“It's important to know the past, but your survival depends on knowing the present” (81). So begins Jonathan Maberry’s second novel, Dust and Decay, in the “Rot and Ruin” series. The reader picks up a few months after they left off with Benny, Nix, Lilah and Tom preparing to head east out of gated Mountainside in search of the elusive jet. Tom decides to take the three younger “warriors” and Benny’s friend, Chong, out on an overnight camping trip to show Chong the Ruin, but once the group steps foot outside the gate nothing seems to go as planned. As the group is forced to split up, they each begin to learn more about themselves as well as the war that is about to break loose between good, evil and zombies.
I really enjoyed reading “Rot and Ruin” so I was a little apprehensive about starting “Dust and Decay” because I know sequels are oftentimes a let down for readers. What I truly loved about this book, however, was the shift it took from focusing on the relationship between different characters (Benny and Tom, Nix and Benny, etc.) to focusing on the growth of each of the characters as people. I liked seeing the younger “warriors” grow up and be forced to make their own decisions without Tom and I liked seeing a more fierce side of Tom as well.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys zombie novels, particularly “Rot and Ruin.” I think this is a great sequel and does a lot for character development. One of the things I did notice about “Dust and Decay,” however, is that it is a much more grown-up read than “Rot and Ruin.” The jokes and the friendships are still there for younger readers to enjoy, but I think the older young adult readers will get much more pleasure out of it than their younger counterparts.
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