Dust by Hugh HoweyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Phew. After the previous installment in the series, which I was highly disappointed in, this one was Hugh Howey back in spades.
First, the minor negatives. No matter what the author did, I still had a tough time finding a connection with Charlotte's character, even at the very end. Second, there were a few scientific holes (minor) that I didn't think were explained enough (mostly the stuff having to do with the fake "argon" and the "poisoning" of the air with the nano-machines that rip human cells apart, etc.) Why didn't the nano-machines fly around the earth on the wind? How long can they stay operational? How can they be destroyed? Why do they make the sky and earth grey? So they attack other things other than humans? Why not the fabric of the suits, or the silos themselves? Or the dirt?
Now, the great: in Dust, we got a lot more understanding of how "Tower 1" operates and its purpose. The pace was just right - I did not feel like it dragged anywhere. We understand what is going on with Donald's health, and more about the overall plan for Earth. Several major plot reveals did not disappoint either! I continued to enjoy Juliette's character as well as a few others. (I was kind of glad Solo did not have as big of a role in this book, I found his previous long monologues distracting.) The discovery of the diggers was major. The ending was perfect also, nice to have an ending that ties up most things and provides hope for the world.
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