Rot & Ruin - by Jonathan Maberry (Paperback)

About the Book

Includes an excerpt from "Dust & decay."

Book Synopsis

A teen who reluctantly starts work as a zombie hunter uncovers corruption in his community in this first book in the post-apocalyptic dystopian Rot & Ruin series by New York Times bestselling and five-time Bram Stoker Award-winning author Jonathan Maberry.

Benny Imura lives in a zombie-infested America where every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter (or "closure specialist") with his boring older brother, Tom, but he has no choice.

He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash but seeing Tom's compassion and quiet bravery while killing zombies beyond the wall changes how he sees the world around him...and the older brother he's kept at a distance since their parents' death.

But not everyone treats their hunting career as an important vocation. Thrill-seeking closure specialists and greedy citizens endanger the community's safety. As Benny fights the corruption, he learns what it means to be human.

Review Quotes

"An action-packed, thought-provoking look at life--and death--as readers determine the true enemy."--"Kirkus Reviews"

* "The delineation between man and monster, survivor and victim is fiercely debated in Maberry's thoughtful, postapocalyptic coming-of-age tale...In turns mythic and down-to-earth, this intense novel combines adventure and philosophy to tell a truly memorable zombie story, one that forces readers to consider them not just as flesh-eating monsters or things to be splattered, but as people."--"Publishers Weekly, "starred review

"An impressive mix of meaning and mayhem."--"Booklist"

"George Romero meets "The Catcher in the Rye" in this poignant and moving coming of age novel set during zombie times. I welled up at the end, then smiled through my tears when I realized there was going to be a sequel. Bravo, Jonathan Maberry. Can't wait to read more." --Nancy Holder, "New York Times" bestselling author of "Wicked" and "Possessions"

"Horror fans will appreciate the gorge-raising descriptions of the shambling zombies...while zombie-apocalypse aficionados will cotton to the solid world-building and refreshingly old-school undead. --"Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"

"This is a romping, stomping adventure. And while most zombie novels are all about the brains, this one has a heart as well. With the dead prowling all around, fifteen-year-old Benny Imura learns the bittersweet lessons of life, love, and family in the great Rot & Ruin. Anyone with a pulse will enjoy this novel, and anyone with a brain will find plenty of food for thought inside."--Michael Northrop, author of "Gentlemen"

"This is no ordinary zombie novel. Maberry has given it a soul in the form of two brothers who captured my heart from the first page and refused to let go."--Maria V. Snyder, "New York Times "bestselling author of "Poison Study"

"Thrilling, enticing, and surprisingly touching, "Rot & Ruin" will grip readers from beginning to end, and make them question who the real monsters are. It had me hooked from page one."--Heather Brewer, author of "The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod" series

About the Author

Jonathan Maberry is a New York Times bestselling author, five-time Bram Stoker Award winner, and comic book writer. He writes in multiple genres including suspense, thriller, horror, science fiction, fantasy, and adventure; and he writes for adults, teens, and middle grade. His works include the Joe Ledger thrillers, Glimpse, the Rot & Ruin series, the Dead of Night series, The Wolfman, The X-Files Origins: Devil's Advocate, Mars One, and many others. Several of his works are in development for film and TV, including V Wars, which is a Netflix original series. He is the editor of high-profile anthologies including the X-Files books, Aliens: Bug Hunt, Out of Tune, Hardboiled Horror, Baker Street Irregulars, Nights of the Living Dead, and others. He lives in Del Mar, California. Visit him at JonathanMaberry.com and on X (@JonathanMaberry) and Facebook.