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    Hollow Earth Trilogy
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    Hollow Earth Trilogy
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    Hollow Earth Trilogy
    Ebook1,003 pages15 hours

    Hollow Earth Trilogy

    By John Barrowman and Carole E. Barrowman

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    All three books of John & Carole E. Barrowman's HOLLOW EARTH trilogy. Book 1: HOLLOW EARTH. Book 2: THE BONE QUILL. Book 3: THE BOOK OF BEASTS.

    Long ago, the Order of Era Mina bound all the beasts of myth and legend into the pages of a single tome. They called the prison they had created the Hollow Earth – a nightmare world built to keep our world safe. Over centuries, their Order grew strong: the men and women with the power to bind and animate the magic of this world learned to live in secret among us, watched over by their constant companions, the Guardians. Each Animarus was tasked with the protection of this world. Each Guardian was tasked with the protection of an Animarus. And in time the history of the Order was forgotten, their relics lost, and the Hollow Earth became nothing but a story.

    Now, twelve-year-old twins Matt and Emily Calder are about to discover this world for themselves...

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHead of Zeus
    Release dateAug 1, 2014
    ISBN9781784082161
    Unavailable
    Hollow Earth Trilogy
    Author

    John Barrowman

    John Barrowman has worked in television, musical theatre, and film, and stars as Captain Jack Harkness in Torchwood and Doctor Who.

    Read more from John Barrowman

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    Reviews for Hollow Earth Trilogy

    4/5

    46 ratings11 reviews

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    • 3/5
      It was a good book, but I was expecting so much more. So my rating is maybe lower than it should be, but thats how I feel. And I am going to read the sequels also when I get my hands on them (probably with higher ratings because I have lower expectations)
    • 4/5
      I had to read a book by a celebrity and a middle grade novel and had Hollow Earth on my TBR list so decided to combine these two challenges and move Hollow Earth up and read it for the challenges.

      I enjoyed this book more than I thought, I chose it for the premise of people who can manipulate their imagination to make things come to life (don't we all imagine that as kids?) but was a little hesitant with it being co-written by a celebrity. I wondered if it was just a ploy to cash on on Mr. Barrowman's popularity as an actor. I was wrong. He and his sister can really write.

      If you aren't fond of middle school fiction (or your not fond of middle school students) you may want to stay away from this book as one of the main characters, Matt is very typical of a 13-year old boy who has some major family issues and blames is mom - being a complete brat to her. He's also angry and frustrated (usually that means a sad boy or man who can't admit he's in pain) and that tends to come out in ill-thought out actions.

      Em and Matt are twins who have extraordinary powers that are growing. They don't really know what they are or what they can do and their mom isn't telling them anything. Something happens though that makes her bring them to their grandfather, a man they don't remember meeting. Shortly after they arrive their mom disappears and their grandfather is severely hurt.

      This is an easy (for an adult) and fast book that does a great job of introducing a new trilogy without leaving one of those awful cliffhangers. You want to read more but not because there's no ending to this book. I'll be reading more and will be buying copies of the series for my grandkids.
    • 3/5
      A good forty or more years ago we visited Great Cumbrae for the first and so far only time. It was winter, the New Year in fact, we were entirely inappropriately dressed (loons, for heaven’s sake!), we had meant to take the ferry to Arran but had come to the wrong port, and we were young and inexperienced. There was nothing to do but walk round the island (it kept us warm, at least!) and catch the ferry back to Largs, so that’s what we did. So it was a bit of a shock recently to pick up the Barrowmans’ book Hollow Earth and discover that the island of Auchinmurn in the story was recognisably Great Cumbrae by another name (called after their Scottish grandmother, we are told). True, some of the geography was changed, even the orientation, but John Barrowman, who was born in Glasgow, and his older sister Carole Emily will both have had strong childhood memories of the island (no doubt from those same early seventies) and will have tried to infuse that excitement into the writing of Hollow Earth.To a large extent I was impressed by this tale of twins, Matt and Emily, who have genetically acquired the abilities to not only communicate to each other telepathically but also to animate images, both ones they have sketched and then increasingly those merely envisioned. Together with their new deaf friend Zach they fight to understand and counteract the power struggles that the adults round them are waging in order to further dangerous and mysterious ends. The action, which begins in London, moves swiftly to the two small islands in the Firth of Clyde, and after a rather confusing start we are pitched into a sequence of nightmarish events. There is a resolution, of sorts, but there are also many loose threads which you sense will be followed in subsequent volumes.I’ve seen mentioned the inevitable comparisons with the Harry Potter books, and of course there is magic, a trio of close-knit youngsters, an avuncular Dumbledore figure and shadowy figures who mean harm. But a much closer parallel will be with the Famous Five books of Enid Blyton, acknowledged as among the Barrowmans’ favourite childhood reading: all that messing around in boats, secret passages, old houses, mysterious adults and island adventures. Another aspect of the Famous Five books that seems to have also leached into the events of Hollow Earth is the youngsters’ relative freedom to do what they choose and go where they please, a feature of British life in the fifties but less common in these days when concern over ‘stranger danger’ looms larger. Despite the obvious perils that emanate from both the natural and the supernatural worlds, the adults responsible for the trio seem increasingly irresponsible and on occasions inexplicably unconcerned about their safety which, as a reader, I found alarming and unconvincing.At the inconclusive conclusion of the book a surprisingly large number of adults have been badly injured or have disappeared, so it is clear that a sequel or sequels are planned; in fact, the Hollow Earth of the title is only alluded to a few times during the course of the story, and we are left expecting to hear more in due course. I’ll probably read any follow-up for the sake of completeness though not with as much enthusiasm as I started this; the narrative was exciting enough but I was not over-impressed by character motivation. Still, there was a lot of background detail to get one’s teeth into, especially the references to art history and art works (the related website for this book is particularly informative), and one has to admire the sheer inventiveness that melds together the authors’ invention. What with their backgrounds (John Barrowman from Doctor Who and Torchwood and Carole as an English professor) that’s only to be expected of course!
    • 3/5
      Yeah. I'm one of those people that read the book because of 'Captain Jack' himself. The book was okay. It wasn't bad by any means and some parts had me on the edge of my seat, but I feel like it was what I was expecting and didn't have a lot of surprise twists and turns. Like I said, that's not to say it was a bad story, because it isn't. I've just seen it all before. I would still recommend this book to people that might find it interesting. Everyone is different and I see a lot of people loved it =). 3.5 out of 5 stars.
    • 5/5
      Built from art and adventure, and full of fantasy and magic, this is one of those YA fantasies that will have you searching out the sequel moments after you've read it. The Barrowmans have created such engaging characters, and such an intriguing and fully built world, that it's difficult to believe this is only the first book in the series.Centered on twins with a mysterious set of parents and abilities they're still learning to maneuver, the book takes on a compelling landscape, full with questions regarding responsibility and loyalty. Yet, there's such depth--to both the story and the ideas involved--that there's no doubt the Hollow Earth series will entrance adults just so much as it will appeal to young readers.I don't remember a first fantasy book ever flowing so fluidly and clearly to build a wholly new understanding of the world, and this is certainly my new favorite YA series. Absolutely wonderful.
    • 4/5
      Did the name John Barrowman sound familiar to you? Then you might know him from Doctor Who, Torchwood or Arrow!? He must have a wicked imagination, I thought. And when I found out he wrote this book with his sister Carole, who happens to be a teacher (English & Creative writing), it had to work, right?! Hollow Earth - "a place where all the devils, demons and monsters ever imagined lie trapped for eternity", starts at the the monastery of Era Mina on Auchinmurn Isle, where an old monk was illuminating The Book of Beasts. You are just about to enjoy it all and we get sucked to present time and meet the twins Matt and Em. They are one of a kind. Not only do they animate their imagination through drawing them, but they are also the offsprings of an Animare and a Guardian – which ancient laws had forbidden. As they get older, their powers grow with them and things get complicated. With their mom, they flee London and find a safer haven in their granddad’s abbey, on a remote Scottish island.Although the passion for art’s intriguing, It’s at this point I started to wonder whether my expectations had been too high. I also wished we got more of an insight of what was going on at the abbey during the Middle Ages. Then I mean, a bit more than one (rather short) chapter at the beginning of each of the 4 parts. But then the pace picked up, it got a lot more exciting and the craziest things happen and suddenly turned in such a cliffhanger, that I didn’t want to lay the book down anymore!Loved the concept of Animare & Guardians, characters are well-developed (their backgrounds included), easy to visualize and get sucked into the story etc etc. The loose ends and unanswered questions, only make me long for more!
    • 4/5
      Like many people, I picked up this book because it had John Barrowman's name on it. However, I love the way his mind works, his and his sister. This book was so different and interesting. The twins are engaging, the story is never boring, and I couldn't put the book down. Now I have to get my hands on the sequel!
    • 5/5
      i liked it. the characters are real and geninue. i can see the little rascals. it was fast paced and exciting. i wish some books for adults had as much excite as this one did. it was a good length and i can't wait to read the next installment.
    • 5/5
      I picked up Hollow Earth because I loved the cover. Upon closer inspection, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it features twins... to be more exact, magic wielding twins who can manipulate artwork. I wasn't aware until after I'd read the novel (and absolutely adored it) that the half of the brother-sister author duo, John Barrowman, is well-known among Dr. Who and Torchwood fans from his role as Captain Jack Harkness. The remaining half of this writing team, Carole E. Barrowman, may also be familiar, as she has authored five other book with John before Hollow Earth. This book reminded me, in a very good way, of Lisa McMann's The Unwanteds. Both books focus on creativity and art as a means to combat dark forces and feature twins. Though the two books do have these themes in common, the execution and characters in Hollow Earth are unique... I never felt myself confusing details or characters and I wasn't left with the impression that I'd read the story before.Hollow Earth is nearly 400 pages long, but is an extremely quick read. The action was non-stop and the details and explanations about the magical gift the twins share never bogged down the pace of the novel. The title of the novel refers to the place where the dark, evil creatures of the world are banished, a place that few can access. Among those that have the ability to open Hollow Earth are, of course, the twins, making them a target for those who would use their power for their own nefarious gain. The stakes are high for Matt and Emily Calder: they must learn how to control and use their powers for good before they're forced to use them for evil.I highly recommend Hollow Earth to both MG and YA readers. It's a quick, satisfying read that left me anxious for book two, Bone Quill.
    • 4/5
      Fast-paced fantasy adventure set in Scotland. Twins struggle with the danger brought by their extraordinary power: the ability to bring drawings to life and to enter into a drawing. Some people will stop at nothing to get access to their abilities. Plot twists and treachery... This is obviously the first in a series.
    • 3/5
      Usually when a celeb writes a book there is something of a fanfare but if there was a lot of hype running up to the release of this book then I missed it all. I only heard about it through my mother-in-law who mentioned that she has see John Barrowman talking about it in a TV interview. On the very next day we had several pupils ask if we were going to be buying it for the library. Feeling something of a failure I did a little online digging and contacted its publisher, Buster Books, who very kindly sent me a copy to review.

      I like John Barrowman. He always comes across as a really nice (if somewhat manic) guy when I watch him interviewed on TV, and I loved his Captain Jack character in Doctor Who and Torchwood (although like many others I was disappointed with Miracle Day). I had high hopes for this book being more than just another celebrity-cashes-in-on-the-children's-book-market as my research showed me that a) it was a product of John's crazy imagination and b) Carole E. Barrowman, the book's co-author has been teaching English and Creative Writing for more than twenty years and is also a journalist. I am happy to report that I was not disappointed - in fact, I read it in a single sitting.

      Hollow Earth tells the story of twins Matt and Emily Calder, a pair of children who have an incredible power - they can make art come to life. Through the power of their imaginations, anything they draw will come into being, and they can also enter paintings or make/allow others to enter paintings. They are not the first to possess these abilities - they are the latest in a long history of equally gifted people known as Animare - but they could potentially be the most powerful Animare of all time. The reason for this is that their mother is an Animare, and their long-missing father a Guardian (people tasked with protecting Animare and creating a psychic bond that helps them keep their powers under control). Ancient laws forbid the two from ever having children together, but sometimes ancient laws are broken (i.e. the twins' parents were a little but naughty). Now that the twins are approaching their teens their powers seem to be growing, and of course someone notices, tells someone else, and before we know it the twins and their mother, Sandie, are having to escape from London for the sanctuary of their grandfather's Abbey stronghold, on a small Scottish island.

      I gather that some reviewers have started to suggest that this could be the new Harry Potter. It isn't - when will people realise that there will never be another Harry Potter? However, when Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was first published (before all the hype and success) reviewers praised it for being a magical story about good versus evil. And that is exactly what Hollow Earth is. To compare any book using Rowling's series as the yardstick is unfair, and it makes my blood boil when reviewers do this. If Harry Potter had never existed we would be comparing Hollow Earth to the likes of Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising books, or the many books of the late, great Diana Wynne Jones, and I believe it would stand up pretty well in this respect.

      One thing that really jumped out at me from the pages of Hollow Earth is just how passionate the Barrowman's are about art. From when we first meet the twins, sitting in the National Gallery in front of Georges Seurat's Bathers at Asnières waiting impatiently for their mother, to quotes by William Blake and a cheeky revelation about Vincent Van Gogh, art is more than just a bystander in this story. The authors' love of art resonates throughout the story, and I would imagine that it will have huge appeal to any young person who shares this fascination with painting and drawing. I also feel that it will encourage many more children to explore the arts for themselves.

      This book is not perfect though. I understand that the Barrowman's spent the early parts of their lives living in Scotland (hence the story's setting, I am guessing), but the bulk of their lives have been spent in the USA. Unfortunately this has led to more than a handful of Americanisms appearing in their writing. I'm sorry, but when a story is set in Britain with British characters I personally become something of a snob and prefer 'proper' English. Others may totally disagree with me, including perhaps many of this book's target audience. Secondly, the whole Hollow Earth thing. The title refers to "a place where all the devils, demons and monsters ever imagined lie trapped for eternity". And yet, this 'place' is not as integral a part of the story as I had expected/hoped for. I have managed to track down the interview that John Barrowman did on This Morning, and he explains that this is the first in (hopefully) a trilogy. If this is so then he and his sister have done a perfectly good job of establishing the characters, their back-stories and the concept of the Animare and their Guardians, but in the second instalment I am fully expecting there to be much more about this mythical Hollow Earth 'place'. Please.

      As the first in a series, the ending of Hollow Earth leaves us with a number of loose ends. However, it does not leave us dangling with a nasty cliffhanger (thank you Barrowmans), and the story is brought to a satisfying conclusion. I don't think it will be to everyone's taste, but what book is? After all, I know a number of kids and adults who really cannot stand Harry Potter. However, if your 10 child loves stories full of ancient magic and mystery then it is well worth adding Hollow Earth to their collection.