Rot & Ruin

Rot & Ruin - Jonathan Maberry When I first heard of this book, I thought it might be your typical zombie novel. I was wrong. Of course there are zombies. In this version, they are mindless and slow moving. Everyone is already technically infected and so if you die in any manner, you need to be "quieted" or you will be come a zombie. The bite of a zombie only hastens your transformation immediately.

However, these are not the monsters of the book. Like some zombie novels, it's an exploration of the living humans and what monstrous deeds they are capable. The ones who give conscious thought to being evil. The zombies do it mindlessly; the humans with full thought and action.

My biggest criticism does have to do with the beginning of the book. However, it is a light criticism. I just didn't get involved with the character, Benny Imura at the beginning. Not until he and his big brother Tom go to the "Ruin" (where the zombies outnumber the living) did I get interested and invested. However, although I might have liked that beginning shorter, I don't think it could be left out. It was important information about Benny and how he viewed others including his brother.

I give this zombie tale 4 stars. I really suggest this book to those that don't often read zombie novels. It's more about the human condition and what we allow and how we keep ourselves caged because of fear. It's also about what happens when we are set free of fear. I really can't wait to read the next one in this series.