Silo Stories

by Hugh Howey

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Dystopia, Short Stories, Science Fiction Fantasy, Post Apocalyptic, Fantasy

60 pages, Paperback

About the author

I'm the author of WOOL, a top 5 science fiction book on Amazon. I also wrote the Molly Fyde saga, a tale of a teenager from the 25th century who is repeatedly told that girls can't do certain things -- and then does them anyway.

A theme in my books is the celebration of overcoming odds and of not allowing the cruelty of the universe to change who you are in the process. Most of them are classified as science fiction, since they often take place in the future, but if you love great stories and memorable characters, you'll dig what you find here. I promise.

Reviews

[Panic!_at_the_Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heads up: all 3 of these stories contain spoiler alerts. Read the entire Wool series before embarking on these stories.

These 3 stories, set in the Wool Series universe, cover some of the events from Wool (like the beginning of the nuclear warfare). The last story, set in Dust, provides the reader with details of what happens to one of the Silo members left from 17 and 18. I’m sure I’m spoiling nothing when I say none of the stories end joyfully. After finishing Dust, I didn’t have high expectations for people leaving their silos to work together, especially seeing how many people in these novels have hearts full of malicious intent. Of course, the lack of truth the silo residents receive birth mistrust and individualism over community.

These stories are interesting for readers wanting to stay in the Wool world, but they aren’t extremely fleshed out. Each would nicely fit into a novel or novella if they were expanded upon.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three stories in Hugh Howey's Silo universe, with the first starting before the events of the first book and the last ending a couple of years after the ending of book #3.

The three stories build on each other but cover a long span of time. They fill in some gaps, provide another perspective and also a reunion with some characters from the main storyline.

I can't say much more, because these obviously contain spoilers for the Silo trilogy and should be read after the novels. But I rather enjoyed them and thought they enhanced the overall experience and provided a more satisfying ending. Although, I wished the third story were longer.

Buddy read with Linda and Diane.

[Jacob Upshaw · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book gets 2 stars for the first 2 stories. In my opinion, the ending of this book ruins the ending of the Silo trilogy. The first two stories were good for backstory that the trilogy lacked but there was no need for this ending. I wish I hadn’t read it so the original ending would be all I remember.

[Nathalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m just going to pretend I didn’t read the three Silo short stories after finishing the main series… The ending of Dust is the true finale to me because the short story ‘In the Woods’ is a horrible way to end this saga.

[Emmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Im sorry but I refuse to believe this ending is canon

[Raymond Gregg · Rating 1 out of 5]

WHAT. I’ll just be here pretending I didn’t read this.

[DivaDiane SM · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed these 3 stories that tie into the Silo series. They take place before, during and well after the apocalypse and none of them take place actually in the Silos, so they fill in some gaps.

[Jeremiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

These were some interesting short stories. Overall, I enjoyed reading the three short stories from different points of views.

[Alessandro Cartagena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m going to pretend this one never existed. Totally ruins the ending for the main piece of art that is the trilogy. Good writing though.

[Leona McKay · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re looking for these stories, you can find each of the three chapters amongst The Apocalypse Tryptic trilogy. At the time of writing this, each of the three books are available to read for free as part of Amazon Unlimited. Just skip to Hugh Howey’s chapters.

I’ve rated this a 3 stars as a whole across the three chapters.

The good:
• I enjoyed the different view points. It’s interesting to see the end of the world from someone who saw it coming and decided another way to attempt to save themselves. And from someone who was never meant to know, and how they tried to save others with that information.
• The small check in with our survivors from 17&18, and the slight nod towards a few from other silos.

The bad:
• I did not enjoy that ending at all. I don’t feel like it added anything to the story line.
• The continuity error is glaring here. Dust ends 300 years after the end of the known world as we know they had 200 years left before the planned release of one silo and the downfall of the rest. However it’s suggested that the cryo pod was programmed to release after the planned 500 years. So these characters should never meet. Although we know our Silo survivors are able to exist in the world after the 300 years had past. Perhaps the cryo pod opened because the nano bots weren’t a threat anymore - remember it was linked to their network.
• We know what happened to 2 of the 15, and we were told that there were more but they’re no longer. What happened to the other 13? How did they devolve so quickly?

It’s so hard not to give it all away, with the chapters being so short. The ending was disappointing.

[Parker Durand · Rating 2 out of 5]

An extra 60 pages of 3 short stories in the silo universe. Honestly, I was ok with the first two. It was still laid out similar to the first two books of the trilogy but it helped fill in some gaps with the universe so I was kinda ok with it. BUT, then the third short story decided to bring in familiar characters and totally RUINED the ending of the original series.

Not gonna lie, kinda mad that I can’t unread that last short story. Not cool.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the Air and in the Mountain: 1/5

In the Woods: 5/5 except for "feef-deen" which almost ruined the entire trilogy for me, yikes. Not unbelievable, just ridiculous.

[Jamie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am dead inside.

[Gabrielle Barbettini · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the extra stories I’m not sure it was necessary but it was nice to see other perspectives

[Ethan Bjerke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Are you ****ing kidding me. If you liked the positive and hopeful note that Dust ended on, I'd recommend not reading the 3rd story. If you don't care and wanted a more accurate conclusion then go ahead and knock yourself out.

[Rachel Lang · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was unnecessary.
Don’t read, the trilogy is a better ending.

[sarah-jayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was so ??????????????????

for what…

[Radu-Andrei Pop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know some readers say the ending wasn’t strictly necessary, but I honestly think it’s vital. It doesn’t just tie things up, but it shows us something deeper about humanity: that perseverance, sacrifice, and holding on to our beliefs truly matter, even when everything feels broken.

What I loved about these extra stories is that they fill in the gaps left by the main trilogy, giving more context to the silos and the people in them. At the same time, they sharpen the moral edge of the series: no matter how many times humanity tries to reset, cleanse itself, or build a ‘better’ system, we always slip back into cruelty, control, and conflict.

There’s something both desolate and truthful in that: people simply don’t get along! End of story. But Howey balances that darkness with a thread of hope… the idea that even if humanity as a whole is flawed, individuals can still choose courage, kindness, and sacrifice. And those choices do matter!

For me, these short stories rounded out the entire saga beautifully. They made the ending more poignant, and honestly, more unforgettable!

Personal Rating Scale:
Final Impression 5/5
Recommendation 3/5
Re-Readability 3/5
Writing Style 4/5
Plot & Structure 4/5
Characters 4/5

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a short story that expands a little bit more on the main trilogy and its ending. Unfortunately, I almost wish I hadn't read it. The beginning was very interesting (though I feel like it could have been included in the second book of the series) but the ending really upset me. If there are/were plans to continue the plot after this then I might be less upset but as far as I know he isn't writing more of them, or at least not right now. The premise is interesting but I don't think it's enough as a standalone story. That being said, the writing is great as usual, the characters are good and the whole read was generally enjoyable. If you're not prepared to accept a big climax and an abrupt ending, read with caution.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This set of three short stories is a nice addition to the Silo trilogy. They really helped tie the whole saga together, and it was especially nice to end with these stories since I had felt a little bit let down by Dust, the third book in the trilogy.

[Allison Santos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good beginning but terrible ending. So dumb

[Aquila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a bittersweet ending to the series. Definitely don't read this before the three main stories or a lot won't make sense and you'll spoil some things for yourself.

While it wouldn't stand up very well as a solo adventure it definitely adds some interesting flavor to the world as a whole and wrapped things up in a way that felt appropriate though not particularly enjoyable.

[Job · Rating 1 out of 5]

dit had echt niet geschreven hoeven worden

[Maeve Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was definitely surprised about how much I liked this final book of the Silo series!
Also, was not expecting that ending whatsoever.

[Marcin Szczyglowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story 1 & 2 fine. Story 3 what a pitiful ending.

[Lauren Ansley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bold move for something this significant to happen in a short story!!! SHEESH.

This was great - it added so much more to the world, pre and post silo.

[Lance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting little collection of a few short stories, but ultimately I found it to be a darker letdown of an ending.

Story one is about a politician who found out about The Order and their plans. He decides against going to Atlanta to join them in the silos. But he also had an affair with an intelligence agent that finds The Order on him too. She's trying to make a community elsewhere so The Order doesn't get to repopulate the world. He refuses to join them too. It looks like this one ends with the guy and his family dying from the nanobots some time later, as the good bots they have eventually lose the fight.

The next story is about that agent and her collaborators trying to start their community in the mountains of Colorado. Once they're all sealed inside, they read the nanos' instructions outside and are shocked to find they're going to kill everyone for 500 years. That's when they realize the 5,000 people they saved can't survive. It'll have to be 15. They also realize the point of the cryopods then and shove two people in those, killing the rest.

When the two people wake up 500 years later, a human-like being attacks them saying something like 15. They kill it. Then another comes to attack them. They kill that. The number back to 15, the next monster that comes doesn't care to attack them. They kill all of those and go off to kill the people that started all of this, as the note tells them to. They walk from Colorado to Atlanta, find Juliette and gang, and kill Juliette. I'm not sure of the chronology here, but it seems that Juliette may have lived for 200 extra years longer than most do or something.

Anyways, that's what apparently ends Juliette's story: a false vendetta from the past.

[Eden Prosper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silo Stories is an interconnection of three short stories set in the dystopian Silo universe, before and leading up to the events in Wool and beyond.

The first story, In the Air, chronicles the tragic arc of John, a man ensnared in the machinations of government power. Haunted by the specters of past regrets, he becomes complicit in a chain of events hurtling towards global annihilation. Through his introspections, he glimpses the essence of what truly matters, only to realize, with crushing finality, that the revelation has come too late.

The second story, In the Mountain, follows a group of ten founders (among them, Tracy, who shares a connection with John) as they deliberately defy directives to assemble at the Atlanta silos and instead gather at a secluded mountain facility in Colorado, accompanied by a carefully chosen contingent of inoculated family and friends, shielded from the impending cataclysm. There, they uncover a critical misinterpretation that irrevocably alters their understanding of the situation, forcing them to confront a series of agonizing choices with far-reaching consequences.

And the final story, In the Woods, traces the journey of Tracy’s sister, April, and her husband as they awaken centuries after the cataclysm. Disoriented yet determined, they meticulously reconstruct the past through fragmented remnants and cryptic clues, striving to comprehend both the devastation that reshaped the world and the unsettling reality they now inhabit.

He thinks about the New Testament and how long people have been writing about the end of the world. Every generation thinks it will be the last. There is some sickness in man, some paranoid delusion, some grandiose morbidity that runs right through to distant ancestors. Or maybe it is the fear and lonely hearts that they might die without company. -page 18

Every age has clutched at this conceit, this deliciously morbid certainty that history will expire with them. It subtly questions whether these apocalyptic fears are really about the world's destruction, or just a reflection of individual loneliness and the terror of insignificance.

The tone is almost weary in recognizing this pattern as an inescapable part of the human condition. Perhaps the apocalypse has never been about the world at all, but a mirror reflecting back the solitary terror of a mind that cannot bear the thought of vanishing unnoticed into the dark.

Though brief, I enjoyed these little glimpses into the past and future of what was and came to be of the Silo universe.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. My first reaction after finishing these stories was , man, I wish I hadn’t read that. I stayed up late to finish the book, and woke up with a post-apocalyptic reading hangover. I even told my husband who read the Wool series that I wasn’t sure if he should read this. But I can’t stop thinking about it. And I think that is a marker of some damn fine storytelling. These stories help to lend another perspective on the events of the Wool series, and have me asking questions I wasn’t asking at the conclusion of Dust. I was happy with the conclusion of Dust and would have been happy to leave the events of the Silo there….or would I have been? Because I picked up Silo Stories as I clearly wanted more. So 5 stars for Hugh Howey’s storytelling, writing style, world building, and making me think. But bringing it down to 4 for how it’s made me feel.

[Alan Marks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would rate this higher but there seems to be a huge continuity error in the final story that throws everything off. When the trilogy ends and when the short stories end shouldn't match up. There were still a couple hundred years left to go in the 500 year program in the silos at the end of book 3. But the third short story is the full 500 years.

So they're interesting as stories and the first two are fine, but the third one shouldn't be able to end the way it does. Would actually have been more interesting to see the main characters in the third story show up and give us a sense of how things had developed for the silo survivors after a couple of centuries. Missed opportunity.