I picked up Wool, and couldn’t put it down.

Submitted by fn0000rd t3_11yp1d8 in books

I feel weird about it, because in the end I only heard about the book because it’s going to become a series on AppleTV. I feel a little better about that because it was a fan of the books that mentioned it to me.

Anyway, I wasn’t a huge fan of the prose going into it, and at times it seemed like bleakness for bleakness’ sake, but it all comes together to make sense, everything is happening for a reason.

The first night it kept me up until 2am. I spent most of the next day at work thinking about how I couldn’t wait to get home and get back to it, and then after dinner I didn’t do any of my usual gaming/YouTubing/whatever and read non-stop until midnight. I then finished it on the 3rd day, and have already started reading Shift, the next book in the series.

I love the moral ambiguity. I can’t say much because I don’t want to spoil things, but in the end I’m not sure how to feel, and that’s all too rare.

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uncreativemonkey t1_jd8o3iv wrote

I loved these books. My friend recommended them to me a few years ago. I read all three in a week, I just couldn't put them down.

I am excited for the Apple TV+ show too, I really hope they do a good job with it.

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SmugOregonian t1_jd9d1d5 wrote

Want to jump on the top comment to invite everyone who loves the books and are excited for the show to come join us at r/siloseries for when the show comes out!

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Pornthrowaway78 t1_jdc4qn1 wrote

I read the first one very quickly, bought the rest, read one chapter and never picked it up again. Can't remember why, but there was something lost between one and two.

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Nightgasm t1_jdc6ket wrote

The second book is kind of disjointed in that it's largely a prequel and jumps around but it's where you get the history of the Silos, how and why they came to be, and sets up the 3rd book where it all comes together.

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0YaKnow t1_jd8prjt wrote

That series is amazing! You’re in for a treat if you choose to read the other two!

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GeneralTonic t1_jd8sivo wrote

It's rare for a book to get its hooks into my brain so deep, so fast, but Wool had me by page 2 and I absolutely devoured the series in a few days. Such an exciting and rewarding read.

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CptNonsense t1_jda0hqn wrote

It probably helps that page 2 of Wool is basically the hook of the story.

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pilotinspektor_ t1_jd9yyva wrote

I've had it on my list of books to read, but everyone's comments here made me pull the trigger and get it. Seems like everyone seriously loves Wool.

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CptNonsense t1_jda0p1i wrote

Wool is about the only thing I read when Kindle ebooks were free. It's a good story. Some people don't like the wrap up because it's a big switch loop back that explains how everything got where it was

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pilotinspektor_ t1_jda2irb wrote

Ah okay thanks for the warning, but your description sounds like something I might be into!

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BitterStatus9 t1_jdba806 wrote

Not everyone. I thought it was bad.

I found the plot riddled with inconsistent nonsensical holes, and found the writing pretty poor, and the characters cartoonish and uncompelling and I stopped reading after like 100 pages. (I also didn't feel like waiting around for volume 2, which other folks told me explained all the nonsense in volume 1.)

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zephyr220 t1_jdd5eyx wrote

Well good thing you didn't read the others. I thought the first was the most interesting - trying to figure out what happened without being told.

Curious what plot holes you found. It's been a while since I've read it but I love picking apart books for inconsistencies. Even when I enjoy the book. Do tell.

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BitterStatus9 t1_jddrj2u wrote

Who knows, you might like the series overall. As for me, I can't remember everything, as I read some of it quickly and then moved on. But off the top of my head, here's what I recall. Some are "holes," some are just weak storytelling, you can interpret as you like.

- The whole massive 100+ level underground city was evidently run entirely by 4 or 5 people. No bureaucracy, no hierarchy beyond the top two people, no economics, no politics (though there is policy). This reminded me of the way TV shows depict government. There's an international diplomatic crisis and it's being solved by the President, their aide, and this one spy (Tom Cruise, Kiefer Sutherland, whomever). Very cartoonish and simplistic.

- The city has the ability to self-sustain, somehow. They extract and refine crude oil, they are producing, water, food, they have an IT division that sounds like it's pretty advance...and they don't have an elevator, or a ramp? (I was told this is explained later, but it made me not really interested in finding out.)

- I am pretty sure the gimmick/big shocker is about the outside being habitable after all, and someone, for some reason using technology to pull the "wool" over the citizens' eyes (I see what he did there). That's not a new narrative construct. That doesn't mean it can't be used, and maybe I am completely wrong. But again, I didn't feel like it was compelling enough to stick around for and find out.

Kudos to Howey for self-promoting and writing his way to success. I think that's good, and inspiring! But when I heard about the TV series being made from it, I thought, "Oh wow, next is the video game: a stair simulator!"

My 2 cents.

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Neon_Camouflage t1_jd8qrzz wrote

I just saw someone asking for help trying to remember what this book was maybe a week or so ago in this sub, and it prompted me to pick it up.

Finished Wool and Shift so far, just starting Dust. Fantastic series so far, I'm a huge fan of post-apocalyptic novels but the perspective of this one is uncommon and a nice change of pace from the usual fare.

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jenorama_CA t1_jd9jegh wrote

I read Wool years ago, but I’ve been hesitant to pick up Shift and Dust for some reason. Those are just as good?

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fn0000rd OP t1_jd9k2qa wrote

Shift is a prequel about how things got set up. I'm only 1/4 of the way through it, but am really liking it.

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jenorama_CA t1_jd9kcxn wrote

I think that’s what put me against it. I really liked the characters in Wool and I wasn’t ready to commit to a different version of that same world. I’ll have to get over it and check it out, tho.

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Neon_Camouflage t1_jd9mxkj wrote

I agree that it's rather annoying to jump characters for a new book, but Shift establishes a ton of the backstory (the entire book is backstory, really) and helps connect a bunch of the dots that Wool shows you or alludes to, but doesn't explain.

Dust gets back to the characters you know and love and moves the story forward from very shortly after Wool ends, so you do have that to look forward to.

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mekareami t1_jdantxv wrote

Yes, they are worth it. Then check out the other writers who have added to this world in Kindle unlimited. They are available individual purchase as well but many are not terribly long so a month or 2 of unlimited is worth the cost if you are a quick reader. Howely opened his world up for other writers to get paid for their works, he is a very cool author.

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zephyr220 t1_jdd69ke wrote

Also check out "Sand". Same world (possibly) but different setting and characters. Only one book and pretty short and sweet.

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UntossableSaladTV t1_jd8y060 wrote

The world it crafted was so good, I read them a few years ago and was binging them between my college classes

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Hellblazer1138 t1_jd9jhzt wrote

IF you liked Wool then check out Philip K. Dick's short story "The Defenders"(1953) and/or his book "The Penultimate Truth" (1964).

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confizzle-fry t1_jd90gtw wrote

Loved the series, can't remember how I found out about it initially but I also couldn't put it down once I started. I've never been able to get any of my friends to read them though which has always disappointed me lol.

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wildwildwaste t1_jdcrzfh wrote

I stumbled into Wool a long time ago when it was in the Amazon Prime free book stage.

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colombuslovescats t1_jd95ms0 wrote

Oh wow I totally missed that the book is turning in to a tv-series. I read it ages ago and I really loved it. I have read the whole series multiple times. Just watched the trailer and almost cried. I’m so excited!

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HappyMooseFact t1_jd995nu wrote

There are Wool short stories in the Apocalypse Triptych books, I recommend them if you can find them after you finish the series.

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UncleJulz t1_jd8nlxy wrote

I’ve read the series years ago. I would say they’re not bad but certainty not up there with some of my favorites. 6/10.

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fn0000rd OP t1_jd8nwbh wrote

It isn’t rocket science, but I just spent an entire year reading Neal Stephenson, so a page-turner was very welcome.

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Mingey_FringeBiscuit t1_jd8vcu3 wrote

Was that just for the Baroque Trilogy or all spent on Anathem?

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Darathin t1_jd994i6 wrote

I never finished the Baroque Trilogy, but finished Anathem in a week and then reread it a couple years later. Despite loving everything else Stephenson wrote, The Baroque Cycle felt like pulling my own teeth, with rare interjections of fun storytelling and compelling plots. It dragged me through the first book and almost to the end of the second, but I burned out and never returned. I still sometimes think about Anathem's quantum reality interpretation, how it compares to Dune's golden path, and the implications of being able to visualize such things such that you can affect them within the remaining set of probabilities.

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Mingey_FringeBiscuit t1_jd9a5i7 wrote

I was just joshing about how dense those two works are. I’ve read the Baroque Trilogy 4-5 times, but There are large parts of “Quicksilver”, mainly about math, that I find myself skimming when I read it again.

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zephyr220 t1_jdd8ybw wrote

The Baroque Cycle is up there with my favorites, but I cannot imagine reading the entire trilogy 5 times.

Would love to watch it as a movie or tv series, though, if that were possible.

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UncleJulz t1_jd8o2qz wrote

Oh, agreed on that. Always need a palate cleanser sometimes.

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gigarob t1_jd8o5sp wrote

I really liked the series. Some really great plot twists as you delve deeper into the storyline.

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Dhh05594 t1_jd96ijj wrote

Wool is a good way to detox Stephenson.

I know people love his work but I hate it. He comes across to me as someone who thinks he's smarter than everyone else and if you disagree with him, you are an idiot. His books are so boring and only seem to pick up at the end because the first 3/4 of the book is so boring that anything is better.

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fn0000rd OP t1_jd9knc9 wrote

I see how you could feel that way, but he's written 2 of my favorite books ever, Anathem and Cryptonomicon.

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zephyr220 t1_jdd8e7s wrote

Definitely a polarizing author. I feel like he knows he is nerdier than everyone else, though. Not intellectually superior. Like he researches the crap out of things to write niche books for himself and other semi-autistic weirdos that would bore the normies.

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rastafunion t1_jd8xi2x wrote

I read the series and have absolutely no recollection of any of it. Not even the genre, much less the plot.

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lyonaria t1_jd9fvah wrote

Yeah, I can't really place a lot of details, but it all amalgamates with so many other post apocalyptic stories of a similar theme.

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Mumbleton t1_jd90qcy wrote

Maybe 7/10 here. I think it tails off in the later books but first is solid.

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greenteanandhoney t1_jd8w1ov wrote

Wow. I was checking this book out the other day and this thread has made me want to run out and buy it lol.

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Scooter0Dude t1_jd8zqc7 wrote

Honestly, had no idea it was a series. I got through Wool. Found it mildly interesting. It didn't excite me. The premise is what got me to pick it up, but I'm thinking sci-fi isn't my cup o'tea because I didn't devour it. The writing was good. All the elements of a good story, so I can see why so many folks are into it. It helps to have a novel concept like it does.

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mrnewtons t1_jdabwr9 wrote

Sci-fi is my thing, but I still kinda had the same opinion. I saw the "twist" coming from miles and miles away.

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Like with much sci-fi that hits the mainstream, it tends to be an idea that fans have been playing around with for a long time. "The Outside isn't what the claimed it to be! We've been deceived by technology we don't understand!"

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Pretty sure that's the plot of more than one Trek episode.

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I also just... couldn't get into the world building. I tried. Silos = Vault Tech Vaults, super secret IT group, dystopian government for reasons....

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On paper I should've adored this series, and it's difficult for me to find good reasons it didn't grip me. It just... didn't.

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Scooter0Dude t1_jdacehx wrote

Ok, this reply helped. Haha. The twist was meh for me. You said it. Inwas struggling to verbalize this.

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mrnewtons t1_jdadbw0 wrote

Come to think of it, just to add fuel to the fire, Stargate SG-1's, which released in 1997, entire premise of the show was that the main antagonists (the Goa'uld) had enslaved most of the galaxy by keeping education low and using advanced Tech to make planets think they were literal gods.

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It's... it's just such an old idea that it's kinda like seasoning a chicken with just salt and expecting me to be impressed.

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That's maybe too harsh but you get my point I think.

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Scooter0Dude t1_jdadrq8 wrote

I do and I love the analogy. I get that there is nothing new under the sun and I'm sure Howey was trying to put season that chicken.

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simplyelegant87 t1_jd9br9d wrote

I am reading it right now and I really am enjoying it. Having an afternoon coffee because I couldn’t go to bed early enough. I continued a couple hours past the time I should have. I’m only on the first book but it’s so promising.

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Argomer t1_jd9li0s wrote

What's so good about it? From Wikipedia it seems like Fallout?

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fn0000rd OP t1_jd9ubfs wrote

As a Fallout fan I'm good with stories from a vault, this one just has that "must find out what happens next" thing going in spades.

Early on I was thinking, "this is silly, I know what's going to happen," and of course... I was wrong.

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wag3slav3 t1_jda1p07 wrote

The books weave this amazingly deep mood into you and if you let it really sink in you'll find yourself tripping over the themes and ending for years; mostly in dark, cold places and late at night when you wonder why we're all here.

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Caballita14 t1_jda3t2r wrote

The Wool Trilogy is one is my absolute favorite series and I’m so excited to hear it is going to tv soon. Was such a good read.

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Trick-Two497 t1_jda4abk wrote

Some of my favorites! Such a well-imagined world.

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plasticwvu t1_jd9fdgj wrote

All three book in that series are great. in my top 10 favorite series of all time.

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theHerbivore t1_jd9g6m6 wrote

Oh dang! I loved those books - I didn’t know it was becoming a series! Sweet.

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SuccotashCareless934 t1_jd9gd1e wrote

I honestly thought it was one of the worst books I've ever read - had to quit at 300 pages in, after reading several pages about a woman sloshing around in soup.

Bet it'd make a great show, though.

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Pfymbourg t1_jd9hlqm wrote

I really enjoyed the claustrophobic melancholy feel of the series. But I'm a huge fan of the generation ship trope so this felt like a unique setting to that same genre.

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IngenuityGoddess21 t1_jd9humr wrote

My coworker recommended the series to me awhile ago, but I just started Wool like last week. I'm only on chapter 2, but it's already getting good! I might have to read some more tonight because of yalls glowing reviews

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sceez t1_jd9jv7r wrote

Top notch book. Next two are still good but the OG is so damned good

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Algae-Worried t1_jda4ic8 wrote

I did the same. Saw wool half price and was like why not. I was in a reading drought, couldn't get past 60 pages of anybody. Read this and immediately sought out the sequel and gave in and bought the 3rd book online. I'm tempted to start again

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dryancor t1_jda9pmk wrote

Wool was great. Try Sand. Same author. Also Great!

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rafaelthecoonpoon t1_jdahhj1 wrote

Read them late because they were cheap when I first got a Kindle and ended up also buying the graphic novel adaptation. It actually got me back into reading for fun and explicitly sci-fi fantasy dystopian type stuff that I hadn't read in years. Thanks wool

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mytorchsong t1_jdbq480 wrote

Interesting. I have had this one on my shelf to read for literally years. Sounds like I should actually read it.

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lyonaria t1_jd9fmf6 wrote

I read them about 9 years ago, interesting premise, rather enjoyed book one (Wool), but couldn't get into the other books. I'm not surprised it's becoming a series, a movie wouldn't do it justice.

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neoneccentric t1_jd9ildp wrote

I just finished Wool this week and didn’t even realize it was going to be a TV series until after! I am always unsure how I feel about those adaptions because I have a specific picture in my head and don’t want to ruin it.

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squishbot3000 t1_jd9oe2n wrote

I loved the first book but remember having a hard time getting into the second one, may have to revisit it though. Thanks for this reminder!

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MoonriseMystic t1_jda33g5 wrote

I read this series years ago before it was published and loved it. I was super hesitant to read the prequel but it was excellent. I’m terrified that the story will be mangled unrecognizably when it’s turned into a tv series. Has anyone heard or read who is writing the script?

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Failingasleep t1_jda3kbf wrote

I listened to this on audible few years ago and thought it was good. Never went on however.

Hearing about the tv show first time here

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Bamuhgirl t1_jdag9r3 wrote

The level of excitement I have for this to be a series!! Y’all just made my day. These books are amazing. They have all stuck with me. Wish I could re-read them all for the first time. Also finished all three in a couple days!

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Ordinary-Afternoon-7 t1_jdaiwe4 wrote

I loved Wool. Half Way Home is another one of his I really liked.

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somesignificantotter t1_jdamgpy wrote

I read wool, greatly enjoyed it, and swiftly bought the sequels. However quit about a third of the way through the second book. The dystopian start with all the backdoor political government deals just felt a little too much like real life to continue. Maybe someday I'll pick it back up again.

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mekareami t1_jdancav wrote

There are many great fics based in that universe once you are done with the Howley cannon. Most are available on Kindle Unlimited for free.

I too lost a week of my life devouring that series. It is certainly one that forces you to think about it when not reading it.

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Scarlaymama0721 t1_jdarsoy wrote

I loved this book. I need to pick it up again so I can finish the rest of the series. It’s really intense and you can really feel the characters emotions.

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ISeeEverythingYouDo t1_jdb3fgl wrote

There is a bunch of books. One of the first time I’ve been kept interested for that many books

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dragonfeet1 t1_jdb6kt5 wrote

I went on a Hugh Howey BINGE after I picked up Wool. It still sticks with me, the entire series.

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BirdKai t1_jdbe08c wrote

I just finished the Earthseed series and Scythe series, I thoroughly enjoyed both. Then I bought Red Rising, it was a disappointment....thinking I won't waste money on another trilogy which I'm not sure yet.

Hence I borrowed Wool using Libby, so far so good.

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fn0000rd OP t1_jdd16sm wrote

I couldn’t finish the second Earthseed book, the bleakness was killing me.

If you liked those two then I highly recommend the Broken Earth trilogy and Oryx and Crake.

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bansheeonthemoor42 t1_jdbg6q0 wrote

I LOVE THIS SERIES!!! I randomly found it on Kindle years ago and couldn't put it down either.

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dbran1949 t1_jdbjcpu wrote

All of Howey’s books are great

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Lrv130 t1_jdbmkd3 wrote

Loved the series. There was a question the other day about books you've read and enjoyed but it seems no one has heard of and I said this set. So we are out there! I can still remember certain scenes and how they just stuck with me. Really great dystopia read.

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HoodratWizard t1_jdbvtoo wrote

The title of this post could also read like a Moth who used to have a crippling addiction.

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inscopia t1_jdcf6bg wrote

If you love the series to the end, I recommend the spin off series written by Ann Christy. The first book is Going Dark, which I highly recommend. The series was endorsed by Hugh Howey.

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whatyoucallmetoday t1_jdcfdh1 wrote

I read the ebooks as they came out years ago. The novella was surprising, Wool was engaging, Shift gave you insights in how they got there and Dust is the conclusion. The author allows other people to write books in the shared universe. You get to see other authors stories, styles and skills.

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YerBoyGrix t1_jdciuir wrote

I enjoyed the series though I didn't find it to be amazing which is more than I can say of his other book 'Sand.'

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j_grouchy t1_jdcl1ik wrote

I had no idea they were making it a series! Very cool.

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SpiralSuitcase t1_jdcrt8s wrote

Absolutely loved Wool. I always thought it would make for a great HBO limited series. (And then I saw another user's comment just now and it turns out someone is making a series!)

I felt like the next 2 books weren't as strong, but I have been thinking about giving the whole series another go.

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wildwildwaste t1_jdcrwwa wrote

If you enjoyed this series, maybe pickup Sand. It's got a similar feel and does, in my opinion, flip your political beliefs around better than the Silo series does.

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zeyore t1_jddjew8 wrote

I can't remember a thing about the book except, like you, I got really really into it and couldn't put it down.

How odd? I dunno being old is odd. I haven't watched the trailers for the show yet, I'm hoping to just be as surprised as I can be.

I'm sure it'll come back to me eventually. Something about silos they lived in.. ah damn here the memories come...

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HappyHighwayman t1_jd998qc wrote

It’s called Silo

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sanitation123 t1_jd9a6m3 wrote

Wool is the first book in the Silo series. In fact, Wool was the name of the original short story of just Holston's experience.

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