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I started the book today and have been swept up in the story so I have just finished part one.

The beginning chapter starts to build a picture of the civilisation that exists in the Silos. I love the underground Silo setting; I've read a few books set underground and I think when done properly, it is very atmospheric.

I thought it was interesting that all women had contraceptive implants and couples had to "win the lottery" in order for it to be removed so that they can conceive and have a child but they were only given a year to achieve this before the ticket was passed on to another couple. That's one way to keep the population down but then when living in a confined and finite space it makes sense.

I really like the dystopia/post-apocalyptic genre but of late, most books in this genre have been YA so it's nice to find a book which has older characters and aimed at adults.

Early on, the cleaning of the lenses on the outside of the Silo is mentioned but not in too much detail just that someone has to do it, either because they have done something wrong, flip out or choose to, and it means certain death. I can see why the camera lenses need to be kept clean in order to see what's happening outside in case things improve but given the fact they have the means to have camera lenses outside, why couldn't they build self cleaning ones?

Seeds are sown that perhaps life isn't as it seems and perhaps the powers that be are lying to the people within the Silo. Conspiracy Theories aplenty!

Holston gets to wear the hazard suit and go cleaning! I love biohazard suits - I know that sounds crazy. For years, I wanted to be a scientist who gets to wear one of them on the hunt for cures to deadly viruses etc. so any story with this kind of thing in I really enjoy. So the air outside is toxic. We know there were uprisings and something happened to cause them to have to live locked up in a Silo - I wonder what happened? Any thoughts?

Chapter 5 was a real eye opener for me and one of hope when Alison says that it is all an illusion and that the screens project a false picture of the outside world. At first I couldn't understand why they might project a depressingly inaccurate illusion of what's happening outside but then I realised it was to stop uprisings, to keep people fearful and in control. Did you think Alison was cracking up or did you buy in to her theories? Either way, she had some guts to go through with it and leave the known safety and certainty of the Silo for the unknown uncertainty of the outside world and her potential death. I'm not sure I could have done that!

In Chapter 6, everything is great. Alison was right. It was all a lie and the outside world has bounced back from whatever happened (if it had been damaged in the first place) What a feeling that must have been when Holston saw the blue sky, green fields and birds in the sky. Then I wondered why the "cleaners" continued to clean once they see that everything is fine, but then I thought that it was to maintain the illusion as they must have felt let down and betrayed by their fellow citizens. Would you have cleaned the lenses or skipped up over the hill and far away?

Chapter 7 - OMG!!! What can I say! Well I didn't see that coming! So it wasn't an illusion. The illusion was what he was seeing through the helmet once on the outside! That must have been a real bummer having that hope that everything was great then the realisation that it was false hope and he was going to die. I can see why perhaps they do it, so that the persons last moments are positive and nice and that's fair enough if they died in a less painful (and quicker)way.

Each part in this omnibus edition were separate short stories/books previously. If I had read this part 1 as a separate book and as the first book in the series, it would definitely have made me carry on with the rest as it has made me want to keep reading to find out more in this omnibus edition. That said, I think I would have been left feeling desperate at the end to find out what happened in part 2 as it is a real cliffhanger. Pleased I'm reading them all together!

Wow! I'm blown away. I was really looking for an engaging book (I've had a slew of three star books lately), and this is definitely it. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Sarah, I was also surprised that the illusion turned out to be that it was still bad up there. I'm fascinated to learn more about IT and why this has all happened.

Whoops--totally forgot that spoilers are 100% okay in this thread, so I've gone and removed mine. Sarah, feel free to do the same.

So I reread this one (I'll be rereading all of them), and one thing that really struck me is how well Howey is at settings. He never really describes the silo in detail, but we still get a good feeling of what it's like to be there, and it's left up to our imaginations. I think this is masterful. He kind of nudges us in the right direction--it should be dark, dreary, it doesn't look super high tech--without describing every minute detail.

Kara wrote: "So I reread this one (I'll be rereading all of them), and one thing that really struck me is how well Howey is at settings. He never really describes the silo in detail, but we still get a good fee..."

Yes I noticed that too. Although not detailed greatly as a section like many books do, he describes the setting by explaining how the characters interact with their surroundings. I have a great imagining of how it looked.

OK I'll go remove the spoilers. I only put them in as I didn't on last months group read and I was asked to use them.

OK removing them now!

Sarah wrote: "I have a great imagining of how it looked."

I both hope they do and hope they don't make a movie out of this. On one hand, I'd love to SEE Howey's vision; on the other, I'll be disappointed if it doesn't match mine.

Definitely Kara. It would be great to see it in a film or series but I do find it off-putting when things don't match how I imagine them. That said, there have been some very good interpretations of books - I guess it's just hit and miss.

I enjoyed that twist at the end. What a surprise! I'm so used to the leaders being liars in dystopian novels that I just knew that the city really was nice outside. It was odd that Holston's wife hadn't come back, but I thought she'd have some explanation for that. When Holston was outside and started feeling the pains, I was trying to explain them away like he was. I was so surprised that everything the leaders had said was true! That was so sad that the boulder he stumbled over was his wife. Kudos to this author for doing something different!

I agree Talia - it was very refreshing. I kept thinking of reasons why the wife hadn't come back too and yes the Holston stumbling over the "boulder" and then laying down to die next to it was really sad.

Wool author Hugh Howey is currently doing a week long Q&A. Best Q&A ever! Pop in and ask anything! :)

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