Reviews

4.5 ⭐

I love caves. I love creepy stories about caves even more so I was very excited to read this one. This was my first Mike Salt book and I was drawn in to the story right away. I know this book is a part of Linkville series, about which the opening pages of Hollow managed to drop just a few perfect, yet maddening, intriguing hints about it, enough that before I was 5 pages in I was already planning to buy more of this series.

So, on to the story! A group of close friends find themselves entering the 'historical tunnels' beneath their old home town which in turn leads to a small hole just big enough for them to crawl through, which they do. Not properly prepared and having failed the golden rule of filing your plan(s) with someone before you decide to drop into a deep dark hole, they are lost with no one the wiser.

Salt amps up the panic and claustrophobia of being lost in a dark cave by gradually adding in the creepiest of elements. The group of friends quickly realize there are 'other things' down there with them and those things are deeply weird and horrifying.

Soon they meeting others down in these caves that may or not be friendly, and they begin to find that the caves themselves are not always exactly caves, but morph into hallways, rooms and doors to other places (or realities?) and that even time itself seems to have gone off the rails for them.

The story and the action move along at a crisp pace while simultaneously giving you just enough backstory on some of our main characters to really pull you into their predicament and root for them. Bird and Corey's background was heartbreaking and their relationships with their friends and family felt genuine and true to me (and I would like a whole story of Doug, and Hector!)

I understand the author lives in Oregon, which I spent a good portion of my childhood and teen years in as well. There are several different cave systems within a days drive of the area that I (at an amateur level) explored when I lived there and I'm sure Salt must have as well (Oregon Caves, Newberry, the High Desert ice caves, Lassen and Lava Beds - all amazing playgrounds for those fascinated by what lies underground!) Although I personally have never felt fear in any cave system, Salt has done a pretty good job of giving me an idea of what those experiences would be like (I have to wonder if the next time I decide to go caving if I will hesitate before descending...)

Well done Mr. Salt! I must now go and order more of your books!

barmyjen's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Another great story from Mike Salt, this book gets right into the action and keeps the pace fast throughout. The feeling of being claustrophobic is present all the way through, but other phobias take their turn in both disturbing and delighting you as you read. The characters are enjoyable, and you find yourself invested in them and hoping they survive. I definitely need to read more of the Linkville series.