Review: A worthy successor to Wool
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 1, 2014
Because I missed the world of silos, and had been recently reminded of it while looking for it in the world of Sand, I dug through my to read pile until I found a fan fiction, if that's the right category, recommended by Howey. Greatfall, by Jason Gurley, is set in a silo not visited in Wool or it's sequels, and I was interested to see how the world was maintained by other authors. Until I saw Howey's recommendation I did not realize that other authors were venturing through his universe. I think it's quite interesting that Howey is so willing to open his world to others; it's not something I've seen often.Greatfall takes place in silo twenty three, which has been dark for several hundred years. Silo 1 sends out a scout to determine what has happened to the silo, though why they waited so long is never explained. While they have been cut off, the leaders of silo twenty three have created a religious cult in order to maintain control. A “Great Father” communicates directly with supreme being, and has unquestioned authority. Except of course when his assistant intervenes.  Instead of cleaning, the method of population control used in the other silos, Silo Twenty Three sends it's children to "Greatfall," a one way trip down central shaft, after making their coming of age pilgrimage from the bottom of the silo to the very top.Greatfall starts with Issac’s pilgrimage to the top of the silo to signify his coming of age and his assignment into the workforce. As Issac rests on his journey the Wise Father is brought into the picture, providing a unique perspective of the man in power. Afterwards, the reader is introduced to Maya, who is journeying outside of the silos, from Silo 1. Greatfall engages the reader immediately, and forces investment into the characters. It doesn’t hurt that Issac, the Wise Father, and Maya are interesting characters, and Gurley finds a way to invest the reader in their stories from the beginning.Gurley sets up a religious cult, complete with psychotic breaks and brainwashing. He brings Issac, the Wise Father, and Maya through interesting arcs, and handles the fallout from their storylines well. Not all of them end the story sane. There are certain aspects of the book which he could have explored more, however. Some of the characters, one in particular that becomes very important to the story, come out of nowhere to save the day, leaving a taste of Deus Ex Machina in the reader's mouth. Gurley also struggles a bit with using the passive voice, and the viewpoints aren't always consistent. Overall the writing is good, if not exceptional, and the story interesting. I plan on reading more books by Gurley as well as other works in the Silo universe.