Hey guys! I'm back after a short break with another book review! This is an all time favorite of mine called "Rot and Ruin" written by the New York Times best-selling author and five-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, Jonathan Maberry. Its the first installment of the "Rot and Ruin" series. "Rot and Ruin" is a Science- Fiction/Horror series mainly aimed at young adults. If you are planning to read only one book this summer, it should be this one. I was going to save this review for October, kinda Halloween, but I decided that this zombie book couldn't wait. Yes you read right, zombies! Its really hard to find any zombie related books that have a good plot but yes they do exist! Which is why I chose this book to review.
The plot takes place 14 years after what survivors call the First Night, when the zombies first showed up and society fell. The book focuses on Benny Imura, who was orphaned after the First Night. He was rescued by his brother, Tom who is a skilled Bounty Hunter. Benny doesn't think much of his brother and thinks of him as a coward. In the beginning of the book, Benny, along with his best friend Chong, tries to find a job that fits him. Because in the small town of Mountainside, becoming 15 means you find a job or your rations get cut in half. Which means anyone who doesn't get a job will basically starve to death. Eventually, Benny decides to take an apprenticeship under his brother and goes out with him into the "Rot and Ruin" to become a zombie killer. In doing so he learns a lot about his brother, his past and the difference between monster and man.
I have nothing but praise for this book and series. Its amazing and if you like "Walking Dead" you will love "Rot and Ruin." It has everything - horror, action, even a touch of romance. I love the unique aspect of seeing what happens in a zombie riddled world over a decade later. It also touches on several moral dilemmas and new religions surrounding zombies or "zoms."
