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irissophie's review against another edition
3.0
Although the book was better written, I didn't like it as much as the first 5 books.
lunnaku's review against another edition
3.0
It wasn't bad but not really thrilling either. It laid down some back story breadcrumbs. It was interesting but much to be desired.
alialliallie's review against another edition
5.0
All I have to say is I love me some backstory, as well as dual-timeline books. Can't wait for more.
mbenzz's review against another edition
4.0
While I overall really liked this book, there were a few things about it that were not so great. The beginning is a little slow-going, with all the political stuff, but it really starts to pick up towards the middle...and the end is just impossible to put down. I loved the 2110 sections that took place in Silo 1. It was interesting to read how differently that Silo is run compared to the others. How it truly is the 'command center' of all 50 Silos.
One of the biggest things that irked me though was just how stupid Donny was. Really? He REALLY didn't have ANY inkling that the silos were going to be used for something other than storing spent fuel rods? He worked intimately on this project for years, and he never wondered why they were building cafeterias and living quarters and a jail cell into something that was meant to hold nuclear waste? I realize he thought they were only building one unit from his design, but once he toured Tenessee with Mick, didn't he wonder why another bunker looked exactly like his? And why all those supplies we're being brought in?
Also, I read this book very carefully. I didn't skip and skim, and even still, I'm not really clear on what exactly happened at the end of the 2052 section. Who ok'd wiping out humanity...a senator? Where was the President in all this? Was everyone of power ok with this, or was it entirely choreographed by one rogue, fanatical senator? And was just Atlanta hit with the destruction, or was the whole country, or the world? What's going on in California, or Montana, or even Britain or France?
As I said, I really did love the book, and the end, both 2052 and 2110 were awesome. So hard to put down. But it left me with more questions than answers. Hopefully, Second Shift and Third Shift will clear some of those up for me. Overall though, I love this series. I've been recommending it to everyone, and can't wait for book 7.
One of the biggest things that irked me though was just how stupid Donny was. Really? He REALLY didn't have ANY inkling that the silos were going to be used for something other than storing spent fuel rods? He worked intimately on this project for years, and he never wondered why they were building cafeterias and living quarters and a jail cell into something that was meant to hold nuclear waste? I realize he thought they were only building one unit from his design, but once he toured Tenessee with Mick, didn't he wonder why another bunker looked exactly like his? And why all those supplies we're being brought in?
Also, I read this book very carefully. I didn't skip and skim, and even still, I'm not really clear on what exactly happened at the end of the 2052 section. Who ok'd wiping out humanity...a senator? Where was the President in all this? Was everyone of power ok with this, or was it entirely choreographed by one rogue, fanatical senator? And was just Atlanta hit with the destruction, or was the whole country, or the world? What's going on in California, or Montana, or even Britain or France?
As I said, I really did love the book, and the end, both 2052 and 2110 were awesome. So hard to put down. But it left me with more questions than answers. Hopefully, Second Shift and Third Shift will clear some of those up for me. Overall though, I love this series. I've been recommending it to everyone, and can't wait for book 7.
birdloveranne's review against another edition
5.0
Ohhhh!!!! Wow. What a Fantastic story. SO well written. I loved it! As I read I began to feel a deep sense of dread, which continued to grow until the end. OMG what a great story!
jclermont's review against another edition
4.0
Yes, this is a prequel to the Wool series, but I would definitely recommend reading it after Wool 1 - 5. I really enjoyed this book. It felt a little bit more predictable than the Wool books, but I like the backstory of the Wool universe.
h3dakota's review against another edition
2.0
Let me just start off by saying that I love this series and I think that Howey is an unbelievably talented & imaginative writer. That said, I must admit that I was very disappointed with this book for several reasons. While it retained the same flavor as Wool, the story felt rushed and a bit disjointed. I would rather have waited another year & gotten a better story than this story.
My biggest issues with it are much weightier than that, however.
First the deep freezing of the women & children while the men do all the work & take over all the leadership of the silos... sexist much?! *death glare* Anna trying to replace Helen as Donald's wife also pissed me off - she was a talented woman, but in the end, she wanted nothing more but to be Donald's wife. Really? Humph.
The part that pissed me off even more was putting the politics into the story. Why have the Democrats destroy the world while putting just "their kind" into the bunkers/silos? Why explicitly name one party over the other (BOTH parties have whack-a-doodles!)?? It takes place in the future - MAKE UP a party. Someone not trying to make a political statement would have called it the XYZ party & pinned the blame on that party instead of the Democrats OR the Republicans. Howey doesn't do that, however.
It smacks of the author trying to force his political beliefs & fears on the reader & I hate that. Obviously, I do not know Mr. Howey nor his political beliefs - and he may not have intended to give this impression - but it IS the impression that I got out of it & I'm positive I won't be alone in that. Especially given the timing of this novel - right in the throes of reelection time in an already horribly divided country. This is such a fantastic series, but this aspect left a very bad taste in my mouth. :(
My biggest issues with it are much weightier than that, however.
Spoiler
First the deep freezing of the women & children while the men do all the work & take over all the leadership of the silos... sexist much?! *death glare* Anna trying to replace Helen as Donald's wife also pissed me off - she was a talented woman, but in the end, she wanted nothing more but to be Donald's wife. Really? Humph.
The part that pissed me off even more was putting the politics into the story. Why have the Democrats destroy the world while putting just "their kind" into the bunkers/silos? Why explicitly name one party over the other (BOTH parties have whack-a-doodles!)?? It takes place in the future - MAKE UP a party. Someone not trying to make a political statement would have called it the XYZ party & pinned the blame on that party instead of the Democrats OR the Republicans. Howey doesn't do that, however.
It smacks of the author trying to force his political beliefs & fears on the reader & I hate that. Obviously, I do not know Mr. Howey nor his political beliefs - and he may not have intended to give this impression - but it IS the impression that I got out of it & I'm positive I won't be alone in that. Especially given the timing of this novel - right in the throes of reelection time in an already horribly divided country. This is such a fantastic series, but this aspect left a very bad taste in my mouth. :(
jmoses's review against another edition
4.0
This wasn't as good as the first books, but it certainly filled in the "how did this happen" crevice that they left.