Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey
Synopsis:
Wool is the story of a post-apocalyptic society struggling for survival. What's left of Earth's population lives underground in Silos, hundreds of stories deep, which offers protection from the inhabitable surface. Order is kept in this society by a few, as the severest punishment to be had is sentenced for the mere expression of wanting to bet let out into the world above. Those who want out get exactly what they ask for.
Review:
This book was suggested to me by a fellow knitter and certainly knowing Wool had a bit of knitting in it, was a draw. But it was the thrilling Part One that captured my attention and whet my appetite for for the excellent story that lay ahead. I found the setting to be quite interesting, civilization burrowing underground instead of the sci-fi trope of trying to look to the stars. The plot is a main focus, while the details of everyday living, the societal structure and background serve to move the story, with its many mysteries, forward. I immediately cared about the characters as well, they were very believable and I loved that motives and actions had a kind of moral ambiguity. Sometimes cutthroat decisions were made that a decent person would never agree with, but were in a sense, kind of logical.
This was a "page" turner (I actually read and listened to some of Wool) that I really found hard to put down.
This book started out as a short story, it's subsequent parts being released over a six-month span. Right now it's only available in digital format on Amazon for the ridiculously low price of $6, but Howey recently got a publishing deal and it should be available in print early 2013.
4.5/5 Iggystars
