Tuya of the Hollows [Book 1 Complete]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

In the heart of the Hollows, a land where all the trees have holes and none of their inhabitants are whole, Tuya tries to understand why her oppressors hate her. Yet, amidst their screams and shoves of contempt, she uncovers a power buried deep within her being—a power to shatter the mental chains that are used to tame the oppressed.To survive in this place of hatred, Tuya learns to use her gifts to make the pain of others smaller and to try to restore some of the harmony lost to the Hollows.

Yet, when the tyrant who rules over the Hollows lays claim to her, Tuya faces a fateful choice: to embrace the beautiful monster and attempt to mend a fractured society from within its rotten core or to defy the grasp of the most powerful conqueror in the world and seek refuge in the unknown.

Information

Status: Completed
Year: 2025
Author: C.S. Charles

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.7/ 5.0
Followers: 141
Views: 30,633

Reviews

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Community Reviews(10)

tagamantraRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Be proud! I was ready for a classic fantasy novel and was met with a visceral yet ethereal slaughterhouse of a fantasy. Christopher Sova handles superbly and with care the very sensitive and touchy subjects that they are trying to write. You can't help but root for the characters here, for Tuya who is struggling to get by. Even with a seeming edge over the others of her kind, she is still subjected to abuses and situations hard to read!
For the longest time I've been thinking if I'll ever like a Grimdark Fantasy. Too many grimdark fantasy (or just dark fantasy) felt too over the top, gratuitous, and often even insensitive. TUYA OF THE HOLLOWS blows that out of the park. With grit and grime meshed with beautiful prose and a wondrous world, the novel hearkens to the greats of dark fantasy such as Malazan or Black Company. The subject matter is handled with care and respect, and never feels gratuitous nor unneeded. It's all there because the world itself is just like that!
I can't help but respect Christoper Sova for writing such a thing as this. A true knife's edge of balance of writing, it feels like a hallmark fantasy for those that can stomach its heavy themes.
STYLE: The writer's voice soars, with a certain poetic lilt that is really needed to make fantasy like this fly.
STORY: The story is compelling. I include worldbuilding in this category, so I must say that the atmosphere and world of TUYA OF THE HOLLOWS is absolutely superb. It's written in such a way that makes the words and descriptions earthy, clammy, like a cavern.
GRAMMAR: It feels superbly written and edited!
CHARACTER: This story is driven by its characters. In particular, this story is driven by the burning heart: Tuya. Really, you're reading this story for Tuya, and Tuya is not just fleshed out, she is written in such a way that one can't help but cheer for her completely, a burning beacon of hope in a sea of darkness.
Kudos to the writer! I'll be keeping close eyes on this one!
John KowalskiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
When the author said that this story would be dark they were not kidding. Even so, the incredible prose of this story that wraps around this darkness has a way of illuminating that darkness just enough to not be overwhelming. Along with this, Tuya is such a well-rounded character that has so much child-like charm, managing to bring not just the thoroughly built world the author created some hope, but also gave me some hope that this story may have a light at the end of the long, dark tunnel (or forest in this case).
In nearly every way, this story succeeds, with only a few moments where I got lost and had to go back to reread a line or two. But, for a story that is packed full of worldbuilding I would say having reread only a few lines in the many that I have read so far shows how well done the story has been planned and written so far.
I don't have much time in my day; however, I will still make time to read as much of this story as possible until I reach the end as I feel like this story is something that I must keep reading. To see something like this written on Royal Road is simply astounding to me.
KladinRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This story is really gritty and it pretty dark with its implications of what is happening to the women, and the apparent Stockholm syndrome some of the woman have for being treated marginally better than the others.
The story focuses of Tuya who is a young girl growing up in a place filled with monsters. And by monsters I just mean overall terrible people that take pleasure is establishing their dominance.
For someone as young as Tuya, she has a very strong mind that is capable of continuing on and seeing hope with a positive mindset that one day she will escape. I'm thoroughly impressed she can still show compassion to others when it would be difficult for others.
The story really puts you in the thick of things and does well to establish the where you are and the feelings you should be feeling for those who live in the Hollow.
That said, I would say there are small areas where certain scenes which showed what the characters felt or what was happening, could've been honed in to really describe what was happening and play more on the dialogue so the reader could get a better sense of their state of mind and see things through the characters eyes.
From where I stopped, there is still a lot to be discovered about this world and it'll be interesting to see how Tuya manages to navigate this place as someone born in such a cruel world to hopefully finding her light out of this dark and cruel world.
I applaud the author for trying to write such a story in a way that is manageable to the readers.
LirikaRinaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is a truly profound work about the struggle against the cruelty of the world and the structure of society. The story captivates with its strong emotional factor and writing style.
I must point out that I really like stories with a psychological aspect, especially those that touch on heavy, complex themes. This is one of those stories.
Style: The narrative style immerses you perfectly in the atmosphere. The story itself is written in beautiful language with well-chosen metaphors. Personally, the way it's written really helps me vividly visualize the scenes in my mind.
Story: The plot develops at a moderate pace, but in my opinion, that's a plus. Stories like this shouldn't rush; they should give the reader time to absorb and reflect on what's happening. The story feels well thought-out and polished.
Grammar: I didn’t notice any issues with the grammar. The text seems very well-edited. However, I should mention that English isn’t my native language, so my evaluation may not be entirely objective.
Characters: The characters are deep and well-developed. You grow attached to them, and you really want to empathize with them. Tuya is a strong character, and despite her young age and the terrible conditions she has to endure, she fights not only for her life but even more for the possible happiness and well-being of others. She's ready for self-sacrifice, and you want to root for her. I'm rooting for the main heroine, and I sincerely hope that despite all the hardships and cruelty she faces, everything will turn out well for her in the end.
In conclusion, this is not just a work for simple entertainment, but for the soul. In my opinion, it has the ability to evoke strong emotions and resonate with people’s hearts.
Rowdha Al SolRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I'm not particularly disturbed or bothered by the dark elements of this story as much as some reviews/comments are. I guess part of the reason for this is the actual execution. On paper, this story feels like stream of consciousness rather than something traditional in the sense that the narrative doesn't really follow a beat structure to the extent that, say, a paperback novel with a similar style would. When you slice things down to the foundation, this still, on a conceptual level, has storytelling issues that are in a way masked by the prose. Things like no foreshadowing, self-existing conflict, and a story path that doesn't feed itself but instead introduces new elements to continuously keep the figurative ball rolling. All of these things are common issues with web novels but with works like this they are often difficult to tell because of how competent the general writing is.
When I got to the Chimaera I just found the narrative pulling at the roots rather than plucking from the trees. This is to say, nothing is established beforehand; it just appears, and while that might seem interesting, it's too gotcha, which is a problem of web novels as a whole. I think you should know by Chapter 11 whether this book is something worth continuing. It's a cut above most stuff on this site.
Now the prose itself is relatively well-written on a line-by-line basis. There's some decent mapping to the whole thing that feels like it flows in the order of a suffocating mind.
That said, the prose utterly swallows itself and the intention is marred by the execution. When you want to depict introspection, there needs to be a level of control where we can reasonably follow along with both the character and the scene and feel like each introspective beat offers a satisfying close, which is to say, it tells us something that will be used in a later chapter or might develop the character as a whole. There are times here where the prose loses control, opens an introspective beat, skips
TriZenRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I struggle with advanced reviews, so here's my take on the story.
This is one of the most captivating stories I've read in years. It had me hooked and I am so glad that I checked it out. Seeing the characters struggle as they do and the ways in which people are battered both physically and mentally was painful to read, in a good way.
m.a.cRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
A masterclass in the grimdark fantasy genre, Christopher's novel immerses the reader in a world without hope. The writing is hauntingly beautiful. Despair bathes every scene in realism so that the reader can't help but be gripped by it from start to finish. The imagery has the reader seeing not just the places in the book but the people and the actions they take. Nothing is described without a good reason—and sometimes an excruciating one. Smooth sentence structures and otherwise flawless grammatical writing make the pages turn easily.
Tuya is a young girl living in a brutal society where cruelty is commonplace. Men use telekinetic powers to inflict pain, and the women in this hell are treated in a way that breaks them both physically and mentally. Yet Tuya is a beacon of resilience. She is brilliantly written to be a character who holds onto hope and even a semblance of compassion, as she dreams of escaping the Hollow. This is a story with a luminous young girl at its center. And even though it's told in such a strong first-person voice that you might find it hard to imagine anyone else as the protagonist, the narrative definitely has an ensemble quality. Each character gets such raw emotional depth that you can't help but feel for their plights.
The novel is strong in the aspects of world-building and emotional engagement. Most characters that exist in the story are rich and complicated, with their own aspirations and views. Every character feels different.
In general, if you enjoy dark and emotionally powerful fantasy, Tuya of the Hollows is required reading. The narrative is every bit as fascinating as it is gut-wrenching, and it will definitely sear itself into your memory did a long time.
scantraRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
There is not a single thing I haven't loved about this novel so far! The author approached me for a review swap and I am so glad I agreed because I have truly enjoyed every sentence of this story.
Style Score: Christopher's writing oozes grimdark. His prose create imagery that is both beautiful and soul-crushing. His descriptions are masterful and help bring every page to life.
Grammar Score: If there were any grammar errors, I certainly didn't notice them! Sentence structure and flow were excellent and I didn't catch any spelling mistakes or other issues.
Story Score: This novel centers around a young girl named Tuya who finds herself growing up in a society where basic human decency is a foreign concept. To make matters worse, the people in this society have telekinetic powers that are used by the men/tamers to spread pain and misery in just the ways you would expect. This story is as compelling as it is heartwrenching. If you love grimdark fantasy novels, as I do, I guarantee you will fall head over heels for Tuya of the Hollows.
Character Score: Every character is brilliantly written. I have felt for every character in this story so far which I think speaks to the depth and realism that the author has poured into them.
profpdduvallRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Overall: 4.5/5 "Tuya of the Hollows" is a compelling dark fantasy that immerses readers in the unforgiving world of the Celegan Hollows. It combines a strong character arc of resilience and hope with an oppressive setting that tests its protagonist at every turn. Despite the darker elements, the story offers moments of triumph that shine through. If you're looking for a story that explores perseverance, growth, and the slow discovery of inner strength, then "Tuya of the Hollows" is worth reading.
Grammar: 5/5 The writing is solid, with a good command of language and flow. There are minor inconsistencies in punctuation and occasional awkward phrasing, but these don’t detract significantly from the reading experience. The author effectively conveys both intense scenes and moments of internal reflection with clarity.
Story: 4/5 The narrative is well-paced for those who enjoy character-driven tales of survival and power. Tuya's journey is filled with struggle and loss, but also with moments of hope and determination. The emphasis on Tuya's evolving perspective, from despair to defiance, is engaging. However, the darker tone can at times feel overwhelming, which might be challenging for readers looking for a lighter experience. The story truly shines when it focuses on Tuya's personal victories, no matter how small.
Character: 5/5 The characters in "Tuya of the Hollows" are a highlight. Tuya is portrayed with great depth—her resilience in the face of adversity feels genuine, and her internal struggle is relatable. The relationship between Tuya and Zaya adds an emotional core to the narrative, making Tuya’s choices and growth even more meaningful. The antagonists are effective, though adding more nuance to their motivations could further enhance the story.
Style: 4/5 The style is evocative and detailed, which works well for the dark fantasy genre. The vivid descriptions paint the Celegan Hollows as a dangerous and oppressive place, enhancing the stakes for Tuya. However,
FlugufrelsarinnRoyal Road
★★★ 3.0
But im still gona judge this story from my own perspective. I do like postapocalyptic, dark and realistic settings. Another review mentioned hobb g. Martin and abercrombie, and i love those, but what i do not enjoy is the obvious sadistic pleasure that is taken from demeaning the main character in this story
The main character is forced to murder her only friend through a combination of mindcontrol/manipulation and threats against another child. This scene is detailed and lingering and i feel like ive stumbled on some sadistic porn on the dark web(and if thats your thing, i dont judge(so long as u keep it consentual irl), but it honestly creeps me out a bit).
Ps. The child is murdered anyway
I feel like this story needa a tag for sadism enjoyers.
It also skips a few steps in explaining how exactly this world turned so incredibly evil, and it gives me wartime propaganda wibes with how it portrays the enemy. Their evilness is smeared on too thick.
Besides that its kind of well written. Like kind of very well written