Heather T. (magicmama) - reviewed on 1/12/2012 + 18 more book reviews

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book in the beginning partially because at that point the protagonist was whiny, a bit lazy and full of angst. With that said, he was pretty much how I imagine a fifteen year old boy would be. As I turned the pages, I became engrossed in Benny's story watching as he was baptized into the ways of his world. As a writer, I can really appreciate the depth that Jonathan Maberry layered Benny with as the story progressed. I loved that Benny was a boy who could have just sat back and accepted an existence steeped in denial, but instead chose to take good hard look at the truth and found himself risking everything to change it.

I'm a huge fan of the zombie genre and with that said, I wouldn't consider myself a purist, but deviations from the standards don't always work for me. In the case of Rot & Ruin, the deviations were a welcome, thought-provoking and refreshing change. I also loved that it had an Old West feel, combine that with all the post apocalyptic deliciousness I've come to love and expect from a good zombie book and I couldn't put this down. But more than that, I loved that I got a story with emotion, growth and a more compassionate look at the rotting undead than I'm used to.

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