'Dust & Decay' (Rot & Ruin) by Jonathan Maberry

Official Summary:
Six months have passed since the terrifying battle with Charlie Pink-eye and the Motor City Hammer in the zombie-infested mountains of the Rot & Ruin. It’s also six months since Benny Imura and Nix Riley saw something in the air that changed their lives. Now, after months of rigorous training with Benny’s zombie-hunter brother Tom, Benny and Nix are ready to leave their home forever and search for a better future. Lilah the Lost Girl and Benny’s best friend Lou Chong are going with them.

Sounds easy. Sounds wonderful. Except that everything that can go wrong does. Before they can even leave there is a shocking zombie attack in town. But as soon as they step into the Rot & Ruin they are pursued by the living dead, wild animals, insane murderers and the horrors of Gameland –where teenagers are forced to fight for their lives in the zombie pits. Worst of all…could the evil Charlie Pink-eye still be alive?

In the great Rot & Ruin everything wants to kill you. Everything…and not everyone in Benny’s small band of travelers will make it out alive.

Review:
I don't remember how I discovered Jonathan Maberry but it was probably back in the old MBTA commute days where every few weeks an Amazon bookstore day was needed to restock the queue. The entire ride up into work (never back because getting a seat heading out of the Park Street station during rush hour is near impossible) would be spent perusing Amazon's reading recommendations and downloading the next months title selections. That kind of convenience is the big reason I'm still remise to give up my Kindle with 3G even though the model with wifi would work just fine at home... wherever I am, I can always shop for books.

Anyway, I digress.

On that fateful day, sometime in late 2011, the first Maberry title I would ever read, Dead of Night landed on my Kindle by way of WhisperNet, and it was awesome. So awesome in fact that it not only spurred a zombie titles influx on the reading list (World War Z, Married With Zombies & Warm Bodies to name a few), but Jonathan Maberry made his way onto my author watch lists. 

Being on my author watch list is a BIG DEAL because being on that list means that I'll probably read everything you ever publish, including your pre-teen novels like the Rot and Ruin books, of which the second title is Dust & Decay, the supposed focus of this other chatter

What I'm trying to say is that Jonathan Maberry is a great writer. Not only because all of his novels are interesting and touching even when the backdrop is filled with flesh eating monsters, but because it is exceptionally tailored to his audience.  If I were twelve this series of books would some of the best stuff out there. Unfortunately, I'm in my thirties and the writing and story lines in this series are just too simplistic.

The Bottom Line: While I love Maberry's more mature titles and don't plan on letting them fall off my radar anytime soon, the language and plot lines explored in the Rot & Ruin series are much better suited for younger readers. As such, I'm still giving this title the green light it deserves, just be aware that if you're looking for a more graphic zombie experience than I'd say check out his Joe Ledger series or Dead of Night and pass this title onto the nearest horror or dystopia loving tween in your life. I think they'd love it.

'Gods of Men' (Children of the Apocalypse) by Joseph Pignataro

Before I make an ass out of myself with this review I feel like I should admit two things:

1. This is the first graphic novel I've ever picked up. Yes. For reals.
2. I'm not even capable of drawing a convincing stick figure so please take any 'style' critiques with a heaping cup of salt.

Phew - okay... glad we got that out of the way so now I can continue without feeling too much guilt.

So what did I think of 'Gods of Men' by Joseph Pignataro? Well that's easy; it was terrible. But while I'm at it let's take a second and break that down.

• Art style: Looked like it was done by someone suffering from the shakes and drawing with their off hand.
• Story line: What story line? Seriously - this thing had about one thing happen over the entirety of the first installment which to me seemed a bit odd if only because the blurb and accompanying reviews made it seem like something actually, oh... I dunno... HAPPENED!
• Length: If I'd paid for this I'd have been pissed. Really and truly livid. By the time I'd settled in to a comfortable reading position it was over. Than again, maybe this was a blessing in disguise. If it'd been longer I might have felt like this was a tremendous waste of time and not just a slight annoyance.

Bottom Line: If you or someone you love is about to spend money on this waste of ink please, for the love of literature, knock it out of their hands. And like always if you find that you disagree with me, please please please tell me why in the comments below because as things stand at the moment I'm wondering how on earth this series got such rave reviews everywhere else.

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'Married with Zombies' (Living with the Dead #1) by Jesse Petersen

Solidly written zombie novels make me happy – I mean really happy. Like, “I just ate a heap-load of chocolate” happy. Unfortunately for me, my preference for the more lighthearted and quirky variety, like ‘Warm Bodies’  over the ‘War Z’ dystopias make this sort of happiness rare to come by.  But I was not to be deterred. Once I’d finished up ‘Warm Bodies’ last month I diligently began hunting for my next zombie-fix.

Although my search did take me to a few odd titles, it eventually dropped me at the feet of ‘Married with Zombies’ by Jesse Petersen and these words caught my attention about halfway through the blurb:

Once upon a time they met and fell in love. But now they're on the verge of divorce and going to couples' counseling. On a routine trip to their counselor, they notice a few odd things - the lack of cars on the highway, the missing security guard, and the fact that their counselor, Dr. Kelly, is ripping out her previous client's throat.

For me, those words and beach-read inspired cover were all I needed to download and get started. With that description and a title that harkens back to the days of Peg and Al Bundy, I was all but guaranteed that it would be quirky – but would it be good?

Well, let’s put it this way. ‘Warm Bodies’ is the Lindt dark chocolate truffle of zombie fixes. It’s heartwarming and serious and doesn’t leave you holding the bag, needing more. ‘Married with Zombies’ is great, but it’s more like a Reese’s mini  – shorter, louder, takes itself a whole lot less seriously and really? Who just has one peanut butter cup mini? Not me, that’s for sure and it makes the whole idea that this is a new series to sink my teeth into that much more enjoyable.

Author Jesse Petersen has a great sense of humor through the whole thing and I’ve got to say I laughed out loud more than a few times. The characters were good, and given the relationship the two mains have at the start of the journey the buildup is excellent. If you’ve ever lived with someone for more than a few years you’ll probably end up appreciating this one for the no-nonsense, honest love these Sarah and David have for one another.  

Bottom line: If you like your zombie novels terrifying and filled with pointless teeth-gnashing, this one probably isn’t for you at all. If you’re more interested in seeing what happens to the people on the ground, how relationships can get stronger even in the midst of near-certain doom, you’re on the right track. As for me, well, I certainly love Reese’s… and already plan on picking up ‘Flip this Zombie’ soon.

'Warm Bodies' by Isaac Marion

Its not like me to pick up a book based on a movie trailer. But when this is the teaser description: "...a zombie becomes involved with the girlfriend of one of his victims, their romance sets in motion a sequence of events that might transform the entire lifeless world." I needed to read the book it was based on. I certainly couldn't justify waiting until the films release in February - and so I let this one jump the line*.

'Warm Bodies' is an absorbing read that thoroughly captures the heart and imagination as it follows the everyday thoughts of a zombie named R. Cute, witty and charming, (never thought you'd see those words associated with a zombie novel did'ya?), author Isaac Marion manages to make even the stuff of nightmares into an enchanting tale of love, loyalty, friendship and trust.

Today's bottom line: if you're looking for something of the teeth-gnashing, mindless zombie genre than you're better off steering clear. But if you've ever found yourself wondering if there's anything going on up in that decaying head this one is a keeper.  

*Yes - I know that this wasn't on the Monthly Waiting List. That said, I've actually finished everything except for the Laini Taylor installment... I just haven't managed to get the reviews up... or, well, if I'm being completely honest with you, written yet. And while that's a bit sad... considering it's already the 24th and I've only gotten a review for one of the three promised titles up... it means that the last week of November should see a flurry of activity.

"The Dark and Hollow Places" by Carrie Ryan

Generally speaking, this installment in the Forest of Hands and Teeth series was my least favorite. But even after saying that, where it was good, it was great, and at those times it was easily better than the first two. So why does it still win the award for being the worst out of three then?

Well, that's the thing. It wasn't one point in particular, but many little things that all kind of added up to a 'meh' experience. Let's see if I can't get my thought coherently conveyed here, shall we?

• Problem Numero Uno: The author's vocabulary seemed to be on a major downswing - an overuse / abuse of the adjectives 'raw' and 'ragged' springs to mind here. With the first book, (and even the second to some lesser degree), being full of such colorful descriptions, this one wasn't as solidly written.

• Point B: For the first time in the three novels, the main character not only thought she was weak - but she was utterly unlikeable to boot. Granted, she'd spent a lifetime thinking that she wasn't good enough, or pretty enough, or punishing herself for being a terrible sister, (and she totally was), but I could deal with all that if she wasn't selfish and self-protecting and self-deprecating to boot. I don't like these people in real life.. I really don't like reading about them.

• Thirdly: The stories resolution and the actual ending were infuriating because there was so very little closure. I spent a lot of time reading about these people - the least the author could do was give us an epilogue some long time in the future and elude to the happiness of these four main characters - or even just catch us up on Mary. I loved that character and she was all but forgotten about in this installment.

In conclusion (and before I accidentally kick off another rant), if you really enjoyed the first two then read this. It was a fun enough story where readers of the first two will enjoy revisiting this world filled with teeth-gnashing zombies. Or, you might want to pick it up if you're like me and you'll read a series to the end even if it's making your eyes bleed and your brain cells die. In that case you have the green light to go ahead - I promise that it's not 'eye bleeding' terrible... and there are a few scenes in there that are worth the read.

But generally speaking? It might be worth skipping if you didn't much care for the first two, or you have something better lined up in the queue.

"The Dead-Tossed Waves" by Carrie Ryan

The 'book two' of a three-part series is dangerous business. It can be everything you hoped and dreamed, leaving you determined get your hands on the last installment, or it can break an otherwise great story to smithereens. Thankfully, Carrie Ryan is an excellent story teller and book three is in my future even if the pacing that the author developed so nicely in book one, (and even this books first half), was frankly lost for a chunk of this efforts second half, but it does pick up again to hit a good stride before reaching the end, so not all is lost.
 
It is worth noting that if you've read book one and you're looking for more on book one's Mary you won't be entirely disappointed, but this might be quiet different then you may have hoped, (it was for me). The author has switched the narrative focus to Mary's daughter Gabrielle to tell the tale as another generations struggles with our dear, dear friends the Unconsecrated. Finally, this 'book two' effort of The Forest of Hands and Teeth has a spectacular ending, making it a worthwhile read - especially if you liked book one or find yourself in the mood for a good, old fashioned zombie apocalypses tale.