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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
WOW!!! I finished it and could read it again! Wish it were next August so I could read the next installation. Will have to branch out to other books by this author.
I was fortunate to be able to read the ARC of this latest zombie book from Jonathan. He's at it again, with Dust and Decay being the second book in his zombie series. The first was Rot & Ruin, an excellent book.
This book takes up where the first one left off. Benny and his friends are training hard under the tutelage of Benny's brother, Tom. Lilith, the lost girl, has joined them as they prepare to do battle against the zombies. In the previous book, they killed Charlie Pink-eye and shut down the infamous Gameland - a place where kidnapped children were forced to fight zombies for entertainment of the betting and twisted spectators. Unfortunately, just because you take down one uber-bad guy, that doesn't mean there aren't more to take his place. Which is what happens. I won't go into all the gory details - and they are very gory - suffice it to say that the Inura boys and their friends kick some major butt - but not without great cost.
Though the story was well done, I didn't like this one as much as I did the first one. I thought it much more graphic (okay, I know it's a horror book, but the first one wasn't as bad) and the point of view switching was more obvious - at least to me.
Don't get me wrong - if you like horror books, you'll like this one. The story is a good one and I sat there and cried as I read the last chapters, which means I really cared about the characters and that's good writing. It was just a little too icky for my tastes, but still a good book.
If you haven't read Rot & Ruin, I suggest you read that one first. It's not necessary in order to understand the story, but it does give you more background into the characters and let you know why they're doing what they're doing. Together, the books are two of the best zombie horror books I've ever read. If that's your thing, you'll enjoy these.
This book takes up where the first one left off. Benny and his friends are training hard under the tutelage of Benny's brother, Tom. Lilith, the lost girl, has joined them as they prepare to do battle against the zombies. In the previous book, they killed Charlie Pink-eye and shut down the infamous Gameland - a place where kidnapped children were forced to fight zombies for entertainment of the betting and twisted spectators. Unfortunately, just because you take down one uber-bad guy, that doesn't mean there aren't more to take his place. Which is what happens. I won't go into all the gory details - and they are very gory - suffice it to say that the Inura boys and their friends kick some major butt - but not without great cost.
Though the story was well done, I didn't like this one as much as I did the first one. I thought it much more graphic (okay, I know it's a horror book, but the first one wasn't as bad) and the point of view switching was more obvious - at least to me.
Don't get me wrong - if you like horror books, you'll like this one. The story is a good one and I sat there and cried as I read the last chapters, which means I really cared about the characters and that's good writing. It was just a little too icky for my tastes, but still a good book.
If you haven't read Rot & Ruin, I suggest you read that one first. It's not necessary in order to understand the story, but it does give you more background into the characters and let you know why they're doing what they're doing. Together, the books are two of the best zombie horror books I've ever read. If that's your thing, you'll enjoy these.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Great sequel! I love the twists and turns. I had to hurry and read this book because amount of my students who were on the waiting list to read it.
I love it. But WHY??? -__=______- Team Tom Forever. <3
Nix is determined to find out where the jet came from and Benny is determined to remain in Nix's life. Tom is willing to take them out to find the jet, but then Chong decides he wants to be part of the team, despite his lack of courage or experience with zombies. Chong soon finds that he isn't cut out for the life of a zombie hunter and makes some decisions that put the group in peril. Also, the group finds out a fanatical cult that sees the zombies as perfect beings is growing and rumors of a new Gameland have risen. I think Gameland has been shut down for good but if book three has yet another Gameland open, then I will be so disappointed.
HS
HS
- This book has a lot more action and horror than the first one. It is a rush! The characters go from bad to worse to chaos really fast. It is amazing that this whole story takes place in only a couple of days.
- I think Benny might be going schizo on us.
- There is a lot of swearing in these books, and it isn't too light.
- I love that Lilah, Benny, Nix, and especially Chong learn more about who they are and what they're made of. The character development for these 4 characters is amazing. They each have to face their own personal demons at some point, and they are some tough decisions!
- I'm not trying to give anything away, but the ending is sad. Justice is served, but it is sad. I'm a little mad about it.
- If the trading cards for these books ever become a real thing, I want to collect!!
- There were places in the book that were kind of thought provoking. Some dialogue and situations just made me stop and think about them for a minute.
- It was fun to get to meet some more of the bounty hunters. Each one was unique, fun, and creative. I hope we get to see more of them in the remaining books.
- Overall this was a wonderful read. The story, the characters, and even the writing are all really well done!
- I think Benny might be going schizo on us.
- There is a lot of swearing in these books, and it isn't too light.
- I love that Lilah, Benny, Nix, and especially Chong learn more about who they are and what they're made of. The character development for these 4 characters is amazing. They each have to face their own personal demons at some point, and they are some tough decisions!
- I'm not trying to give anything away, but the ending is sad. Justice is served, but it is sad. I'm a little mad about it.
- If the trading cards for these books ever become a real thing, I want to collect!!
- There were places in the book that were kind of thought provoking. Some dialogue and situations just made me stop and think about them for a minute.
- It was fun to get to meet some more of the bounty hunters. Each one was unique, fun, and creative. I hope we get to see more of them in the remaining books.
- Overall this was a wonderful read. The story, the characters, and even the writing are all really well done!
There were moments of, "SERIOUSLY, JONATHAN MABERRY? SERIOUSLY?" but it was just as riveting as the first book, Rot & Ruin, and I can't wait to see what happens in Flesh and Bone. Hopefully, though, Benny's "inner voice" doesn't make so many appearances in the rest of the series. If there was one thing that almost ruined the book for me, that would have been it.
Man, oh man, what a ride. It’s been half a year since the events of Rot & Ruin took place and the kids have grown into little fighters. They’re ready to head out and find that plane they saw near the end of that book. Not even the horrors from their last venture out could prepare them for what they found this time.
The plot was similar to the previous book in that the group went back into the zombie-infested Rot & Ruin, but there were differences as well. Someone new was with them: the non-athletic Chong, who had a mad crush on Lilah. Plus, they were more prepared for battle this time, since Tom had been training them. And they had a new goal: find that plane.
I didn’t think it was possible, but the action had been turned up even more for this installment. I tell you, Maberry has a gift for creating these intense and scary scenes where you just don’t know what will happen next.
The characters that we already knew were expounded upon, so we learned much more about them. More of their background, and their life at Mountainside. The new characters that we were introduced to were great, and had depth. The dialogue was again perfect – to the point with a touch of dry humor. There was a little romance, but again, it was most definitely not the focus of the story.
Some of my lingering questions from the first book were answered, some questions I didn’t even know I had. A few new questions were posed that I can’t wait to find out the answers to in the next book. And I don’t mind admitting I cried.
The plot was similar to the previous book in that the group went back into the zombie-infested Rot & Ruin, but there were differences as well. Someone new was with them: the non-athletic Chong, who had a mad crush on Lilah. Plus, they were more prepared for battle this time, since Tom had been training them. And they had a new goal: find that plane.
I didn’t think it was possible, but the action had been turned up even more for this installment. I tell you, Maberry has a gift for creating these intense and scary scenes where you just don’t know what will happen next.
Benny drew his bokken and they stood back to back with no clear way out. There had to be two dozen of the monsters. No…more than that. Much more. Others were climbing like gray sligs over fallen logs or out of depressions in the ground. Fifty of them. Sixty. All those dusty eyes and black mouths and rotted teeth. The dead cried out in rusted voices as they pulled themselves toward the smell of fresh meat and flowing blood. The terrible need, the awful hunger in that moan made Benny’s blood turn to ice water in his veins. It was such an ancient sound, old as all the pain and misery in the world.
The characters that we already knew were expounded upon, so we learned much more about them. More of their background, and their life at Mountainside. The new characters that we were introduced to were great, and had depth. The dialogue was again perfect – to the point with a touch of dry humor. There was a little romance, but again, it was most definitely not the focus of the story.
Some of my lingering questions from the first book were answered, some questions I didn’t even know I had. A few new questions were posed that I can’t wait to find out the answers to in the next book. And I don’t mind admitting I cried.