My Walt Disney World fandom grew from regular family vacations in the ‘80s and early ‘90s. We would typically visit in June, which left plenty of time to imagine other visits during the school year. It was easy to dream of living at the parks, especially the original EPCOT Center. I also created scenarios of other adventures there with my brother and friends. Some involved battling against bad guys straight out of a James Bond film. Those ideas connect directly to Nick Podursky’s 2013 novel Hollow World. Set up as “Die Hard at Disney World”, it plays out the action-movie fantasies of many kids (and some adults) that love the parks.
Hollow World has a simple premise. The evil genius Spencer Holloway wants a challenge. He believes Detective Charlie Walker is a worthy opponent and kidnaps his family. Holloway forces Walker into a deadly game at Walt Disney World. There are other subplots involving the characters, but that’s the gist. It mostly serves as an excuse to build a thriller at the resort. Fans regularly write stories about their favorite characters on TV shows, and this falls into that zone. Calling it fan fiction doesn’t mean the book’s poorly written; it just feels like a scenario developed by someone obsessed with the parks. Disney fans are the prime audience for this tale.
A Slow Start
After a brief introduction to Walker, his wife Meghan, and their kids Violet and Katie, we’re off to Walt Disney World. We cannot get there fast enough. The characters don’t jump off the page without the high concept behind them. Holloway is the typical evil megalomaniac with a secret wish for defeat. There is no fun in killing the mediocre opponents he usually faces. The first 100 pages build the premise and finally let Walker loose in the parks. My interest grew a lot once that happened. It’s all about seeing what happens there, right? The rest is standard fare.
One killer scene near the start is enough to warrant the entire book’s existence. After losing his family on the People Mover inside Space Mountain, Walker stumbles into the Carousel of Progress. It’s a perfect place to talk to a villain since no one is there! All kidding aside, Podursky shows his knowledge of the parks during this scene. Having Holloway speak through the mouth of the Father is brilliant. It also reminds us of how creepy Audio-Animatronics can be. Anyone who’s been stuck on a ride with non-working Animatronics knows this feeling. It isn’t much of a stretch to have an evil genius use one to communicate his plans.
The middle act of Hollow World becomes more of a thriller and pushes Walt Disney World to the background. I mentioned earlier that I was excited to see Walker in the parks, and that does happen for a time. Sadly, the battle could take place anywhere. This makes the story feel more generic; on-the-nose descriptions of heroism clank on the page. It’s not a bad action yarn, but the original concept fades.
A Great Premise
When Walker teams up with CIA agents including Holloway’s daughter Victoria, the exposition halts the momentum. The focus shifts to the upcoming conflict with Holloway’s soldiers. The Magic Kingdom is just the setting for their efforts. Holloway also becomes less mysterious with each chapter. It’s best to keep his motivations in the dark. Being inside his head transforms him into a more standard villain.
Hollow World’s cover shows an explosion on the Monorail and even fire at Cinderella Castle. While it’s a great way to draw in readers, it also promises more than the book can deliver. The conclusion is the typical battle that you might expect in this type of book. There’s a definite Clive Cussler vibe to the brutal conflict. It’s a solid action climax with a few surprises yet still feels like a missed opportunity.
I probably expect too much; I envisioned an all-out war across the entire resort instead of just at Bay Lake Tower. Perhaps Pobursky is leaving the table open for a much bigger sequel. He does mention that Walker will return, so anything is possible. Regardless, it’s an easy read with a fun concept that Disney fans should enjoy.
Hollow World is currently available from Bamboo Forest Publishing. Learn more here.
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