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briandice's review
4.0
Slow at parts, but overall a decent prequel to the Wool series. And fun to read out loud to the misses employing a Georgia accent for the main characters.
prismsquare's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
“The Legacy was the truth allowed, he wanted to say, the truth that was carried in all the silos for future generations.”
― Hugh Howey, First Shift: Legacy
I really enjoy this series. Silo was my favourite show and book that I read in 2023 so I will inevitably read any story related to this. As much as I loved Troy's story inside the silo I found myself just skimming over the Donald chapters. They weren't as interesting to me, If they had went more into the actual design and functionality of the silo I would have been more into it.
Regardless I will continue this series because the overall idea of it is super fascinating to me.Was not a fan of the 50 silos for 50 states thing though. Americanism is exhausting for someone who doesn't live in America
3.5 stars
― Hugh Howey, First Shift: Legacy
I really enjoy this series. Silo was my favourite show and book that I read in 2023 so I will inevitably read any story related to this. As much as I loved Troy's story inside the silo I found myself just skimming over the Donald chapters. They weren't as interesting to me, If they had went more into the actual design and functionality of the silo I would have been more into it.
Regardless I will continue this series because the overall idea of it is super fascinating to me.
3.5 stars
shaun11's review
3.0
First Shift sheds some light on how we get the post-apocalyptic world found in the Wool novelettes. This book succeeds at presenting a plausible and interesting origin explanation for a society living underground. However, the tone suffers from what cannot be avoided in a post-apocalyptic prequel: we know things will not end well. All book long this shadow hangs overhead. There is little hope presented, and any glimmer of a better tomorrow the characters may aspire to is overpowered by the foreboding knowledge we have of Wool's silos.
First Shift is a tragedy, make no mistake. However, it is less tragic than it might have been if we weren't so quickly thrust into the how and why ahead of the who and what might have been.
I suspect more books are to come as the shocking ending left many questions. I really hope the author didn't mean to suggest that the surviving members of the United States of America are all and only Democrats.
First Shift is a tragedy, make no mistake. However, it is less tragic than it might have been if we weren't so quickly thrust into the how and why ahead of the who and what might have been.
I suspect more books are to come as the shocking ending left many questions. I really hope the author didn't mean to suggest that the surviving members of the United States of America are all and only Democrats.
jervonyc's review
4.0
1. Karma's a bitch. Literally.
2. This is a prequel to the Wool Ommibus (Volumes 1-5), and it goes without saying that 1-5 should be read first; otherwise, you'll just be confused. The books themselves are not confusing - the plot goes in wild directions and there are lots of "WHAT THE EFF!!!" moments all over the place, but the author does a tremendous job in terms of setting the stage and keeping you informed as to what's happening. In any event, read this AFTER you've read 1-5.
3. This is one of the rare prequels that actually might've raised more questions than it answered. We see how the settings of 1-5 came to be, but only from the periphery; our protagonist(s) is still largely in the dark.
4. Each of these WOOL books has at least one "HOLY SHIT" moment; that moment in this book ranks among the best in the series.
Highly recommended. You can blast through 1-6 in a weekend, and you might as well; they're terrific fun.
2. This is a prequel to the Wool Ommibus (Volumes 1-5), and it goes without saying that 1-5 should be read first; otherwise, you'll just be confused. The books themselves are not confusing - the plot goes in wild directions and there are lots of "WHAT THE EFF!!!" moments all over the place, but the author does a tremendous job in terms of setting the stage and keeping you informed as to what's happening. In any event, read this AFTER you've read 1-5.
3. This is one of the rare prequels that actually might've raised more questions than it answered. We see how the settings of 1-5 came to be, but only from the periphery; our protagonist(s) is still largely in the dark.
4. Each of these WOOL books has at least one "HOLY SHIT" moment; that moment in this book ranks among the best in the series.
Highly recommended. You can blast through 1-6 in a weekend, and you might as well; they're terrific fun.
amglyph's review
4.0
It's predictable, but this is less about being a suspense mystery thriller and more about fleshing out the history of a great book series. The doom and gloom is slightly overbearing, but the neuroticisms of the main character which give birth to much of that dark cloud also contribute to the absorbingly tense atmosphere. I'm very much looking forward to the next one.
bigbeardednerd's review
5.0
The shift series picks up the story of Wool. OK actually I guess it doesn't pick it up since its a prequel but it continues the journey into the world of the silos.
Another creative, addictive gem by Hugh Howey. If you loved Wool then you have to pick up Shift.
Another creative, addictive gem by Hugh Howey. If you loved Wool then you have to pick up Shift.
kadomi's review
5.0
In this prequel to the Wool Omnibus, we finally learn about the disaster that caused the creation of the silos. We get two points of view. Donald, a congressman and architect, who gets charged with designing a bunker for a nuclear waste facility in Atlanta. 60 years later, the second point of view is Troy, the leader of silo 1, woken up from cryo-freeze to work his first shift and preserve the legacy. In flashbacks and memories we find out what happened, how the book of order came about, and even get a hint of something going on at silo 18. The end is a whopping cliffhanger, that simply makes me want more more more.
Again, the writing is quite excellent, the characters are interesting, and the atmosphere is full of doom and gloom. If I have a complaint about the story, it's that I still don't fully understand what exactly turned the land outside into the wasteland that it is now. I simply know more, but I am just not sure.
People who have read the Wool Omnibus and enjoyed it, simply must buy this prequel and read it. Pricetag's a bit heftier at 3.79 USD, but it's definitely worth it.
Again, the writing is quite excellent, the characters are interesting, and the atmosphere is full of doom and gloom. If I have a complaint about the story, it's that I still don't fully understand what exactly turned the land outside into the wasteland that it is now. I simply know more, but I am just not sure.
People who have read the Wool Omnibus and enjoyed it, simply must buy this prequel and read it. Pricetag's a bit heftier at 3.79 USD, but it's definitely worth it.
beentsy's review
5.0
Really, really good. The back and forth in the timelines, building up to the killer ending. Loved it. Can't wait to start the next one today.
cakegeek's review
4.0
Well that certainly answers a lot of questions! Will be interesting how the rest of it develops now
scubacat's review
4.0
I liked Wool very much and was thrilled to discover the series continued in Shift. I was even more excited when I started the book and found it was a prequel. It answers so many questions, which is so rare and satisfying! I tried to get all three Shift books in one volume, but my library only has them in individual books, so I actually got through First Shift in about 2 days. I'm already almost done with Second Shift and can't wait to start number 3. If I had one criticism, it would be that there is really no realistic way that this project could have been done without someone noticing, particularly the main character of the book - Donald. That fact that he has no idea what he is designing or what they are building was too much of a stretch for me. Everything else was great, though, and I hope Howey continues to write these interesting and thought-provoking reads.