Dust & Decay

January 1, 2012
Gr 8 Up-In Jonathan Maberry's sequel (2011) to "Rot & Ruin" (2010, both S & S), teens Benny, Nix, Lilah, and Chong set out on a quest to find the jet spotted at the conclusion of the first book. Benny's brother, Tom, a closure specialist, guides them out into the Rot & Ruin (the land populated by zombies east of Mountainside, their home in California), in search of that jet and, hopefully, civilization. But the zombies aren't the only-or the worst-things in the Rot & Ruin. Preacher Jack and White Bear are at the heart of a subculture of zombie pit fighting that has become a cruel entertainment. Maberry writes with an incredible visual style, multiple points of view, and greater character depth in this sequel to make for a more nuanced and expanded universe. Excerpts from Nix's journal are intercut with the narrative, giving listeners brief respites from the almost non-stop action. With his quick-paced style and unique setting, Maberry makes you care about the characters and their quest. A very open ending leaves plenty of room for a sequel. Brian Hutchison does a fine job of voicing the large cast of characters. In an ever-growing field of zombie books, teens will be drawn to this series-"Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI"

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.