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grahamclements's review against another edition
5.0
The Wool Omnibus is one of the best and most original science fiction books I have read. It is full of tension and intrigue from page one, and that tension is maintained through to the very last page. Anyone who enjoys stories set in strange post-apocalyptic worlds that have themes more complex than just power struggles and good versus evil should enjoy Wool.
Wool is a collection of five novellas containing three separate stories that logically follow on from each other. The series is set on a future devastated Earth. Earth’s atmosphere is full of deadly and corrosive chemicals that can eat through a space suit in a matter of minutes. So the remnants of humanity have retreated to an underground silo.
The silo has 130 levels and a central staircase that connects all the levels. There are no lifts, and no web or phones, as the silo’s designers did not wanted communication between the silo’s inhabitants to be easy. The silo’s designers didn’t want unruly gatherings of disaffected citizens or twitter revolutions occurring.
Mechanicals, the engineers and maintenance workers who keep the power and plumbing functioning, live at the bottom of the silo. Intermediate levels contain the food growing and manufacturing areas as well as habitation levels. They also contain the secretive IT section. The mayor and silo’s sheriff live at the top alongside a doorway to the toxic outside.
The first story in the collection is called Wool and is about the silo’s sheriff, Holston. He is investigating why his wife choose to be exiled from the silo and die in the toxic wasteland outside. This story introduces the claustrophobic insides of the Silo, and has the reader asking why are its inhabitants so docile?
The second story, Proper Gauge, follows the relationship of Jahns the mayor and Marnes, her deputy as they travel over three days down to the bottom levels of the silo. Their journey ultimately introduces them to a mechanical named Juliette, who is the main character of the following stories. The story builds on the intrigue of the first as there are still many unanswered questions.
The remaining three novellas could have been turned into a novel themselves as they tell the one story. They follow Juliette as she unlocks the dark secrets behind the silo and what happened to the planet above her. In this story we discover who really controls the silo and what happened to the world outside.
Much of the series takes place in the heads of the main characters as they trudge up and down the stairs. They don’t know who to trust so they are weary on what they say to others, less they be forced outside.
The series explores the theme of how control of information can be used to control a population. It asks the question, is it right to lie to the population as the truth might cause society to collapse into death and chaos? So it light of recent Wikileaks and CIA leaks, the story has much relevance to the world as it is today.
The series was self-published by Hugh Howey. But don’t let that put you off, it is very well written. In March 2013, the Wall Street Journal reported Wool had sold more than half a million copies. Wool has been so successful that Howey recently signed a print distribution deal reported to be worth half a million dollars with Simon and Schuster. Howey kept the ebook rights. Film rights to the series have been sold to 20th Century Fox and Ridley Scott is said to be interested in making the film.
The Wool omnibus had a satisfy ending, but left room for a sequel, which Howey has already written. He has written a prequel too, which I purchased the day after I finished reading the Wool collection.
Wool is a collection of five novellas containing three separate stories that logically follow on from each other. The series is set on a future devastated Earth. Earth’s atmosphere is full of deadly and corrosive chemicals that can eat through a space suit in a matter of minutes. So the remnants of humanity have retreated to an underground silo.
The silo has 130 levels and a central staircase that connects all the levels. There are no lifts, and no web or phones, as the silo’s designers did not wanted communication between the silo’s inhabitants to be easy. The silo’s designers didn’t want unruly gatherings of disaffected citizens or twitter revolutions occurring.
Mechanicals, the engineers and maintenance workers who keep the power and plumbing functioning, live at the bottom of the silo. Intermediate levels contain the food growing and manufacturing areas as well as habitation levels. They also contain the secretive IT section. The mayor and silo’s sheriff live at the top alongside a doorway to the toxic outside.
The first story in the collection is called Wool and is about the silo’s sheriff, Holston. He is investigating why his wife choose to be exiled from the silo and die in the toxic wasteland outside. This story introduces the claustrophobic insides of the Silo, and has the reader asking why are its inhabitants so docile?
The second story, Proper Gauge, follows the relationship of Jahns the mayor and Marnes, her deputy as they travel over three days down to the bottom levels of the silo. Their journey ultimately introduces them to a mechanical named Juliette, who is the main character of the following stories. The story builds on the intrigue of the first as there are still many unanswered questions.
The remaining three novellas could have been turned into a novel themselves as they tell the one story. They follow Juliette as she unlocks the dark secrets behind the silo and what happened to the planet above her. In this story we discover who really controls the silo and what happened to the world outside.
Much of the series takes place in the heads of the main characters as they trudge up and down the stairs. They don’t know who to trust so they are weary on what they say to others, less they be forced outside.
The series explores the theme of how control of information can be used to control a population. It asks the question, is it right to lie to the population as the truth might cause society to collapse into death and chaos? So it light of recent Wikileaks and CIA leaks, the story has much relevance to the world as it is today.
The series was self-published by Hugh Howey. But don’t let that put you off, it is very well written. In March 2013, the Wall Street Journal reported Wool had sold more than half a million copies. Wool has been so successful that Howey recently signed a print distribution deal reported to be worth half a million dollars with Simon and Schuster. Howey kept the ebook rights. Film rights to the series have been sold to 20th Century Fox and Ridley Scott is said to be interested in making the film.
The Wool omnibus had a satisfy ending, but left room for a sequel, which Howey has already written. He has written a prequel too, which I purchased the day after I finished reading the Wool collection.
hirvimaki's review against another edition
3.0
Very good short story. I love dystopian fiction. And this was a good one. Although the author has written other related stories in response to fan demand, I'll most likely not read them as I like is as the stand-alone short story it was intended to be. Well written. Very good plot.
audra_suzanne's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
dukeofbacon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
clancydavis's review against another edition
5.0
A dystopian tale of the future set in a giant fallout out shelter called "the Silo" after life on the surface becomes impossible. Order within the Silo is enforced through expelling non-conformists from the Silo. To say much more than this would be revealing spoilers, as they begin to appear in the first couple of chapters of the book.
idfowler's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, and Gun violence
florasin's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't find much that I hadn't already encountered in other novels in the same genre.
I like the storytelling style of the author and I'm curious to see where the series goes, so I will keep reading.
I like the storytelling style of the author and I'm curious to see where the series goes, so I will keep reading.
braedon_schlechte's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It opens with the strongest two chapters of any book I can recall, which makes sense seeing as it was once a standalone short story. The conflicts get a bit repetitive at times and the prose worsens to just "good" after those incredible first chapters but it's a very interesting and intriguing world to explore and discover with the characters!
beammey's review against another edition
3.0
I had high expectations for this book because I read some of the reviews and how amazing it was. It wasn't a bad story by any means, I did enjoy it, I just don't think I'll read the rest of the story. It didn't keep me wanting more. However, I am glad I read it and I do think it does deserve praise, it just wasn't for me. 3 out of 5 stars.