Scan barcode
kevinhendricks's review
4.0
Incredible classic sci-fi setup: Planetary colonies are sent out across the universe and governed by an AI that decides the viability of the colony and aborts when they're not fully viable. One colony is halfway aborted, maybe 15% survive, having been interrupted in their gestation and only half grown and educated (meaning they're teenagers instead of adults). As the surviving confused colonists stumble out of the vats, they're in for a strange new world where their AI tried to abort them but then changed its mind, and rather than give answers insists they work to build a rocketship that has nothing to do with survival. The only downside is that it's supposed to be a YA novel but even knowing that I couldn't read it that way. I read a lot of YA and these characters felt more like adults than teenagers. But that didn't lessen my enjoyment at all.
kiwi_fruit's review
2.0
I loved Wool by Hugh Howey so I chose this book for a challenge (first book by a favourite author). Unfortunately, despite the promising concept, the book is just an OK read for me.
It’s interesting to see how much the author skills matured in just a couple of years.
It’s interesting to see how much the author skills matured in just a couple of years.
carriej73's review
4.0
This is about a dystopian future where embryos are sent to colonize planets. An artificial intelligence computer evaluates the planet and aborts the growth of the colonists if it thinks the planet will not be profitable for the home nation. Somehow, the abortion sequence was started, then stopped, leaving a small. Number of unprepared teens to navigate the world. Should they trust the AI?
kitaliae's review against another edition
4.0
I think the most striking thing about this novel is how honestly different the narrative sounds from his other books. I read The Shell Collector earlier this year and it's really refreshing to pick this book up and be truly charmed by Howey's voice again. There are a lot of rough edges in this book that probably could have been refined a little better/more but there are some real shining moments in this book. I love his aliens and the world building and hope we see more of it in the future. I do like the start of the challenge of gender roles - even if I felt as if they missed the mark a tad in this book, perhaps something that can be explained by the young age of the narrator.
mikeyjoe110's review
4.0
3.5. Fun read. Definitely not perfect. It's a YA novel and a lot of people's reviews are looking way too hard into it. Don't overanalyze it. It's a fun book with a good message.
allyshay's review
4.0
First: for the people who have been giving this book negative reviews, you understand that this is a YA book and is no way comparable to the Wool Trilogies. I suggest you research the book you read (what type/genre) before rating the book, because that can seriously make a huge difference. Additionally, you may need to take yourself less seriously if this is how you criticize books. Leave that for the professionals who know how to do their job, quit playing armchair quarterback, -enjoy- a GOOD book for what it is and leave it at that. This isn't a literary contest.
I enjoyed Halfway Home. For a YA book, I thought it held it's own, if not better than others. There were no vampires, werewolves, witches (oh my!). It was a unique story about young adults accidentally left to colonize a home well before they are prepared for it; and the consequences of what happens. The added twist that High Howley added made the book that much more enjoyable. I also liked that the protagonist was a young gay male who was not only adjusting to new life but his sexuality, without it being overt or in-your-face. What I was left with, when I was through reading this book was the hope for humanity in any situation; a common theme in Howley's books, and a very fitting lesson to teach our young adults and teens.
I enjoyed Halfway Home. For a YA book, I thought it held it's own, if not better than others. There were no vampires, werewolves, witches (oh my!). It was a unique story about young adults accidentally left to colonize a home well before they are prepared for it; and the consequences of what happens. The added twist that High Howley added made the book that much more enjoyable. I also liked that the protagonist was a young gay male who was not only adjusting to new life but his sexuality, without it being overt or in-your-face. What I was left with, when I was through reading this book was the hope for humanity in any situation; a common theme in Howley's books, and a very fitting lesson to teach our young adults and teens.
arktosaur's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to the Audible version.
I'm not sure what to think of this. I thought there were some really good ideas here, and it was a fun, breezy "read" with interesting characters (for the most part), and I appreciated a gay protagonist without the romantic drama, but I'm not entirely sure what the book was going for, especially toward the end.
Either way, I enjoyed it, and I'd read more, if there were any more books in (on?) this world.
I'm not sure what to think of this. I thought there were some really good ideas here, and it was a fun, breezy "read" with interesting characters (for the most part), and I appreciated a gay protagonist without the romantic drama, but I'm not entirely sure what the book was going for, especially toward the end.
Either way, I enjoyed it, and I'd read more, if there were any more books in (on?) this world.