As a reader who loved Wool I did not think really like Shift.This book, which turns out ot be a prequel to Wool, was a bit on the slow side and it took me about 100 pages to glean on to the fact it was a prequel and not a sequel.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the audio arc in exchange for my review.

While some would think that this would be a slog with all the information that is dumped on us, Hugh Howey is able to mix present day with the past so well, that the plot never suffered.
The is a prequel to Wool, but gives some much needed backstory to the world. If you were a fan of the first SIlo novel, please do yourself a favor and pick this up as well.

The Shift Omnibus is the second volume of the Silo series and encompasses a collection of the three books in the Shift series by American author, Hugh Howey. The audio version is narrated by Edoardo Ballerini.
First Shift – Legacy is the first book in the Shift series. This prequel to the Wool series describes the events that lead to the World Order that exists in the Wool books. It switches between two time periods: the early twenty-second century in the control centre for the Silos, Silo 1; and the mid twenty-first century, in Washington DC and Georgia. In Silo 1, Troy is woken from his decades of “long sleep” to find himself titular head of all the Silos, a job for which he feels less than prepared. The medication that erases his traumatic memories and numbs his reactions to stressful events is not entirely effective, and he eventually discovers some awful truths. In Washington DC, newly-minted Georgia congressman, Donald Keene finds himself using his architectural skills for a project championed by Senator Paul Thurman: an underground silo to be used as a refuge for workers at a nuclear waste dump site. There is much secrecy surrounding the project: his college friend, Mick Webb is part of it, as is the Senator’s daughter, Donald’s ex-girlfriend Anna, but exchange of information is very limited. When the facility finally opens, some three years later, Donald discovers he was an integral part of something much bigger and more fearsome than he ever imagined. While there is less “action” in this book than the Wool books, Howey keeps it interesting by gradually feeding the reader tidbits of information to flesh out the picture. His characters and dialogue are credible and he includes a handy time-line at the end of each book.
Second Shift – Order is the second book in the Shift series. This second part of the prequel to the Wool series continues with the events that lead to the World Order that exists in the Wool books. It is set in the early twenty-third century and switches between two locations: Silo 1 and Silo 18. In Silo 1, Donald is woken from one hundred years of being frozen for his second shift awake, although, he discovers, not for his usual duties. As he helps Thurman and Anna to understand the cause of the Uprisings in the Silos, he is also distressed by facts he uncovers about his wife, Helen. Amongst the rising unrest in Silo 18, porter Mission Jones takes a message from his beloved elderly schoolteacher, Miss Crowe to his good friend, Rodny, who is shadowing in IT, to find himself on a mission of a very different kind. Again, Howey’s characters have depth and appeal, and the plot is sufficiently intriguing to have the reader seeking out the final part of this prequel.
Third Shift – Pact is the third book in the Shift series. This third part of the prequel to the Wool series continues with the events that lead to the World Order that exists in the Wool books. This book has two narrative strands: Silo 1 in the mid-twenty-fourth century, and Silo 17 in the early to mid-twenty-fourth century. In Silo 1, Donald is surprised to be woken by workers who believe he is Thurman; he is needed because of problems with Silo 18 that stem from Jules’ refusal to clean. But he soon realises that those in power are not what they seem: “He used to think of these people as shrinks, that they were here to keep others sane. Now he knew that they were in charge of the insanity.” As he accesses files to learn the background information on Jules, on Silo 17 and Silo 40, he also uncovers yet more shocking truths, truths that cause him to take some drastic action. The narrative in Silo 17 starts with the Great Loud, when Jimmy Parker, son of IT shadow, Russ Parker, is just sixteen and follows his life through the years to Jules’ arrival at the Silo. Young Jimmy has had to face some horrific events in order to survive, and learned much from the books of The Order and The Legacy during his journey. Once again, Howey creates characters that the reader can identify with, and draws parallels between the political world of old with its titular head and its power brokers, and the one created in the Silos. “Donald was reminded of how each silo has a mayor for shaking hands and keeping up appearances, just as the world of before had presidents who came and went. Meanwhile, it was the men in the shadows who wielded the true power, those whose terms had no limits.” Howey also leaves just enough untold to intrigue the reader to seek out the final instalment of the Silo series, Dust. An excellent read.

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
This book is a continuation of the Silo series. It shows the reader how and why the silos were created along with giving a glimpse into various uprisings. Just like in the first book, the characters act more as a vehicle for the action. The action and information that was included were interesting and kept me listening. The book slowly works up to the present day in Wool.

Shift, the second book in the Silo series by Hugh Howey, takes readers back to the beginning of the silos and the story of how they were created. As the world outside falls apart, a small group of people are tasked with building and overseeing the silos, underground structures designed to keep humanity alive.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, including Donald, a congressman who is blackmailed into becoming the first head of the silos; Troy, a young mechanic who is recruited to work in the silos; and Solo, a maintenance worker who discovers a dark secret about the silos.

Howey masterfully weaves together the stories of these characters to create a complex and intriguing narrative. The world he creates is both fascinating and terrifying, as the characters grapple with the reality of living underground for the rest of their lives.

Shift is a worthy successor to Wool, the first book in the Silo series, and sets the stage for the final book in the trilogy. Fans of dystopian fiction will not be disappointed, as Howey delivers a thrilling and thought-provoking story that will keep readers engaged until the very end.

5 stars

I’ve already read this series but I was interested in the audio version. This is the second installment of Hugh Howey’s Wool series, and it’s a wonderful followup! This is by far my favorite series to date.
I’m mostly going to rate the audio version though.
Edoardo Ballerini is a wonderful narrator with a great voice. The production quality was top notch. I found that it wasn’t overly dramatic (I’m not fond of too many theatrics), and the tone was what I had pictured when I read the book,
Overall it’s 5 stars all the way around, for story and narration.

Howey continues his outstanding Silo series with the remaining humans scattered throughout different silos making contact and trying to decide what, if anything can be salvaged from the world outside