Dust and Decay - Jonathan Maberry

After the events in Rot and Ruin Tom Imura has been training his younger brother Benny, Nix Riley, Lilah a.k.a the Lost Girl, Chong, and Morgie how to fight and quiet the zombies that live out in the Rot and Ruin. Morgie is the only one who doesn't go with as they leave town to follow a plane Benny and Nix saw flying over the Rot and Ruin. As they venture out from the town they run into bounty hunters who are working for White Bear. They find out that there is a price on their heads, and they are worth more alive than dead. After an attack by a white rhinoceros they come upon Brother David's place, with no Brother David. Chong thinks that the attack is his fault and runs away. Tom decides to go looking for him leaving Lilah, Benny, and Nix at Brother David's. Later that night a zombie attack on Brother David's place forces Lilah to separate from Benny and Nix. Eventually everyone makes their way to the Wawona Hotel, either by being captured by White Bear, or making it on their own. The hotel has been turned into the new Gameland. Gameland is run by White Bear and Preacher Jack, and it is where kids are put in pits with zombies and people bet on who will survive. The battle for the Rot and Ruin begins and ends at the Wawonda Hotel. Will our heroes survive the battle, or will White Bear and Preacher Jack continue to control the Rot and Ruin?

I absolutely loved this book. I like how Jonathan Maberry didn't just make it about people fighting zombies, he made it about what it means to survive when 90% of the world are zombies. He has created characters that you care about, and ones that you can't help but hate. You can place yourself inside the mind of any character, and feel like you are actually there with them. I hope he writes a third book or even a fourth book, because to me the story isn't done yet. Rot and Ruin along with Dust and Decay are two of the best zombie books I have read, and I highly recommend them.

T.B. 9/21/11