Wool

I chose this book because I watched the Apple TV series adaptation of it called Silo. It is a post-apocalyptic thriller set inside an underground bunker (the silo of the title).

Why were they there? What was really happening outside? What was the origin of the silo’s strange rules? As the show was so thought-provoking, raising so many questions, I decided to turn to the source material.

And I wasn’t disappointed because Howey’s worldbuilding reminded me of that done by Frank Herbert so memorably in Dune. And the great thing is, Wool is long and is followed by… show more.

Juliette—humble and gutsy, kind and relentlessly motivated in her journey for the truth—kept the pages turning for me.

Juliette is a mechanic from the Down-Deep of the underground Silo, humanity’s last refuge to a toxic world. When Juliette inexplicably lands the job of sheriff, she treats her new position as a tool to seek the truth about her lover’s mysterious recent death. At her own peril, she pulls on threads that ultimately reveal a great conspiracy. 

Juliette’s literal and metaphoric rise from the Down-Deep to the Up-Top is a feminist’s journey that transcends intersectional barriers as she battles small-minded men… show more.

I was quite taken by the Silo TV series this past year and decided to further explore this universe by reading the independently published novels the show is based on.

In Wool, Howey describes a cylindrical bunker city containing 144 levels accessible via a spiral staircase that takes several days to climb. Each level is dedicated to a particular occupation, the miners and mechanics living in the “down deep” and the bureaucrats living “up top” with limited contact between them.

When Juliette Nichols, the newly appointed sheriff from Mechanical, climbs up to mingle with the bureaucrats, the order in… show more.

The story of people living in an underground Silo who don’t know why they're there, and only that the outside world is toxic and they must survive.

The characters in this story are heroic and relatable. I just wanted this book to keep going, and luckily there are two more in the series – Shift and Dust. The TV series is also a great addition and keeps a similar tone to the book.

In a way, Wool—actually a series of stories bound together—can be seen as both an odyssey and a chamber piece. What fascinated me was that the entire series (almost) follows the stories of several key people who live within Silo 18, a vast underground complex 144 floors deep. There, generations of people have built a self-sustaining culture because the outdoors is a toxic wasteland that is not only to be avoided but is best not even contemplated. Anyone who does raise questions risks being sent outside to find out for themselves… never to return.

But even as generational memory… show more.

This newer dystopian novel meant more to me because it was originally self-published. As an indie author myself, it was inspiring to see readers find and flock to an author who skipped the traditional publishing process. And did I mention it’s a real page-turner? Wool is another book with a great concept, telling stories about people who live inside an underground silo because the apocalyptic world above is uninhabitable. Or is it? That mystery, and the horrifying ways in which the authorities kept the truth from the silo’s residents, kept me reading until the end.

Wool took the world by storm, as one of the first ultra-successful independently published novels available on Kindle. And for good reason. In the first few chapters, the scene is quickly set for a harrowing tale. Humanity has suffered a terrible blow, and the few survivors left on earth are herded into a massive underground silo-type structure. The air outside has turned poisonous, and right off the bat, we see just how lethal it can be. This entire trilogy is awe-inspiring, and gives credence that Hugh Howey is a master at his craft. Smooth sailings to you, sir.

Wool is so much more than an author writing and releasing a book. I won’t delve into the full background, but it was initially released as a self-published short story, gained popularity, and grew from there into a great series. The worldbuilding is fantastic which lets readers get lost in the world, where details and characters are fleshed out. There’s enough mystery and intrigue to keep you coming back for more. Overall, an excellent read.