Ashfall Paperback – October 16, 2012

Marvelous. Simply marvelous. There is no other word for it. If the Yellowstone eruption were to happen tomorrow, I have little doubt that events would unfold very similarly to how Mullin imagined they would in this book. And that is a sad state of affairs. Because when it comes down to it, survival is everyone's first instinct, and for some people, they will do anything to live, even if that means killing and eating your own pets. Even if it means killing and eating your own neighbors.That is literally how gory, how terrifying, how utterly fascinating this story is. This is a story that grabs you because it shows us how willing Mullin is to plumb the depths of human nature in all of us.Michael Grant (author of the critically acclaimed GONE series) put it perfectly when he said "the scariest apocalypse is the one that can really happen." He was right. This story is absolutely, edge of your seat, terrifying.Our hero, Alex, is not your average YA hero. He is not especially attractive, not especially intelligent, and any action knowledge he has comes from playing World of Warcraft. And oh yeah, he is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, which may or may not keep him alive in the violent aftermath of a terrifying apocalypse.The book opens with rebellious Alex hanging out, playing World of Warcraft, and rolling his eyes at his annoying parents and bratty sister who are leaving to visit relatives. But just a few pages in and the house nearly implodes on Alex as ear shattering noise, reminiscent of the biblical trumpets of the angels, is heard outside. Indeed, judgment day has arrived, though not the judgment day of the Bible. Before Alex can even properly settle into his new home, he witnesses a horrific triple murder, and is forced to leave the so-called safety of his neighbor's home. He heads out on a pair of skis to find his family, who are over 100 miles away. As volcanic ash falls around him, and as crops and animals die and neighbors turn on neighbor, Alex must find the strength and courage to survive in a nation that is suddenly hostile.Along the way Alex meets Darla, a tempestuous but brave young woman who is at first hesitant to trust Alex, but finally forges a reluctant alliance. Together the two head out in icy, barren conditions trying to avoid looters, thieves, murderers, government officials and oh yes, cannibals as they trek across the dangerous terrain. Indeed, even the government isn't a safe haven in these conditions. FEMA camps have sprung up, herding citizens cattle-like into camps, and providing less than adequate living conditions for their prisoners. Yes, prisoners. No one is given a choice on whether they go to camp or not. Marshall Law is in effect and it's 100% hair raising.The characters in this book are excellently drawn. They are far from perfect. They are not beautiful, and they are of average intelligence. What they do have is an incredibly strong survival instinct, coupled with extraordinary bravery and compassion. They draw courage from each other. It is clear neither of them could have survived for long without the other. Alex and Darla are ordinary kids thrown into an extraordinary situation. They are not star-crossed lovers who instantly fall into each other's arms. No, when they finally fall in love, it is born of necessity and a human need for comfort. It is a love born of tragedy, but it works. And because of that, it is believable and it is inevitable.If Mullin is unafraid to show us the evil that resides in men, so too is he willing to display our inherent goodness. As ASHFALL opens, the world has become a desolate and barren place.The water is polluted. The air is deadly. All vegetation is dead. And food? Finding it is like searching for gold in an emptied mine. It's there but finding it is almost impossible. While some men may turn to cannibalism to survive, others are banding together, creating miniature governments in a suddenly lawless country, determined to survive through sheer force of will. When Alex is dehydrated and near death, he finds food and water from a kind elderly couple. And when he is nearly mortally wounded, it is only through the grace and freely given medical assistance of a generous mother and her somewhat surly but surprisingly gentle daughter that he gradually gathers enough strength to resume the hunt for his parents.This is the kind of book that keeps you up all night. It is fast-paced and action packed. Every chapter leaves you wanting more, breathless with worry and fear for the characters. Mike Mullin is not afraid to put his characters in mortal danger, and not all of them will live. Some die. And it's not pretty when they do. Scurvy and silicosis are the least of their worries. Above all, this book is realistic. It is violent, gritty, exhausting, and absolutely FANTASTIC.Mike Mullin, I applaud you. You are a new and formidable force to be reckoned with in YA Fiction, and I can't wait to see what magic your fingers create next.Read my other reviews at sparklyrainbows.tumblr.com

This book is freakin' scary. For some reason I wasn't super incredibly excited to read it. I wasn't unexcited, I just wasn't looking forward to it the most. But wow, Ashfall has probably affected me the most out of all the books I've read this year. This book will make you think, and wonder, and fear, and then go do research to see if it could actually happen. Because it could actually happen, and that's what makes this book so terrifying. Before I even finished reading, I started doing loads and loads of research, Googling all about the "Yellowstone supervolcano" and soaking up a bunch of information.In addition to being a total shocker, Ashfall was heart-wrenching. It kind of reminded me of the movie The Day After Tomorrow. That movie is about a devastating disaster, and then a father trekking from Philadelphia to Manhattan to save his son. In Ashfall, the Yellowstone supervolcano errupts, and Alex decides to trek over a hundred miles to get back to his family. The devotion and determination is really moving.Ashfall was actually funnier than I thought it would be! I mean it wasn't exactly in the humour genre, but Alex had hilarious thoughts sometimes and there were just little snippets here and there that made me laugh! Like this quote:==========Darla had been doing something by the fire. Now she returned and began stripping the blanket off me. I grabbed it before she could pull it away from my groin, to preserve my modesty."Let go. There's nothing there I haven't seen. Who do you think undressed you, anyway? And honestly, I've seen better equipment on goats."==========Alex had such an awesome personality and I loved reading from his point of view. He's kind of a cool kid who clearly used to be a bit awkward and antisocial. He was sucked into video games and books and didn't seem to enjoy the "real world" that much. Maybe that's part of why he's so blunt and has such an awesome take on everything.There were a few times where I felt that Ashfall was getting a little slow, but that quickly disappeared once I got to the last third of the book. There were some huge plot progressions and the romance started. OH MY GOD, THE ROMANCE! I absolutely adored the romance in Ashfall. It was so real.. I mean Alex and Darla had great chemistry, but Mike Mullin also included some of the awkward parts of a romance, and that's what made it feel so real. Like two people talking about whether or not they're virgins, considering having sex, and so on. Usually books make those kind of things sound so easy and just brush over them. But in Ashfall, those conversations are kind of awkward, which is totally awesome!As a heads up, there are a few pretty violent and/or gruesome scenes in Ashfall. There's some killing, detailed descriptions of gutting animals, horrible living conditions, starvation, etc. Some of them were pretty disgusting, but it was also very realistic. I mean with no food, no help, and no communication, people are hunting animals and prepare their own meat, raiding and looting, defending themselves from intruders, and so on! But if you're squeamish, just beware!The loss of humanity is a huge thing in Ashfall. I already alluded to it a bit, but in the book we really see how apocalypse brings out the worst in some people. There are those who will do absolutely anything to get their hands on food and supplies -- including murder. Some people go about it with violence, and others go about it with dirty politics. Seeing these things happen in Ashfall is so saddening and eye opening. It's terrifying to imagine that there are people who would do those kinds of things.Ashfall is a terrifyingly realistic post-apocalyptic book and I'm so glad I got the chance to read it! It has my brain totally alive and buzzing, imagining the possibility of disaster and fearing the worst. But Ashfall also gives you a glimmer of hope. Despite all the horrible things in the world, great things can still happen. Romance can still be found and families can find a way to stay together!

I originally didn't know this was a young adult book but once I started reading I noticed. It seems to be lacking a close attention to detail that I personally like but it definitely kept my attention. Soon as you think everything's okay something happens and it keeps you on your toes. I will be reading the series since it was addicting.

It was a great idea but it was a book that basically consisted of a bit of action and then day to day, step by step walk. So much time spent explaining how they skied down this hill then up this one then made a fire, then ate some food, then kept warm then skied over here, then over there. You get the picture. It was readable but I need a bit more action. It was a bit too focused on the two main characters and not enough of telling you about how the world is now.

I really enjoyed “Ashfall”. It was really engrossing and the characters are so ‘real’ you feel very wrapped up in their struggles. Even though it is a YA book, I still enjoyed it as an adult.Highly recommended!

just going through and reviewing the series, recommended !!

The storyline is great, but all the animal violence (described very well) is disturbing. I don't need to read a couple of pages on how to skin rabbits. :(