Wool Omnibus (Silo, #1 / Wool, #1-5) in Baltimore County Public Library Summer Reading BCPL SRC

Mar 06, 2018 Matt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: e-reader, overdrive

Loved it! Now on to the next Omnibus!

3 likes · Like · see review

Jul 19, 2012 Julia rated it liked it

Shelves: science-fiction

I bought this because of rave reviews on mobileread.com. I enjoyed it, but I didn't think it was as wonderful as a lot of other folks did.

The Omnibus Edition is made up of Wool, Wool 2 - Proper Gauge, Wool 3 - Casting Off, Wool 4 - The Unraveling, and Wool 5 - The Stranded. With the exception of the first section, I don't see how these could be considered stand-alone stories. Each section is set immediately after the previous one, and builds on the plot as it has developed.

Wool is a short story. I bought this because of rave reviews on mobileread.com. I enjoyed it, but I didn't think it was as wonderful as a lot of other folks did.

The Omnibus Edition is made up of Wool, Wool 2 - Proper Gauge, Wool 3 - Casting Off, Wool 4 - The Unraveling, and Wool 5 - The Stranded. With the exception of the first section, I don't see how these could be considered stand-alone stories. Each section is set immediately after the previous one, and builds on the plot as it has developed.

Wool is a short story. It sets the scene for the series: The characters live in an underground silo where no one can go outside because of an unnamed catastrophe which poisoned the land and air. Anyone who expresses the desire to investigate the outside is sent out for "cleaning", which involves first scrubbing the windows of the silo so that the inhabitants can see better and then dying of the toxic atmosphere. "Cleaning" is a synonym for "death penalty". This story focusses on the Sheriff, Holston, who, despite his position as the chief of law enforcement, decides that he wants to go outside.

Wool 2 introduces the Mayor, the deputy sheriff, and characters from other levels of the silo. The leaders live up top and the workers live down below. This section also introduces Juliette who works in maintenance but is invited to take on a leadership position up top.

I didn't feel drawn into the story until partway into Wool 3. After that, despite having just finished reading the book, I couldn't say where Wool 3 ends and Wool 4 begins. The whole book feels more like a novel, not a set of separate sections. The worldbuilding gets clearer with more characters introduced from different levels. And the plot becomes tighter with things that happened in the earlier parts being revisited from a different perspective. Juliette discovers a possible conspiracy and has to reconsider what "cleaning" really means. There is tension, conflict, and ultimate resolution but with enough open ends to allow for a sequel.

Minor quibble with formatting: The Table of Contents has "Q and A With Author Hugh Howey", but that link actually leads to the Epilogue which is not listed in the Contents. The Q and A is several pages earlier. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 29, 2024 Josiane Claremont rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-lit, e-copies, not-manga, post-apocalyptic

Wow this was cool and its pacing is nicely done! My frame of reference was how the TV show played out (I watched a YouTube summary). The book is better. Less things to focus on, and a constant question of "but what's going on outside?!"

For as long as these folks can remember, they've lived their entire lives in the silo. Born on the nursery floor, buried on the dirt farms as they return to dust to nourish their descendants and the rest of their community. Anyone wanting to go outside is sentence Wow this was cool and its pacing is nicely done! My frame of reference was how the TV show played out (I watched a YouTube summary). The book is better. Less things to focus on, and a constant question of "but what's going on outside?!"

For as long as these folks can remember, they've lived their entire lives in the silo. Born on the nursery floor, buried on the dirt farms as they return to dust to nourish their descendants and the rest of their community. Anyone wanting to go outside is sentenced to cleaning. Anyone sowing the seeds of insurrection is sentenced to cleaning. Anyone who does not obey or conform is sentenced to cleaning. And no one every comes back from cleaning.

Ominous enough for ya? Maybe too much. To be more accurate, the cleaner walks outside into the toxic atmosphere (or stays inside the air lock to be cleaned by fire), cleans the lens of the sensors and cameras for the silo, and then dies as their suit corrodes in the environment.

A sudden string of cleanings and deaths facilitate the unlikely appointment of Juliette Nichols, an engineer from the down deep of Mechanical, as the new silo Sheriff. Things can only spiral down, literally and figuratively, from the top. Conspiracies are uncovered (view spoiler), new discoveries are made (view spoiler), and the world expands for everyone.

What do I like, what do I like? I like that Juliette makes plans and follows through with consideration for protecting her friends in a way that won't harm them. Is this what happens in adult fiction? Never having to weigh "but these people are so powerful and evil they'll hurt everyone I love"? Well, it's great! There's a really general overview, still through stories and logic, about how everyone ended up in the silos anyway in a post-apocalyptic dystopian underground society (view spoiler). We're not focusing on politics here, it's all a journey of discovery and history and we're kept very well-fed. Best of all, Juliette is able to very nicely combine her experience as an engineer and the knowledge gained from snooping as the Sheriff, to really bring progress (view spoiler). ...more

Like · see review

Apr 06, 2013 Paula Gallagher rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-4-teen, dystopian

Solid, fast-paced post apocalyptic dystopian novel with strong elements of mystery. A good crossover title for older teens that want dystopia where romance is not at the forefront.

Like · see review

Dec 10, 2012 Zeke rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi

Sort of the 50 shades of sci-fi. Not that there's kinky SF sex in this book...although that could have been an interesting addition.

It's just that it feels and looks like it may have been self-published and started online. This book could have used some additional editing but overall, it was a very entertaining, escapist read. ...more

Like · see review