Shift By Hugh Howey

Hugh Howey's Wool was one of the first books outside of epic fantasy that I reviewed, and I was blown away by his claustrophobic tale of the remnants of humanity living below the earth in silos for so long that their inhabitants had forgotten the world above. Howey's blend of science fiction and literary realism was a standout of 2012 for me, so as I approached the first anniversary of this blog, I decided to delve into the second offering in the world of the silos.

While Howey still turns in an atmospherical tale within the pages of Shift, I found it underwhelming in comparison to his earlier work. There was a, pardon the pun, a shift from the sci fi elements into a stronger lit fiction feel, and I found the result well written, but ultimately a trifle unsatisfying.

The publisher's synopsis follows:

In 2007, the Center for Automation in Nanobiotech (CAN) outlined the hardware and software platform that would one day allow robots smaller than human cells to make medical diagnoses, conduct repairs, and even self-propagate.

In the same year, the CBS network re-aired a program about the effects of propranolol on sufferers of extreme trauma. A simple pill, it had been discovered, could wipe out the memory of any traumatic event.

At almost the same moment in humanity’s broad history, mankind had discovered the means for bringing about its utter downfall. And the ability to forget it ever happened.

Not the most exciting synopsis, is it? I would have passed on this based on the cover art and back copy, if I hadn't been so impressed by Wool. But poor marketing aside, Shift is, on it's face, a welcome addition to Howey's flagship franchise. With it's structure following the same format as it's predecessor, made up of sepearate novellas all connected either through events of reoccuring characters, Shift will feel comfortably familiar to those who devoured Wool.

The first novella introduces us to Donald, a freshman Congressman, who is swiftly entangled in the construction of the silos and the conspiracy behind their true purpose. While Donald is sympathetic and well drawn character, I couldn't help but be appalled at the over all lack of agency he seems to have in this opening novella. I know this is intentional, as Donald is embroiled in circumstances so far beyond his understanding and control that he is simply swept along on its currents. Donald seems to react far more than he ever acts and because of this I found his initial character arc, which is the core of the first novella less than satisfying. I realize that the entire purpose of Shift is to fill in the origin of the silos, but with the foreknowledge that comes with having already read Wool, I couldn't bring myself to care enough about that origin with a protagonist that comes off as milquetoast as Donald.

The second novella, which splits time between Donald and a young porter named Mission Jones, is far better and I found myself wishing that his story was the central thread. Mission's tale centers around the collapse of one of the silo's and shows not only Mission's growing understanding of the silo politics and his questioning of the 'survival of the fittest' philosophy that is at the crux of the silo project. Donald appears here as well and we learn first hand what measures that the architects of the silos will go to keep their experiment going. It's a chilling and poignant tale and in my opinion was the strongest of the novellas included in the omnibus.

The final novella shows what happens when Donald, who by all appearances is the moral compass of the overarching plot of the collection, is placed in charge of the silos. Donald's decent into petty revenge is, while understandable and realistic, largely unsatisfying. The secondary plot, which takes us back in time to follow young Jimmy Parker, who appears in Wool was more palatable at least to me. Seeing the youngster adapt to the crushing lonliness and sporadic violence of the collapse of his silo was both heart wrenching and beautifully executed. This is what Howey does best, creating characters that his readers can empathize with and that manage to survive with nothing more than their strength of character. Jimmy's encroaching madness is well handled and makes the boy's survival all the more heart wrenching. Howey also teases the intersection of Donald and Juliette's story lines for the final volume of the Silo saga, the upcoming Dust.

While I found Shift to lack the suspense and surprise of Wool, there is no denying the emotional heft and deft examination of survival and community in Howey's work. I suspect that the challenges of writing a prequel to such an engaging property are monumental and probably contributed to what felt quite a lot like 'middle book syndromwe' to me. Nevertheless I'll tune in for Dust because I suspect the showdown between Juliette and Donald to be far more satisfying than this look back at the origins of the Silos.

Grimoire of the Lamb by Kevin Hearne

Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid Chronicles has been one of my favorite urban fantasy finds of the last few years. It like Michael J. Sullivan's Riyria series, has a lighter, more nostalgic tone that I find refreshing in between darker, more serious books. True to form, Hearne has released a novella to tide fans over until his next novel hits shelves. Having really enjoyed the last of Hearne's shorter work, the excellent Two Ravens and One Crow, I was excited to delve into this look into the early days of Atticus O'Sullivan.

The publisher's synopsis is as follows:

When he’s not vanquishing villainous gods or dodging demons, two-thousand-year-old Druid Atticus O’Sullivan can be found behind the counter of Third Eye Books and Herbs in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, literally minding his own business. But when an evil sorcerer—and amateur shoplifter—snatches an ancient Egyptian tome of black magic, The Grimoire of the Lamb, Atticus is not sheepish about pursuing him to the ends of the earth . . . or at least to the Land of the Pharaohs.

Unfortunately, Atticus already has enemies in Egypt—including cat goddess Bast, who wants her own book of mischief back from the Druid. In the streets of Cairo, she sends a feline phalanx after Atticus and his Irish wolfhound, Oberon. With fur still flying, Atticus must locate the sorcerer’s secret lair—where he will face killer crocodiles, spooky sarcophagi, and an ancient evil Egyptian who’s determined to order the sacrificial lamb special tonight.

Set before the events of Hounded, there is a certain amount of nostalgia to be found in seeing Atticus once again in his familiar stomping grounds. Readers are treated to characters and locals that have for the most part been abandoned as the series has taken Atticus far from the setting where the series began. While this is certainly a treat, the lack of fan favorite characters such as the Morrigan and Atticus' apprentice Granuaile is a bit of a let down. Oberon, Atticus' Irish wolfhound is present to provide his particular brand of canine hilarity, which is always a highlight of Hearne's work. The scene in which Atticus and Oberon are being herded by a literal phalanx of cats is a definite standout on the humor front.

All of the things you know and love about Hearne's work are present here. Pop culture references and sarcastic humor are everywhere, and the action sequences are as pulse pounding as ever. But somehow Grimoire of the Lamb manages to miss the mark some how. I believe the removal from the current time line and the absence of some of the standout characters of the series combined left me wanting something different from what I got.

That said, I don't fault Hearne for my disappointment. He delivers a rewarding story, adds mythos to the setting, made me laugh, and I enjoyed spending time with Atticus and Oberon again. At the end of the day, this novella is an appetizer when what I really wanted was a full course meal. Lucky for me, Hunted is slated for a June release. I'll be more than ready to pull up a chair at Hearne's table again.

Review of the Week: Two Raven and One Crow by Kevin Hearne

Life's been pretty hectic lately, and my reading time has been greatly diminished for the last few weeks. So while I am still working on some longer works, like Kameron Hurley's God's War and Tomorrow the Killing by Daniel Polansky, I read a few novellas to give me something to review. I'll start with the best of the lot, Kevin Hearne's Two Ravens and One Crow.

Hearne's novella bridges the gap between Tricked and Trapped, the fourth and fifth novels in his Iron Druid Chronicles. Fans of the series will find plenty to enjoy in this novella, as Hearne wisely plays to the strengths of the series with plenty of over the top action, interesting takes on mythology, and plenty of side splitting humor.

What really makes Two Ravens and One Crow stand out is that it never feels like a throw away story. It ties directly to the plot of the series as a whole, and actually addresses the characters in meaningful ways in the process. More importantly, it's just plain fun.

Atticus O'Sullivan has a penchant for making powerful enemies. His successful assault on Asgard left a string of dead gods, including Thor, in its wake. Understandably, Odin is pissed off. Atticus has been on the run ever since, trying to complete his apprentice, Granuaile's training while keeping as far away from vengeful Norse deities. But Atticus can never avoid trouble for long, so when the Morrigan appears to sweep him away for a meeting with Odin, he has no choice but to accompany the Chooser of the Slain. The alliance that follows is unexpected and action packed and sets the stakes high for the impending Ragnarok.

As always, Hearne;s characterizations and sense of humor are the highlights of the story. While most of the story centers around Atticus and his dealings with the Morrigan and the antagonistic Norse gods, we see just enough of Granuaile and Oberon to make sure that the funny is brought in classic Iron Druid style. Hearne also addresses the stresses between Atticus and Granuaile and those readers eager for a romance between the two, will not want to miss this installment.

The Morrigan, gets the most face time of the supporting cast and Hearne takes the opportunity to delve into the Chooser of the Slain more deeply than he ever has in the past. If anything, he manages to make her far more human than she's been depicted thus far, often with surprisingly humorous results. But make no mistake, this is merely a aspect of the character that exists beneath her usual cruelly cunning exterior. I found this aspect of the story to be the most compelling, as it added a level of sympathy to an otherwise unrelateable character. I'm looking forward to seeing where Hearne takes this new development.

In addition, readers are also treated to some history. As a 200 year old druid, Atticus' back story is extensive, and Hearne has layered bits of that tale into the previous volumes in the series, reflecting on events that are relevant to the present day plotlines. Two Ravens and One Crow is no exception to the pattern, giving us a glimpse into Atticus' earliest days, an area that has remained largely a mystery up until now. We learn more about the origins of Atticus' unnaturally long life span in a flashback sequence that is as entertaining as it is informative.

Which brings us to the main thrust of the novella, the repercussions of Atticus' assault on Asgard in Hammered. While Atticus has certainly taken drastic measures to avoid the wrath of the slain thunder god's family, he has not really been forced to deal with the aftermath of his actions. In many ways Tricked, which directly follows those events, skirts the issue of the Norse pantheon's vendetta almost entirely, but Two Ravens and One Crow goes the other route confronting them directly. And while, it seems to be resolved in a fairly simple manner with the Norse accepting Atticus as an ally, there is no mistaking the animosity of Odin and the other Aesir. I have no doubt, that things will get far messier in the recently released Trapped as  our hero is forced to make good on the alliance made in these pages.

Kevin Hearne has crafted a fine example of how a novella can have a lasting impact on a series, rather than serving as a mere way to wring a few more sales out of a popular setting and its characters. Far from a throw away piece, Two Ravens and One Crow is an essential part to both the story and mythos of Atticus O'Sullivan. Fans of The Iron Druid Chronicles should consider this novella a must read.