WOOL

Okay, Librarian Post. Do you need a good end of summer read? Might I suggest one of the best sci-fi's I've read in a long time. "Wool Omnibus" by Hugh Howey was brought to my attention by my son-in-law, Brian, who had read a positive review in "WIRED" magazine. It's actually 5 books in one. Mr. Howey  self-published the first book...more of a short story, back in July 2011. Due to the clamoring of his passionate fans for more story, he continued the saga in 4 more books. I was also happy to see there's a prequel, "First Shift" that just came out. I'm currently waiting the sound of the UPS truck on my street for that one to arrive. Basically, this is the synopsis from Indie Reader.

This is the story of mankind clawing for survival, of mankind on the edge. The world outside has grown unkind, the view of it limited, talk of it forbidden. But there are always those who hope, who dream. These are the dangerous people, the residents who infect others with their optimism. Their punishment is simple. They are given the very thing they profess to want: They are allowed outside. 

This is a character driven story that allows the events to unravel at just the right pace. By the time the mystery of their circumstances is revealed, the intensity is so great, I had to put it down every 2 pages. I had no idea how the book would end.  If you need more convincing, just look at the stats on Amazon. Out of 1504 reviews, 1335 gave it 5 stars. I would rate it YA-Adult for some language. I'd love to know what others have thought about this series. I loved it....enough to buy it.