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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Daniel Mayse’s Hollow Born follows Caleb Rivers, a college student who survives being struck by a car, then wakes in the hospital able to see something hidden inside ordinary life. Images in mirrors lag behind the people they copy as shadows begin moving on their own, leaving Caleb unsure whether the accident changed his mind or his sight. Nurse Lila Grant identifies the Hollowborn as predators living among people by feeding on despair. Back on campus, Caleb becomes wary of roommate Ethan when the young man’s image on a dark computer screen behaves strangely. A direct encounter with one of the creatures brings Amara Collins, known as Mara, into Caleb’s path. She introduces him to other survivors who understand the secret war surrounding the campus, yet nobody can easily explain why the Hollowborn already know Caleb’s name.
Daniel Mayse’s Hollow Born builds a supernatural fantasy, setting Caleb inside an eerie world where the strange feels close enough to touch. Caleb’s compassion gives the story heart, shown when he speaks with a shaking student in the dining hall until the student’s hands settle. Lila brings warmth through her understanding of Caleb’s senses, slowing their walk when the surrounding hum grows louder. The world-building is imaginative, with Hollowborn history giving each location significance. Places once considered sacred retain residue that repels the creatures, turning the abandoned chapel into a natural meeting place. The descriptions of hidden spaces are sophisticated and visual. A coffee maker balanced on a crate gives the chapel a lived-in character, whereas the Veiled Archive surrounds maps charting decades of Hollowborn activity as records preserve the group’s history. Readers drawn to supernatural fantasy set inside college life are in for a real treat. Very highly recommended.
