Take Tuesday: Dust

Dust

Some books are just so good, you have to read them again. And some books deserve a second chance. And some books I think about and change my opinion or have more to say. Take Tuesday is a chance to do just that. 

Title: Dust

Author: Hugh Howey

Publication Date: 8/17/13

Pages: 458

Genre: Dystopian / Science Fiction / Fiction

Previous Readings: 2013

Date Completed This Time: 11/8/16

Summary: In the trilogy conclusion, work must be done across silos in order to save humanity. Characters from Silos 1, 17, and 18 join forces and defy expectations, hoping they can outwit the men who brought down the world. 

What I Thought Before: My original post about Dust is the most popular post ever on the blog. That makes me happy. Howey is still a relative unknown author and I'm glad to sing the praises of this series.

When I originally reviewed the book, I commented on how drawn out things seemed to be in this finale. I did not notice that as much this time, but maybe that's because I knew all the pieces that had to be put into place before the real ending. Overall, though, I raved about the book and encouraged everyone to go out and get a copy.

Take Tuesday: Shift

Shift

Some books are just so good, you have to read them again. And some books deserve a second chance. And some books I think about and change my opinion or have more to say. Take Tuesday is a chance to do just that. 

Title: Shift

Author: Hugh Howey

Publication Date: 1/28/13

Pages: 520

Genre: Dystopian / Science Fiction / Fiction

Previous Readings: 2013

Date Completed This Time: 8/19/16

Summary: Donald is a new congressman working in Washington with formidable Senator Thurman. The Senator has some strange projects to share. Troy wakes from his cryonic state to work a shift in an underground silo with few memories of the world before and little understanding of how he got into his position. In other silos, fear pushes people to extreme reactions. This all, of course, eventually ties together and in with the story of Juliette from the first novel, Wool. 

What I Thought Before: My first post about this book includes a wonderful summary, so if you're looking for that, make sure you head back to that 2013 post. The post itself is mostly summary, thought it's clear I was head over heels for the series. I mentioned several times how I could not put it down. I missed Juliette back then, but I was excited to see the puzzles pieces of fictional history coming together.

What I Think Now: This reading was a lot different. So much of what propelled me through Shift the first time was the urgent need to know what happens next. To Juliette. To Silo 18. To Solo. To Donald. To Troy. To everyone. I pushed through as fast as I possibly could with an insatiable desire for information, which Howey delivers well. I barely came up for air that last time, much less to ponder the literary technique or character development.

Take Tuesday: Wool - Hugh Howey

Wool

Some books are just so good, you have to read them again. And some books deserve a second chance. And some books I think about and change my opinion or have more to say. Take Tuesday is a chance to do just that. 

Title: Wool

Author: Hugh Howey

Publication Date: 1/25/12

Pages: 509

Genre: Dystopian / Fiction

Previous Readings: June 2013

Date Completed This Time: 5/19/16

Summary: Generations of people have lived underground in the silo. The gray, dusty world above ground is toxic and forbidden. Only criminals sentenced to clean the cameras leave the silo - and they don't return.

What I Thought Before: I've been raving about this book for three years now. Loved it then, loved it now.

What I Think Now: I was almost apprehensive to pick up this book again. I enjoyed it so much the first time around; I was afraid I had overhyped it in my mind and would be disappointed. I was so delighted to be proven wrong.

Dust - Hugh Howey

Dust

It's no secret that I've become obsessed with Hugh Howey's Silo trilogy this summer.  After reading Wool in June at a coworker's suggestion, I was hooked.  I finished Shift at the start of this month.  In a perfectly timed coincidence, the final book, Dust, was released on my birthday.  Thanks for the awesome birthday present, Hugh Howey.  What a thoughtful author, am I right?

Despite having finished Shift not even two weeks previously, I did struggle getting into the beginning of Dust.  The story picks up at the simultaneous ends of Wool and Shift.  The story in Dust moves consistently between Silos 18, 17, and 1 as the isolated world get closer and closer to converging.  Warning: Spoilers Ahead

Shift - Hugh Howey

Shift

Earlier this summer, I read Hugh Howey's Wool.  If you have not read my post about that book, I strongly encourage you to go back and do so.  Look, I'll even give you the link again to make it easy for you - click here to read it.

Are you done?  Did you read it?  Good.  That post encapsulates much of my feelings on Hugh Howey as an author.  Ever since I put Wool down, I have been dying to get my hands on Shift, the prequel and second book in the Silo series.  When I finally found a copy a few weeks ago, I blazed through it just as quickly as I did its predecessor.  I felt a little badly since I am currently reading a half dozen books and I completely disregarded all others until I finished Shift.  No regrets, though; it was totally worth it.

Shift follows several timelines.  At the start, this requires a bit of dedication to follow and discern what is happening and how it fits into the larger plot of the series.  The book follows Donald, a young US congressman decades from our current era.  Howey breaks his story into three "shifts," hence the book title.  Each shift bounces between two story lines. (Warning: Spoilers Ahead)

Wool - Hugh Howey

Wool

Please forgive my delinquency in getting new posts up; it was not from lack of desire.  I have been having increasingly terrible headaches for a while now.  Turns out, I spend too much time in front of computers and reading (surprise!).  I need glasses.  I feel more cliché than a happy ending, but I am thrilled to finally have an answer.  We ordered my glasses on Friday and they should be here in a week or so.  You can expect regularly scheduled posting to resume then.  Meanwhile, I am avoiding screens as much as possible to reduce the strength of my headaches. Thanks for your patience!  I promise that if you pick up this book in the meantime, you'll be so enthralled you won't even miss me!

I am always hunting for the next Hunger Games.  Aren't we all?  Good characters, compelling plot, well written, social commentary between the lines - Suzanne Collins sparked deep discussion with her trilogy.  When people ask me to suggest a similar book, to this point, I always suggest Divergent.  However, thanks to a coworker's suggestion, I have a new book to recommend.

Wool is the latest and greatest in the recent line of dystopian-style novels.  Unlike many of its peers, I would not necessarily classify it as young adult.  Some of the content and language is a bit heavier than books like Hunger Games or the Across the Universe series.  Still, for those who love reading about post-apocalyptic  words, this book should be at the top of your list.