Code Zero

Joe Ledger, Book 6

By: Jonathan Maberry

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 16 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

For years the Department of Military Sciences has fought to stop terrorists from using radical bioweapons - designer plagues, weaponized pathogens, genetically modified viruses, and even the zombie plague that first brought Ledger into the DMS. These terrible weapons have been locked away in the world’s most secure facility. Until now. Joe Ledger and Echo Team are scrambled when a highly elite team of killers breaks the unbreakable security and steals the world’s most dangerous weapons. Within days there are outbreaks of mass slaughter and murderous insanity across the American heartland. Can Joe Ledger stop a brilliant and devious master criminal from turning the Land of the Free into a land of the dead?

Code Zero, a Joe Ledger novel from Jonathan Maberry, is the exciting direct sequel to Patient Zero.

©2014 Jonathan Maberry (P)2014 Macmillan Audio

Excellent!!

I’m really enjoying the Joe Ledger books! Is a little bit of everything! Action, romance, supernatural (kind of) and lots of science and misters!

Never disappointed

The writing, the reading, just everything comes together so well in a Joe Ledger novel. There’s so much action and it it clicks emotionally as well. Every time I finish a novel it just leaves me anxious to start the next.

Look out, Joe!

I am an unapologetic devotee of the Joe Ledger novels. Maberry's hero just gets more broken, wittier and more loveable with every novel.

It leaves all the other paranormal /military thrillers behind in the dust. But so do all the others in this series.

Ray Porter's narration is flawless.

I'm Speechless!!!!

This book was amazing!!! its like the sum of how awesome each book was is equal to how awesome this book !!!!

There were plenty of moments were I was completely still not doing anything because i was so shocked. It reached a point were i thought things are never gonna get any better and that the DMS might not be able to deal with this

Code Zero is amazing and a jaw dropper... I couldn't focus on doing anything else while listening to it.

I really wanna know how things will be like in the next addition to this awesome series.

YOU HAVE TO GET IT!!!

Awesome reading... listening

Reading this series has been really awesome, I enjoy every book, and this one maybe is not the best one from the series, but is really good

"scramble your team, we have a code zero"

To me this book tied in all the other books in very nicely. When I heard about this book I was all in. Lots of action and suspense, to me Jonathan Mayberry hasn't lost a step. I wanna tell you more about the code zero but in fear of spoiling it I won't. This book is worth the credit or money so read or listen to it, but you have to listen or read the other books first. Enjoy...

Great return for ledger!

Would you consider the audio edition of Code Zero to be better than the print version?

I didn't read the print, but since I prefer audio books in general, on a personal level, I would have to say yes.

What did you like best about this story?

As usual mayberry does pacing and story-telling right. Even with flashbacks and such, the story kept moving and was never hard (or a chore) to follow.

What about Ray Porter’s performance did you like?

Ray IS Ledger. The voice is perfect. The sarcasm, the inflections. He just does it right.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction.

Any additional comments?

Another great entry in the series. I think Mayberry may have been a bit misleading in his social media marketing of the book as a return to Book 1 (as if the same people were involved), but it does heavily include the zombie virus from the first book.

I really liked the baddy in this book as it did deviate from the norm a bit. I also like the way the interludes wove the character into the backstory without seeming forced.

The action, humor and plot were all top notch as usual. If there were any things I didn't like, it would be the 2 things that I don't like in ALL the Ledger books:

1) His "rational man" persona is annoying. Listen, you're a special agent that has dealt with the insanity of your job for years. Enough of the "oh my god, we killed PEOPLE! They were actual PEOPLE! It hurt is so bad inside!".

It's also annoying when Joe gets all uppity in situations that those around him are perfectly calm and rational in (like when discussing things in the DMS war room and he goes all WELL $#% what do we DO?!?!?!". Come on Joe... So not you.

2) Love interests always seem like a side plot and an overly mushy intrusion into great action. This book is no different, sadly.

Awesome!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it was fast-paced and exciting. I enjoyed the way the author tied in different dangers from past books.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Code Zero?

The subway scene with the walkers.

Which character – as performed by Ray Porter – was your favorite?

Joe Ledger, of course.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

"The seven plagues were only a warm-up."

Any additional comments?

All too often writers neglect to describe the impact of killing on the psyche. Maberry really makes you feel and understand the pain the characters go through in doing what they do.

Oh, Joe! You had me at Chapter 1.

Any additional comments?

I’ll readily admit it. I have a stellar teenage-girl sort of a reader crush on Joe Ledger. Despite his melancholy, navel gazing during which he mentally flagellates himself for carrying out the more difficult duties as agent for the greater good, I adore this character. So, I was propelled beyond delight to find that Jonathan Mayberry has grown out of what I like to call his “Da Vinci Code” phase in the continuing saga of Joe Ledger, and Joe is back in all his fast-paced, world saving glory. Just when you think Mayberry could not possibly think of another manner in which mankind will meet its certain doom, he invents impressively original variations on annihilation scenarios.

Jonathan Mayberry is one of the finest if not the best current authors with regards to character development – developing his characters deep and wide. And bless him, his female characters aren’t feigning flowers nor are they man-hating harpies. They are the literary equivalent of baby bear’s porridge – just right.

What about Ray Porter’s narration? Divine! Ray is Joe Ledger in the way that Sean Runnette is Mike Talbot and Jim Marsters is Harry Dresden. Yes, dear reader, he is that good.

Completely worth the credit.

Best so far!

I'm in love with this series-so much so I've decided to write a review for the first time. This book is the best, or my favorite, so far! The characters and their development throughout the series pull you in so completely. There have been several instances when I found myself saying out loud "No, No, NO!" I was scared for Bunny, heartbroken for Joe, and bubbled with laughter (and tears) along with Rudy.
Only one other series and narrator competes for my love with this one (The Dresden Files with James Marsters).
The best and worst thing about this one is that it's so very real (ok, maybe not the Zombies, Berserkers and Vampires...wink, wink...though I am hoping for the Unicorn and miniature dragon to be realities someday) in how it addresses the failures in our society, the threats to our nation, the toll it takes on our service men and women and our loss of innocence-without completely shredding our Hope of a better world.
Well done Mr. Maberry! Well Done!