was an interesting vision of a post apocalyptic world overrun with zombies. I liked the main character, Remy, and how tough she was. I really liked the inclusion of the lion, Ripley. I liked her dedication to her brother, Max, and to her surrogate family Blue, Lazlo and Harlow. It was interesting how the zombies seemed to be evolving. I am sure they will become much more of a threat in future books. I wasn't real thrilled with the ending, only because I don't know how Remy will get herself out of it. But it will be interesting to find out.

[krau0098 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in The Hollows duology by Hocking. This is a very typical zombie apocalypse YA novel. Parts of it were okay and other parts of it were very predictable and/or annoying.I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator does a good job with narration. I would recommend listening to on audiobook if you enjoy audiobooks.This book was incredibly predictable. The big mystery throughout the story is the mystery around Remy’s brother Max and why he is evacuated before anyone else in the beginning on the book. If you have ever read a post-apocalyptic zombie book you will figure this “huge” mystery out very quickly.Additionally Remy and her traveling companions go through every typical post-apocalyptic scenario you’ve ever already read about. Do they run into a crazy religious cult? Yes. What about a Mad Max scenario...yep. Over-controlling military scenario? Yep, that too. I had to roll my eyes everytime anything happened exactly as planned. Remy was a decent character but she was incredibly black and white in her thinking. The end of the book is ridiculous; she never once tries to compromise or strike a deal with the doctors she talks to. The doctor doesn’t seem like an unreasonable man...she should have at least tried to compromise with him. It was silly.The other characters weren’t as well done. Harlow (who is thirteen and travels with Remy from the beginning) is just plain annoying. She almost gets the whole party killed a number of times with her squealing and stupidity. Does anyone ever talk to her about her behavior and point out how much she endangers the party? No.The two boys that join the party aren’t well done either. Lazlo is incredibly immature and I never understood the attraction. Blue, who seems like a much more interesting character, ends up being very underdeveloped. My favorite side character in this whole book was the lion that Remy picks up on the side of the road.Overall this is an okay book. The writing isn’t horrible and the story does move along at a quick pace. However, the story is incredibly predictable and not at all creative. The side characters are not well done and come across as either underdeveloped or just plain annoying. I will not be continuing with this series. There are so many other more well done post-apocalyptic zombie YA novels out there.

[reviewsinapinch · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book (679 pages on the Nook) in Amanda Hocking’s dystopian Hollows series. This was obviously part of my zombie kick and was actually the book that started my zombie obsession. Hocking’s character development is believable for an apocalyptic world. It doesn’t have constant action, which actually made the story more believable. There is plenty of zombie action and death though, for those of you looking for a zombie death/destruction book. The writing was very good and the cliff hanger ending left me on the edge of my seat and dying (not literally) to read the second book. I would highly recommend this book, especially to those you that are fans of the zombie genre.For more reviews, check out reviewsinapinch.wordpress.com today!

[robert.zimmermann · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. Over a year ago, I read Hocking’s Switched, which I enjoyed, but Hollowland was a step beyond on the enjoyment level. Hocking’s Hollowland was simply a great novel for its zombies, characters, and the world built inside it’s pages.

One thing I really liked about this book was that the author didn’t spare the reader from any of the gore or unpleasantness that occurs in a world where zombies and the destruction of civilization as we know it is the “norm.” In the scenes where zombies are attacking the main characters, there’s much description of how much blood, limbs, etc are flying around and breaking, and dying. Hocking makes sure the reader knows just what it’s like to encounter these creatures, like any good zombie book should. Some of the description of how the zombies’ bodies hold up to attacks are slightly repetitive, but it also drives the point across that these once human bodies have changed drastically because of the virus.

Remy, the narrator and main character, is one of the better characters I’ve read this year. She’s strong, determined, and rarely shows a sign of weakness, even if a love interest in introduced. She’s living in a world where survival is top priority and she doesn’t let anything get in her way of that. I found this to be a great part of the book. All of the characters were really well-written, actually. They were all developed over the course of the book and even a few that I didn’t like in the beginning, grew on me. Oh and Ripley, I want that to be a surprise, but she might be my favorite character in the book.

Upon finishing this book, I knew I’d want book 2. It’s not a common occurrence for me, either. It ended nicely and was set up for what I’m sure will be an exciting continuation. I can only hope that there’s more excitement, blood and gore, and danger in my reading future.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I would like to say that Hollowland was a quick, fun, zombie read, except it wasn’t much fun at all. I admit I have a fondness for zombie stories but this one seemed to lack something. It was dark, which is usually fine for me, it had the gore and violence that one expects from zombie books, but something was definitely missing. I think that something was heart. I never grew to like the main characters and it was obvious to me that most of secondary characters were introduced simply to be zombie fodder. The author tried too hard and in the end I simply just didn’t care.The writing served the purpose of telling a story, but was unexceptional in all other ways. The characters had no development and there is no internal dialogue to speak of, and not much emotion is portrayed. I never thought I would call a zombie book dull, but dull it was. There was a distinct lack of originality, hence we have a cult leader called Korech (ring any bells?), and murderous hoods that call themselves Mauraders as in the game of Fallout. Oh, and did I mention outlandish plot devices, let’s see, where to begin, how about finding a tame lion to travel with you and provide handy protection just when you need it.Hollowland is the first book in a planned series, but this will be one zombie series that I won’t be planning on following. There are simply too many other ones out there, written by the likes of Jonathan Maberry and Charlie Higson, that are far better reads.

[abibliophobic1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was my first zombie book and let me say, I was a bit hesitant to start. I have no idea why, but the blood and gore associated with zombies freaked me out (which is a little strange considering my attraction to vampire stories…). With Hollowland, I once again put my faith in Amanda Hocking and I was not disappointed.Hollowland follows Remy King on a quest across what is left of the future United States after a zombie disease took hold of much of America’s population. Remy and her unlikely friends including an ex Rock star, a medical student, and lion named Ripley, battle zombies on their way to find Remy’s brother, who has been moved from their previous quarantine center to a safer location. Everyone knows that Remy’s brother is extremely sick and fragile but no one expects the truth… which you’ll have to read the book to find!If you’re someone who loves to just jump right in without the descriptive back-story, then this book is for you. The mysterious circumstances surrounding Remy’s brother definitely turn this book into a page-turner (or button pusher as this book is only available as an eBook). This book won’t take you long to get through and is definitely worth the read. As I’ve said before with a few of Hocking’s self-published books, there are some technical errors. A few spelling mistakes here or there and some missed punctuation, but if you can get past that this book is great. Hocking also has a sequel to Hollowland called Hollowmen also exclusively for ebook.6 out of 10

[sporkdelis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I may have missed the boat on Hocking’s now illustrious self-start career, but I could have blinked and missed her rise from obscurity. I’m sure I’m more than fashionably late in reviewing Hollowland, but probably in a good place as the sequel Hollowmen was just released at the end of last year.Hollowland begins with the main character Remy escaping from a highschool that was converted into a military compound to house remaining people from a zombie infection that has overtaken humanity. The compound has been breached and Remy knows that her younger brother, Max, is going to be evacuated and she needs to get there.From the start we are shown Remy as cold and emotionless. She leaves a room filled with young girls knowing that a breach means that they were just a big one-stop buffet for the zombies. She shows nothing but calculations in her escape. Two girls follow her, and Remy only thinks of them as hazards to her own safety.Really this is my chief concern about this story. Until the last few chapters the story is carried by the action-movie scenes and the sense of humor. Sure Remy is a badass, but even at her most vulnerable she makes Katniss Everdeen look like a whiny mary-sue. There is no vulnerability. This becomes disturbing as she considers leaving Harlow, her young tag-along from the highschool with a poligamist cult because it would be safer than dragging her along. The author says that Remy can’t act with anything but blind grueling devotion to her quest or she couldn’t function. I would still like to see some of the cracks and fissures in the brick wall that is Remy. She doesn’t seem to even battle with any emotion other than not wanting to think about it.The other characters were similarly simple in their make-up. The girl who survives the beginning escape sequence is the whiny kid who always likes the easiest route. Lazlo, the rock star, is the reckless, bravado spewing action hero. And finally Blue is the serious Med student.Despite the cardboard cut-out characters Hocking did manage to write something that was a page-turner. There was excitement on every page, with no real room to examine the character flaws, and of course the constant examination of the character relationships to figure out which guy she was going to end up with. This is YA after all.Overall, I have to decided, based on my enjoyment, and (even though I have done a thorough thrashing of this novel’s faults) there is a lot to be said anymore for a book you can read in just a few days during your 15 minute breaks at work to give this 4 stars. This was absolutely a book I would read again, and I do plan on going on to the next in the series, and despite a horrific ordeal reading the first of Hocking’s My Blood Approves series I am tempted to try out her Trylle series. Who says any one ever really learns from their mistakes?

[books_n_tea · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had to get through the first couple of chapters before I could decide if Hollowland was a book worth reading. On one had, I was already intrigued by the beginning of the storyline. Apocalypse. Zombies. Butt-kicking female main character. How could I resist? On the other hand, I found myself disappointed by the prose that seemed rough around the edges. It’s not the typos that bothered me. I can look past that considering the book was self-published, and I don’t think Hocking had the opportunity to have professional editors revise her work. And it’s not like the errors were glaring. Honestly, I didn’t even notice most, and the ones I did notice didn’t take me out of the story. But, her writing did seem inconsistent. Some scenes were vivid, and I could see what was going on inside my head as though it were a movie. Other scenes were lackluster or they jumped around too much, and I found myself backpedaling so I could understand what was going on. However, the further I got into the story, the more difficult it became to put the book down. What kept my attention was Hocking’s perfect pacing and her ability to create suspenseful and tense situations.There is never a dull moment in this book especially since Hocking’s zombies are not your standard zombie. They do not schlep around the wasteland in hopes of accidentally stumbling upon a fresh brain to munch on. Instead, these zombies are more advanced, more brutal, and more organized, and this makes them all the more terrifying. When Hocking writes her human vs. zombie scenes, she doesn’t shy away. Hollowland is a little more gory compared to other young adult zombie books. There is zombie blood splatter and the occasional zombie head crushing, but it doesn’t really cross over into a realm that would be more appropriate for adults. Battling zombies throughout a book can become redundant, but Remy (the main character) and crew found themselves in different predicaments each time, which made the book exciting. The first time I found myself really on edge though was not when Remy was mowing down zombies; it was when she and her companions found themselves among a potentially dangerous cult of very much alive and healthy humans. The situation was believable and chilling, and it showed that there may actually be worse things out there than the infected.While I found the plot line addictive, I couldn’t jump on board with the characters. Their development was kind of weak. Remy kicks butt (which is really awesome), but she’s so devoid of emotion. She spends her entire journey convincing the reader that she has the emotional range of a rock, so when she tries to express her feelings at the end of the book it comes across as unbelievable. Then there is Blue, who I thought would have a bigger role in the apocalypse simply because he is a medic, he’s rational, and he knows how to take down zombies alongside Remy. But, he takes the backseat in most scenes which makes me wonder if Hocking only created him to make sense of the events at the end of the book. Harlow is the only character that gives the reader a good, consistent sense of who she is. She starts off as an obnoxious brat, but over time her positive attitude and childlike outlook on the post-apocalyptic world (as well as her zombie stomping combat boots) grew on me. Overall,The characters have a tendency to be one-dimensional, but Hollowland‘s nicely paced plot, suspenseful moments, and surprise ending make it a book worth reading. I just learned that Hollowland, which I thought was a stand-alone novel, is the first book in a series. Part of me is bummed because I thought this book had a great ending that allowed the reader’s imagination wonder about the state of the post-apocalyptic world. Does it survive and flourish? Does it slowly die out? The other part of me is kind of excited. Hocking really does know how to write a good zombie book!

[cynthiae77 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Hollowland is the first book in The Hollows series. The world is over-run with the lyssavirus that turns people into zombies. Remy and her brother were in quarantine compound when it is infiltrated by zombies (who seem to be getting smarter). Her brother, 8 year old Max, is immune to the virus. He is evacuated to a different compound while Remy and many others are left to fend for themselves.Remy makes her escape and is determined to get across country to the compound her brother was taken to.Hollowland is a great read! So many things happen on her way to the compound to find her brother. I really enjoyed this book and will be reading the next book shortly.

[shelleyjax · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Rating: 3.5 startsGenre: Young Adult/Science Fiction/FantasyHollowland is the first in a new series by Amanda Hocking about a post-apocalyptic world filled with zombies and those doing their best to survive day to day. The story is pretty simple at its premise. The zombie infestation is caused by the Lyssavirus genotype #8. If you are bitten by a zombie, you are as good as dead. If you are scratched by a zombie, it can take 3 days for the virus to fully manipulate the human body. The virus is a mutation of the rabies virus. If affects only humans; animals are immune. So far, there is no cure.The story is told in the POV of Nineteen-year-old Remy King. Remy has been at a survivors facility for two months. Before that, zombies killer her mother and father. She and her brother lived in Iowa before the zombie outbreak. The story follows her struggles after the compound she and the other survivors are staying at is overrun by zombies. Max, the brother of Remy, is 8 years old. During the Zombie overrun of the compound, he is taken to another quarantine facility away from Remy by soldiers and doctors. Max had already been bitten by zombies. Max, it appears, is immune to the zombie virus, and may be the answer to the actual cure.Remy is one of the most strong willed, and goal oriented teenagers you will find. Sometimes her actions are harsh, but in the general scheme of things, better angry and peeved off, then a zombie. She doesn’t back down to fights with the zombies. She has one goal that drives her actions; finding Max. Remy does find a love interest in the end. Lazlo Durante is a guitarist or drummer for a band called Emeriso. Lazlo and Blue, a doctor, meet up with Remy and Harlow who is a 13 year old orphan and escaped the overrun compound with Remy. There is also Ripley the zombie eating lion who actually makes this story. Dislikes: OK, seriously I am NOT an Editor, but this book could have used one or maybe just a simple spell checker on the computer. There are grammatical errors and misspelled words throughout the book. But, again, I’m not going to bitch and moan that it took away from the story line for me. I like the premise, and I love Remy, and expect to look into reading the next installment when it comes out. Yes, there is a open ended finale to the story.Some may say that zombie stories have been overdone. I don’t believe that is true. Not yet. Agents and others have been waving the red flag that there are too many vampire books out there. I’m not one who believes that. Maybe that is why writers go and self-publish their own books like Amanda did. If you have the monetary means, and the ability, I say go for it.