The Silo Series: SHIFT by Hugh Howey
What happened to the world before the Silo? Why is it considered humanity’s last hope? What will happen to our beloved characters?
These are just a few of the many questions that readers were left with at the conclusion of Hugh Howey’s first novel in the groundbreaking sci-fi series, Silo. Luckily, book number two, Shift, seeks to answer those and more.
Giving readers almost all of the answers they seem (and posing some new questions to ponder), Howey has crafted a prequel/sequel that reads just as thrilling as the first novel. Shifting between “the before” and “during” portions of Wool, the audience is given insight into the events that transpire during three major time periods that, for the sake of keeping spoilers out of this review, will be labeled: the great-before, before, and during.
While Shift is mainly established as a prequel, it still feels like a continuation of the first novel for the majority of it’s length. Too many times it seems like an author tends to tack on a prequel at the end of their series to claim they are adding more context. Instead, it seems more likely it is a cash grab (sorry if that offends any writers). In this case, Shift is not a cash grab. It is a much needed addition.
Howey takes us to the time before the Silo, a world that we are more familiar with, think 50 years in the future. Drawing on the ever-looming fear that people have regarding global warfare, Howey thrusts us into the world of the unknown that we became accustomed to in Wool.
While we know where the story will eventually end up, there is no shortage of new discoveries within the pages of Shift. From discovering the inner workings inside Silo 1, to the introduction of a whole new cast of characters, Shift is a mile a minute ride that pairs perfectly with Wool, perhaps even edging it out as the stronger of the two books when it comes to narrative.
It isn’t just the narrative that shines within the pages of Shift, it is the emotions that Hugh Howey is able to convey in every page. Whether it is eliciting cheers, tears, frights, or a mix of the three, the novel never falters or feels dull. Leading to a stunning final act that will definitely have you clambering to pick up the third book in the series, ominously named Dust.
