Kel Munger of Lit/Rant praises Michael J. Sullivan’s Hollow World and Tachyon Publications.

Full of plot twists and great character development, Michael J. Sullivan’s novel offers several unusual perspectives on gender, work, individuality, our propensity toward violence, and what makes us human.

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Hollow World is one more piece of evidence that Tachyon Publications is bringing some original and fascinating science fiction to readers.

For the rest of Munger’s review, visit Lit/Rant.

Over at Ten Minute Interviews Sullivan discusses Hollow World, writing, and self-publishing.

How did the story of Hollow World take shape?

It started out as a short story I was writing to help an editor who was trying to showcase some new authors. It was a donated work being used as an “anchor piece.” When I finished, I realized I had found the tip of a very large iceberg. The first people who read it (my wife and two writer friends), had the exact same reaction. To do the concept justice, it really needed to be a full-length novel. So I wrote a different short for that anthology and reworked and expanded that original work into what became Hollow World.

During the writing of Hollow World, were you at all fearful that the fans who knew you as a fantasy author wouldn’t embrace your transition into sci-fi?

I’m not sure I would classify it as “fearful.” I thought it was a very real possibility, and still do. For me, the books I write aren’t written to maximize readership. I just write a book that I want to read and hope that there my tastes are similar enough to others that it will find a decent following. Even if Hollow World never sold any copies, I still would still have been glad that I wrote it. This was an idea that once it was planted in my head wouldn’t let me go until I got it down on paper. It’s still very early to know if Hollow World will be a financial success, but I’ve already achieved what I set out for regarding this book.

For the rest of the interview, visit Ten Minute Interviews.

For information on Hollow World, visit the Tachyon page.