Nick reviews Rot & Ruin

Rot & Ruin
by Jonathan Maberry
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Release Date: September 14th 2010
Edition: Paperback 458 pgs (Purchased)

What the back of the book has to say...

In the zombie-infested world Benny has grown up in, teenagers must work once they turn fifteen-or they'll lose their food rations. Benny isn't interested in taking on the family business, but he reluctantly agrees to train as a zombie killer with is boring big brother, Tom. He expects a dull job, whacking zombies for cash. What he discovers is a vocation that will teach him what it really means to be human.

    As his worldview is challenged again and again by the lessons he learns from Tom, Benny is forced to confront another horrifying reality: Sometimes the most terrible monsters are human.

Likes:
Oh man, I think I could go on for awhile on what I liked about this book. The writing was fun and the author sucked you right in with on the first page. It flowed so well. Not a single part of this book drags or slows down. The author does a wonderful job of explaining what has happened in the world without it being a huge info bomb. The characters were wonderful and very easy to like. Especially Tom. I really enjoyed his this book really gives you a different perspective about zombies and what they are. It truly makes you feel sorry for them. I really the loved the so-called "cliffhanger" that appears before the big finale that makes you think, "Holy crap, where did that come from?" It will make you crave the 2nd book, Dust & Decay.


Dislikes:
Okay, so I thought really long and hard about what I disliked about this book. This took me a good 30mins just to even muster some lame reason just for the sake of having one. Even though the author did a wonderful job of explaining everything that went wrong with world that Tom and Benny live in, he did happen to leave one very small thing out that I really hope he clears up in the next book. You know, just for a small clarification. Nothing huge though.

Who would I recommend this to:
This is easily quite possibly one of the best zombie stories that I've come across since the whole zombie craze came about. I was a hesitant about reading this because I'm really burnt out on zombies. It's just everywhere and it was honestly becoming stale. Though if you like zombies in any way shape or form, this book is very much for you. I was certainly surprised by it and if it wasn't for my Good Reads group, Rated YA-MA, having this title as the read of the month, I would have never picked it up. I am so very glad I did. It was such a wonderful read.