These are the characters who have appeared in the books so far. This list will grow as the Hollow series continues.
Anand Verma
Human – villager – supports Banks
Microbiologist, 35 years old and generally dressed in jeans and open-necked shirts. He has brown eyes, short black hair, brown skin and a square jaw. He is 5’ 11” tall and has a well-proportioned build. He lives with his wife and two children in Amblesby and used to work at a laboratory in Huddon.
Andrew Glover
Human – villager – supports Banks
36 years old with spiky brown hair, brown eyes and is 6′ 2″ tall. His argumentative and somewhat confrontational nature often sees him falling out with others but, in spite of this, he can be generous and helpful. He has a high opinion of himself and likes to be the centre of attention. He has a black belt in karate.
Bakalwe, Horona
See Horona Bakalwe
Banks, Dora
See Dora Banks
Banks, John
See John Banks
Bert Whistler
Human – villager – supports Banks
With his grey hair, grey eyes and grizzled face he looks every bit the outdoor type. 54 years old, stocky and hard working, he is the foreman in charge of building the gazebo. He is married to Mary and they have a son called Julian.
Bob Geddes
Human – villager – supports Wainscott
A patrol leader in Wainscott’s faction. He is 38 years old, has thinning black hair, brown eyes, round face, 5′ 9″ tall and is slightly overweight.
Braxt
Nisix – Native of Hollow
Krislemeen’s lord-lieutenant. He is burly with a face like a pebble-dashed Christmas pudding and is fiercely protective of his leader. Usually dresses in leather, does not socialise and is feared by his subordinates.
Brisquet, Helen
See Helen Brisquet
Bruce Wendrill
Human – villager – supports Wainscott
Enthusiastic supporter of Wainscott. 25 years old. Has thick, straight, combed back hair, a wide face with a beard, curled moustache and heavy eyebrows. He is 5′ 8″ tall.
Collins, Mr.
Human – villager – sort of supports Banks
60 years old, thin, receding hair. A member of the Village Action and Planning Committee. Gets indignant about small matters such as weeds growing on the pavements while everyone else is more concerned about surviving.
Corspart
Skeeple – native of Hollow
Lady Corspart is the Head of the Imperial Department of Intelligence. She has a reputation for putting people down and for scheming. Mostly for scheming. Unlike many of her peers, her proboscis is undecorated. She wears a plain gold bracelet on her wrist which, given the rarity of metals in Hollow, screams of wealth.
Dora Banks
Human – villager – supports Banks
Trained as a baker, she runs Amblesby’s bakery along with her husband, John. She is 36 years old, 5’ 10” tall, has long blonde hair and a pleasant face. She is perceptive and quick to spot deception. She has a good sense of humour and a strong, trustworthy character.
Dillinger, Mrs.
Human – villager – unsure of allegiance
Large, loud and 63 years old, she is Pip’s owner. As far as she is concerned, there is no one more important than Pip.
Drome
Human – villager – abducted from the village
His real name is Jerome Watkins, but he’s known to everyone as Drome (because that was how he pronounced his own name when he was little). Before moving to Hollow, he worked as an IT Help Desk Analyst at a company in Huddon. He is 31 years old, male, human and anonymous looking. He has brown hair, brown eyes and is of medium height and build. For most of the first two books he is dressed in a brightly coloured cycling outfit.
Eflid
Brankian – native of Hollow – Captain of Irdiskia’s palace guard
Self righteous and keen, very keen, on doing his job properly. Likes everything to be neat and orderly. Can be courteous to the point of rudeness.
Frank Upton
Human – villager – supporter of Banks
Large, well-built, 42 years old. Has dark hair and a huge beard. He is a farrier (i.e. he shoes horses) but also does a bit of blacksmithing. For example, he repaired the church gates and makes ornamental wrought iron items.
Frasko
Brankian – native of Hollow – sailor aboard the Slasher Queen
One of the three sailors who tells Drome to look belowdecks for the galley when it is in fact on the deck.
Geddes, Bob
See Bob Geddes
Gelnmama
Kynbar – native of Hollow
Grower of skishba fruit. He is Heyglmama’s chief competitor.
George
Human – native of Hollow
Student at the University of New Bristol, he is 22 years old; has dark, curly hair; an honest face with a bushy beard. Usually seen around New Bristol dressed in an academic gown but dresses more casually when travelling to Amblesby. 5’ 9” tall and brown eyed.
Gerald Montgomery-Jones
Human – villager – supports no factions other than himself
Has a broad face with close-set dark blue eyes and a small moustache. He is in his mid-forties, his dark hair is turning grey at the temples. 5’8” tall and of stocky build. Dresses smartly, most often in slacks and blazer. He is married to Hilary and longs to get his hands on her wealth. He is not well-liked because he is manipulative and underhand. Although his first name is Gerald, no one ever seems to remember and everyone refers to him by his last name.
Glover, Andrew
See Andrew Glover
Glover, Silas
See Silas Glover
Harry Quarter
Human – villager – originally supported Banks but becomes a spy for Montgomery-Jones
43 years old, he has a red face and fleshy neck. Fair haired, short and overweight, he likes to wear hiking boots and tuck his trousers into his long socks. His ensemble is completed by a light jacket.
Helen Brisquet
Human – villager – supports Banks
Blonde and blue eyed, she is 5’ 9” and is a language teacher. Her passion is long distance running, and she has a slim, athletic build.
Heyglmama
Kynbar – native of Hollow
Considers himself to be the greatest of skishba growers. Proud and fierce, he does not have a forgiving nature.
Hilary Montgomery-Jones
Human – villager – absent from the village when it moved to Hollow.
Originally her surname was Montgomery, but she became Hilary Montgomery-Jones when she married. Very wealthy, she inherited a fortune and the manor house in the centre of the village. A mainstay of village society when Amblesby was still on Earth.
Hodges, Mrs.
Human – villager – supports Banks
Elderly lady who finds the body of Mr Vent. Timid and frightens easily. 75 years old, she has fairly short, curly, grey hair.
Horona Bakalwe
[huh-row-na buh-kahl-wee]
Nisix – native of Hollow – deceased
Renegade scientist. He is crushed underneath Amblesby when the village arrives in Hollow. Was employed by the courtiers Ranthar and Lungwil.
Hulger
Jehs – native of Hollow
Resembles a large, bipedal wombat. He is 6’ 3” of shambling, hairy soulfulness. Unable to speak but can understand other’s speech. (Dumbness is not a Jehs trait, but no one ever bothered to find out why he can’t speak. It is in fact a psychological affliction due to him being the last of his kind in Hollow). He is employed as a servant by the courtiers Ranthar and Lungwil.
Irdiskia
Human – native of Hollow
Queen of Kyro. Long black hair, dark skin, strong brown eyes and firm jawline. Decisive and quick-witted. Among the Kyronian Great Houses her’s, House Varint, is the most powerful.
Jeremy Wainscott
Human – villager – faction leader
38 years old, 6’ tall, tanned, immaculate hair and polished fingernails. On Earth he was a wealthy stockbroker. He wears designer clothes and spends much of his time thinking about how he looks. His fondness of management speak often leads to confusion among his followers. He believes unfettered capitalism is the only way to run things, even when struggling to survive in a strange world.
John Banks
Human – villager – faction leader
Tall, broad shouldered, dark, brown eyed, 38 years old. He is married to Dora with whom he runs the bakery. He believes in pulling together, especially in times of crisis. Branded a socialist by Wainscott.
Joseph Richards
Human – villager – supports Banks
With his goatee beard and round spectacles, he looks every inch a hippy. He is very environmentally aware and on Earth often clashed with the establishment over environmental issues. At 20 years old, he is already a seasoned leader of protests. Due to their environmental credentials, his band of protestors is known as the Greenies.
Julian Whistler
Human – villager – supports Banks
Fifteen, pale and skinny, Julian has long, dark hair that falls forward over his face. He is Bert’s son. Creative, intelligent and one of life’s deep thinkers. Has a hand in making the gazebo work because he redrew Montgomery-Jones‘ original plans in order to make things fit together.
Kathy Scault
Human – villager – supports Wainscott
She is thin lipped, has a square face, light brown eyes and long hair. Slightly chubby, she is 5’ 6” tall, 29 years old and wears glasses. A member of the patrol that chased Drome and his friends. A bit of a know-it-all.
Kevin Smith
Human – villager – supports Banks
He has brown, curly hair, blue eyes and a student beard. He is 6’ tall, considers himself an outdoors type and is a member of the away team.
Klammer, Mr.
Human – villager – supports Banks
Wise and quiet. He is one of those people who seems to be eternally old, as though it impossible he was ever young. With his high waistband, big trousers, shock of grey hair, bright blue eyes and a warm, lined face, he is the epitome of the grandfatherly figure. He is only 65 but seems older. He’s fairly short at 5’4”.
Klapcutt
Salagunn – Native of Hollow
An agent of the Imperial Department of Intelligence. He is a cruel, sadistic, ruthless killer, entirely devoid of morals and qualms. Salagunni are notorious for their reluctance to talk about their personal lives and much has to be surmised concerning Klapcutt’s early life. Due to his in-depth knowledge of Skarnelm, it is thought he was born and raised in the capital city. He is not known for making friends, in fact the opposite is true.
Krislemeen
[kris-luh-meen]
Human – Native of Hollow
Originally the commander of a Kyronian border fortress to the south of Amblesby, she is the self-declared queen of Kyro (which is a trifle upsetting for the incumbent, Irdiskia, who rules from the capital city, Likthenic). She is a member of House Kattic, one of the more ambitious of the Kyronian Great Houses. Her red hair is cut short and her green eyes have a snake-like quality. She rarely smiles or frowns or… let’s just say facial expressions aren’t her strong point. Her age is unknown, but she appears to be in her mid-forties. Like her second-in-command, a nisix called Braxt, she is fond of wearing leather. She is cruel and her rule of the border post and surrounding area is harsh and unforgiving.
Lacey, Mrs.
Human – villager – allegiance unknown
Used to work as a teller in the high street bank. 40 years old and often helps out with charitable causes. Takes a collection for the Red Cross during the village meeting.
Linnmama
Kynbar – native of Hollow
Skishba farmer whose fruit is destroyed by Mr. Klammer’s hydrogen balloon.
Lungwil
Sleamarian – native of Hollow
Four-armed, 7’ tall, genderless, with a body that resembles a twig insect on steroids and a head like an anaemic, tufted parsnip. It has a pair of deeply hooded mauve eyes and is one of the pair of aliens who abducted Drome. A courtier to the emperor. Not particularly bright. Easy to influence.
Mary Whistler
Human – villager – supports Banks
Slim, clean, neat, she is 51 years old, married to Bert and is Julian’s mother. She has blue eyes; brown greying hair and wears an apron around the house.
Masbic
Human – Born on Earth but resident of Hollow
Created the portal that took him and Vester from eighteenth century London to Hollow. Charming and exceptionally talented, he is one of the most famous and powerful sorcerers in Glaskwall. It is the rejuvenation spell he developed that has enabled Vester to live as long as he has.
Master of the Robes
Pirch – native of Hollow
It has eight limbs – four arms and four legs – which makes it ideal for performing its duties, which mainly consist of dressing the emperor. It has a great fondness for ritual and gets agitated when the emperor breaks from the script.
Master of the Voice
Muppin – native of Hollow
Like all muppins, he is only four feet tall and resembles a ball on stubby legs. Most of his body consists of his face. He appears to spit in half, horizontally, when he opens his cavernous mouth. He has a deep, rich voice which is ideal for his role of announcing the emperor.
Mesticant
Garflung – native of Hollow
Lieutenant in the Glaskish army. It is the second in command of the platoon that journeys from Skarnelm to Amblesby.
Methraik O’Poov
Pirch – native of Hollow
The sorcerer responsible for turning Nev into a living skeleton.
Mirbsby
Species unknown – native of Hollow – deceased
Ex-navigator of the Slasher Queen. Drome’s immediate predecessor in that role.
Miriam Weckle
Human – villager – supports Banks
Second in command of the away team, she is an experienced climber. Her day job is as a primary school teacher. She is 5’9”, has an oval face with olive skin and a wide mouth. She is 27 years old, has dark hair and brown eyes.
Montgomery-Jones, Gerald
Montgomery-Jones, Hilary
Myra Wilson
Human – villager – supports Banks
The village doctor. Well liked and trusted, she is 46 with brown eyes; dark, short hair; narrow face and wears glasses. Strong willed, 5’ 4” tall and slightly built. No frills. A good doctor who genuinely cares for her patients.
Nev
Human – native of Hollow
30 years old, the last two of which have been spent as a living skeleton. Outgoing and adventurous, always reliable in sticky situations. Warm-hearted – well, would be if they actually had one. Develops a soft spot for Drome and ends up helping him. Tends to wear lots of clothes, hats, gloves and so on to disguise the lack of flesh.
Nog
Species unknown – native of Hollow
Crew member aboard the Slasher Queen.
O’Poov, Methraik
See Methraik O’Poov
Osperc
Pirch – native of Hollow
Scholar and spellcaster whose overactive mind finds everything interesting. Unusually for a pirch, Osperc enjoys travelling and loves seeing new places and meeting people. Always dresses neatly and has impeccable manners.
Panslatch
Groap – native of Hollow
High priest of the Offarians, Skarnelm’s official religion. Groaps are an unloved species due to the disconcerting exudations from small orifices in their skin. With their ponderous, bulbous bodies they are considered ugly and cumbersome.
Pegger
Brankian – native of Hollow
Overweight, wooden legged cook aboard the Slasher Queen.
Peskahr
Skeeple – native of Hollow – deceased
Emperor of Skarnelm before Zharvak.
Pete Trunny
Human – villager – supports Banks
Owner of Amblesby’s hardware shop. 50 years old. He sees the desperation of the village’s situation and is willing to give away his stock to help people survive.
Peter Reeves
Human – villager – supports Banks
Tall and distinguished looking, 49 years old. He is a consultant and, when Amblesby was still on Earth, used to commute to London every day. Not a practical man but tries to help.
Pip
Dog – villager – allegiance is complicated
Pip is Mrs Dillinger’s pet chihuahua. He is wily, has delusions of grandeur and thinks of himself as human. When Amblesby first arrives in Hollow, it is visited by the courtiers, Ranthar and Lungwil, who require a spy to feed information back to them. They believe Pip is human and draft him into service which often leads to confusion due to the dog’s olfactory-based reporting.
Poltis
Dentharian – native of Hollow – Kyronian soldier
Guards Drome during the Kyronian army’s journey from Likthenic to Amblesby.
Quairt
Skeeple – native of Hollow – General in Irdiskia’s army
Unusually for a skeeple, her proboscis is undecorated. She has many years of experience in the military (indicated by the large number of ribbons on her uniformed chest) and Irdiskia trusts her completely.
Quarter, Harry
See Harry Quarter
Ranthar
[ran-thar] – Note: behind its back people pronounce Ranthar as [rant-ar] due to the courtier’s fondness for speaking at great length when annoyed.
Garflung – native of Hollow
Genderless. One of the two courtiers who kidnapped Drome. At 4’2” it is short even for a garflung. It has two spindly legs and two thin arms protruding from its small, round body. Its head bulges up from the body without the benefit of a neck and it has three small, close-set eyes. Dresses in a gown and, to make itself appear taller, wears a tall, black, round-topped hat.
Red
Human – from Earth – employed by Montgomery-Jones
The nickname comes from his red hair. He is a big man, 30 years old, hard faced and has made his living doing jobs that it’s best not to ask about. Yearns to be free and independent. He was not a resident of Amblesby but was brought in by Montgomery-Jones to work on the gazebo.
Reeves, Peter
See Peter Reeves
Richards, Joseph
See Joseph Richards
Rislipton
Skeeple – native of Hollow
General in charge of the platoon that journeys from Skarnelm to Amblesby. Belligerent and self-centred. His main tactic is to attack head on while making lots of noise. This does not endear him to the soldiers who serve in his forces.
Rupert
Human – native of Hollow
A student of the University of New Bristol, he has lank brown hair, a thin face, patchy beard, large nose and wears round-lensed spectacles. Favours wearing an academic gown when in New Bristol. 22 years old, slim and 5’7” tall.
Sak
Skeeple – native of Hollow
Pirate captain of the Slasher Queen. He has red-rimmed, mad eyes. His body is large and heavy shouldered. He likes to wear a leather coat and knee-high boots. As with all skeeples, he has a bony proboscis in the centre of his face which makes him look even more threatening.
Scab Smith
Human – villager
15 years old, he has curly ginger hair, green eyes and a round face. He is of medium height and stocky build. Tends to wear baggy jeans and hoodies. Takes his skateboard with him wherever he goes. Friend of Julian.
Scault, Kathy
See Kathy Scault
Shiner
Human – from Earth – employed by Montgomery-Jones
One of the out of town labourers employed to assist with completing the gazebo. He is inseparable from Red, to whom he delegates most of the thinking.
Sicklit
Species unknown – native of Hollow
One of the crew aboard the Slasher Queen.
Silas Glover
Human – villager – supports Banks
A farmer, his arms and face are burnt brown by a lifetime spent outdoors. He is 50 years old, wiry and brown eyed. Usually dresses in denim jeans and short-sleeved shirts.
Skalpriss
Skalpriss – originally from another world but now residents of Hollow
This description applies to all the skalpriss because it is difficult to tell individuals apart. They are the emperor’s feared stormtroopers. They have four limbs and from a distance resemble human beings. Up close the similarity ends. Their bodies are protected by dark green cartilage plates, which make them look like they are wearing a medieval suit of armour. The cartilage around their heads extends upward into a pair of horns and their eyes are protected by a curved slit, which gives them a fierce, angry look. Not including the horns, they are 6’2” tall. The skalpriss are bred for war and are an artificially enhanced version of the dominant species on their home world.
Sleams
Sleamarian – native of Hollow
Four-armed first mate of the Slasher Queen. It is unsentimental and murderous. Always heavily armed, it is tall and lean but still of a heavier build than most sleamarians.
Smith, Kevin
See Kevin Smith
Smith, Scab
See Scab Smith
Supplicant representatives
Salagunn – natives of Hollow
Their role is to present cases to the emperor on behalf of their clients. Generally dressed in grey to indicate reliability and trust. In fact, they are neither reliable nor trustworthy.
Technician
Dentharian – native of Hollow
He has yellow eyes, yellow teeth and a long rat-like snout. Fairly short of stature, his head is supported by a thin neck. His hands are long and narrow. Blackmailed by Vester, he is a volatile mix of nerves and anger.
Toby Wilcox
Human – villager
15 years old, he has blonde, bristly hair that stubbornly refuses to lie flat. He has acne and favours jeans and hoodies. Friend of Julian.
Tom Watson
Human – villager – supporter of Wainscott
Not too bright or ambitious. At 6’ tall with hard brown eyes, a large, bushy beard and generous build, he is an imposing presence. He is 40 years old, many of which have been spent running a pub and given him the skills to deal with awkward, uncooperative people.
Trunny, Pete
See Pete Trunny
Tusilmay
[too-zuhl-may]
Skeeple – native of Hollow
Empress of Glaskwall when Vester first came to Hollow. (see The Persistence of Poison)
Upton, Frank
See Frank Upton
Uderissa (AKA Udders)
Ponommy – Kyronian soldier
She teams up with Drome during the battle for Amblesby.
Vent, Mr
Human – villager – deceased
Ex-landlord. Very unpopular when he was alive. He is the first person to be murdered after the village is moved to Hollow.
Verma, Anand
See Anand Verma
Vester
Human – born on Earth but resident of Hollow (his first name is Tobias though nobody except Masbic knows that)
One of the oldest humans in the universe at 352 years old. He came to Hollow 326 years before the arrival of Amblesby. With his tall, wiry build and hard eyes, he is much feared in the emperor’s court. As the advisor to the previous emperor, he earned a reputation for scheming and plotting and dealt ruthlessly and mercilessly with anyone who crossed him. Even though he was demoted when the new emperor, Zharvak, took over, he is still feared. This is probably because most people believe his demotion is a ruse, brought about to lull them into thinking they are no longer being watched.
Vora, Mrs
Human – villager
Brown eyes, black hair, 5’4”, 60 years old, round-faced. Drome’s next-door neighbour. Keeps her ear to the ground and is a mine of information regarding life in the village.
Voormama
Kynbar – native of Hollow
5’ of angry red quilled wizard. Considers himself a sage but others think he has too high an opinion of himself. He is sly, manipulative and not entirely honest.
Wainscott, Jeremy
See Jeremy Wainscott
Watkins, Jerome
See Drome
Watson, Tom
See Tom Watson
Weckle, Miriam
See Miriam Weckle
Wendrill, Bruce
See Bruce Wendrill
Whistler, Bert
See Bert Whistler
Whistler, Julian
See Julian Whistler
Whistler, Mary
See Mary Whistler
Wilcox, Toby
See Toby Wilcox
Wilson, Myra
See Myra Wilson
Zharvak
Skeeple – native of Hollow
At 7’ 3” he is huge even for a skeeple. When he became emperor of Glaskwall he personally settled the mutterings against him with his sword. Tends to dress in armour for official occasions, a habit which does not endear him to anyone. Not known for his intellect. When negotiations with ambassadors don’t go his way, he will often settle arguments with his fists. His official title – which he chose himself – is Absolute Ruler of the Known World, King of Glaskwall, Champion of Kresspit, Knight of the order of Spirk and Emperor of Pnebbit.
* End of character list *
— Extras —
Everything you ever wanted to know about the world of Hollow but never got around to asking:
- A Hollow World Described
- Amblesby
- Cast of Characters
- Geography
- Portals and Interstitial Travel
- Skarnelm
- Species
- The Magic of Hollow
- The sun
- Who Made Hollow?