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MY ⭐️ RATING: 3.25/5
Format: Kindle Whispersync
BOOK DESCRIPTION
In 2007, the Center for Automation in Nanobiotech (CAN) outlined the hardware and software platforms that would one day allow robots smaller than human cells to make medical diagnoses, conduct repairs, and even self-propagate. The technology has an almost limitless capacity for good—but in the wrong hands, it could have an equally boundless capacity for evil.
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 discovered the means for bringing about its utter downfall, and the ability to forget it ever happened. With this godlike power at their fingertips, can humanity be trusted to create a new—and better—world? Or is it doomed to bring about its own destruction?
MY REVIEW
I pride myself on making quality reviews, but this one won’t be very long or really all that in-depth than usual. I want to start off with the fact that this was a good story that Howey wrote, and the characters were likeable, but I have a bias against the type of story that this is and my rating reflects that bias. So while my rating is low, I actually did find the story enjoyable.
With that out of the way, I want to talk about my feeling towards series’ that use a sequel to tell a prequel story, which is what Shift does. The name eloquently states the obvious, it shifts to a completely new point of view in a completely different time frame. As I stated, the story was good, and quite honestly, it was a needed area because of certain characters that were introduced or hinted at in Wool.
“Humanity had been thrown to the brink of extinction by insane men in positions of power following one another, each thinking the others knew where they were going.”
I however, do not like a full length novel going back to explain everything for the current timeline, when it could’ve been taken care of within Wool or even Dust. This causes a major issue for me because it takes me out of the story I was already enjoying. It forces me to get to know brand new characters without letting me see the old characters I know and love.
There was a part of me that lost a little interest once I realized that majority of this book was a prequel, but Howey did a great job of keeping me engaged. It does eventually work back to the main timeline, so I can’t knock it too much. The narration by Edoardo Ballerini was a bit of a saving grace, I feel like if I had physically read this, I may have given up on it early on.
Just based on what I’ve read so far of this series, it should’ve been a duology. Prequel-sequels should not exist unless it’s separate from the main series. So if you’ve never read Silo and you are planning to, this is your warning that Shift is 90% prequel. In full honesty, I probably would have passed on this series had I known about the “prequel-sequel”, but to each their own.
Wolfmantula.com 