Collecting together the first five volumes in the Wool series, The Wool Omnibus is a perfect way for new readers to dive into one of the biggest indie hits of the past year. Hugh Howey’s story of future man’s life in an underground silo is populated by fascinating characters who help the reader explore the bizarre world in which a few thousand humans struggle to survive. Wool isn’t just a great indie story; it’s a great story full stop.
At the heart of Wool is the question of what really happened to force mankind down into the silo, and whether the species will ever be able to return to the surface world. Without giving too much away, there are opportunities for people to go ‘up top’, but the result is always fatal. Most of the characters choose instead to explore the silo and create their own little worlds down there.
The Wool books were originally published as a series of short novellas, so there’s a very episodic feel to the omnibus edition. This is arguably one of its strengths, as it allows the Wool world to be fleshed out from a number of different angles. But Wool really isn’t just an excuse for world-building; the whole story is driven by the characters, and it’s this focus that gives Wool its many strengths as well as one or two slightly slower moments.
Star rating for The Wool Omnibus: 5 stars.
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