Helpful Score: 9
This is a very readable set of stories told in a unique post-apocalyptic setting. A colony of survivors of an unknown disaster live in the silo, a mostly underground, self-contained community. The world and character building are strong and unique. Recommended for fans of the post-apocalyptic genre.
Helpful Score: 4
I heard about this after an interview on NPR. They're correct in that it is a very interesting premise, a unique apocalypse dystopia.
I knew it was originally a short story, and it was self-published, but I didn't realize it was serialized, because, man, there is a LOT of repetition and reiteration of what just happened. It's about 200 pages too long (it's 508 pages - so I'm not exaggerating). If they had bothered to mention this serialization on the back cover or at the intro, I probably wouldn't have been so bored half the time and would have started skimming sections - which I eventually did start doing around page 300. I know it's a first book , but damn, find someone who can edit your work.
That said, it's an interesting psychological study of humanity in confinement, and the lies necessary to keep society functioning. I still have some trouble suspending disbelief at the idea of no elevators in the construction of a 130 story underground silo, and people accepting that computers can't transfer messages via email, despite everyday use, and phones and radio technology could be 'lost'. I guess you have to accept that Big Brother can enforce ignorance and curiosity can be weeded out of the gene pool in two or three generations.
There are neat ideas here, but most of it reads like a cautionary dystopia YA novel - I thought about "The Giver" a lot while reading this. Frankly, the scenario in "The Hunger Games" is better. It was better than "Divergent" but only because of the technical details about engineering (and man, there are a lot of them!)
I knew it was originally a short story, and it was self-published, but I didn't realize it was serialized, because, man, there is a LOT of repetition and reiteration of what just happened. It's about 200 pages too long (it's 508 pages - so I'm not exaggerating). If they had bothered to mention this serialization on the back cover or at the intro, I probably wouldn't have been so bored half the time and would have started skimming sections - which I eventually did start doing around page 300. I know it's a first book , but damn, find someone who can edit your work.
That said, it's an interesting psychological study of humanity in confinement, and the lies necessary to keep society functioning. I still have some trouble suspending disbelief at the idea of no elevators in the construction of a 130 story underground silo, and people accepting that computers can't transfer messages via email, despite everyday use, and phones and radio technology could be 'lost'. I guess you have to accept that Big Brother can enforce ignorance and curiosity can be weeded out of the gene pool in two or three generations.
There are neat ideas here, but most of it reads like a cautionary dystopia YA novel - I thought about "The Giver" a lot while reading this. Frankly, the scenario in "The Hunger Games" is better. It was better than "Divergent" but only because of the technical details about engineering (and man, there are a lot of them!)
Helpful Score: 3
This was pretty good. That first story completely messed me up and will haunt me for quite a while. There is some excellent world building here and instantly vivid characters. Good stuff!
Helpful Score: 2
Wow! What a collection of stories. As you go through them the plot becomes more unraveled, and yet you still have questions at the end. Maybe that is why Hugh Howey has now written a prequel. I will have to look at that. In the age of "preppers" and "end of the world" scenarios, this is a timely selection. I just loved it.
Helpful Score: 2
Having read many comments about this book, I was anxious to read the novel. The comments were so intriguing.
The first character one meets is Sheriff Holston, whose "good guy" image lingers long after his death. He is grieving for his wife, Allison. His grief is so deep that he, too chooses death after researching her papers to discover why she chose death.
The environment is an uninhabitable earth covered with sand, scoured by wind and enclosed in toxic air that kills upon contact. There is no life. Only in the silos can humans survive and survive they do under a rigid set of rules. Those who question the rules or break them die. Most often they are sent to "cleaning," sent outside with suits designed to fail shortly after they leave the silos.
Meet Mayor Jahns who broods over Holston's death and dies of poison meant for Deputy Marnes. She and Marnes descend the levels to locate Juliette, a woman who chose to live in mechanical, deep within the bowels of the silo. She is to be their next sheriff. The bond between Marnes and Mayor Jahns is strong. They have long been in love. And, there is Lukas, a tech who comes up to view and document the paths of the stars. Evil is personified by the mad tech manager, Bernard.
The story unfolds at a rapid pace that carries the reader quickly forward. It's hard to put this book aside. The characters are so realistic. Some say Wool will become a classic like Dune. I hope so for I want others to enjoy this read as much as I did.
The first character one meets is Sheriff Holston, whose "good guy" image lingers long after his death. He is grieving for his wife, Allison. His grief is so deep that he, too chooses death after researching her papers to discover why she chose death.
The environment is an uninhabitable earth covered with sand, scoured by wind and enclosed in toxic air that kills upon contact. There is no life. Only in the silos can humans survive and survive they do under a rigid set of rules. Those who question the rules or break them die. Most often they are sent to "cleaning," sent outside with suits designed to fail shortly after they leave the silos.
Meet Mayor Jahns who broods over Holston's death and dies of poison meant for Deputy Marnes. She and Marnes descend the levels to locate Juliette, a woman who chose to live in mechanical, deep within the bowels of the silo. She is to be their next sheriff. The bond between Marnes and Mayor Jahns is strong. They have long been in love. And, there is Lukas, a tech who comes up to view and document the paths of the stars. Evil is personified by the mad tech manager, Bernard.
The story unfolds at a rapid pace that carries the reader quickly forward. It's hard to put this book aside. The characters are so realistic. Some say Wool will become a classic like Dune. I hope so for I want others to enjoy this read as much as I did.
