Dust and Decay

By: Jonathan Maberry

Narrated by: Brian Hutchison

Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

A New York Times best-selling author and multiple Bram Stoker Award winner, Marvel Comics writer Jonathan Maberry continues the story he began in Rot and Ruin.

Six months have passed since Benny Imura and Nix Riley learned that flesh-eating zombies aren’t the scariest or most dangerous monsters around. Now, Benny’s brother Tom is training them in the art of zombie whacking. But as they plan to leave and find a better future, a zombie attack puts a crimp in their plans. And soon, they discover an old enemy they believed was long-gone may actually still be alive.

©2011 Jonathan Maberry (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC

An excellent addition to the series!

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

This book was just as hard to put down as Rot and Ruin! Once again Jonathan Maberry crafted a story that simply compelled you to continue reading. Dust and Decay introduced a few new characters while constantly evolving the original characters in realistic ways. The insight into human character is wonderful. This series is less about the dead and more about the way we approach living. I wept at the end, it was so unexpected and unwelcome! I can, however, clearly see how this book -and that ending - will flow beautifully into another book. This is a series not to be missed!

What other book might you compare Dust and Decay to and why?

As a post apocalyptic/zombie novel it falls into the same category as The Forest of Hands and Teeth series.

What does Brian Hutchison bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

This story is performed wonderfully! He has a voice that seems very sympathetic to the characters.

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

Well I'd have to steal a line from the book: Remember, in the Rot & Ruin everything wants to kill you.

Any additional comments?

Fantastic book to read or listen to - or both!

GREAT start to the series!

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

Yes! For those whose guilty reading secret is zombie gore, this is a great addition to your library. This is a different story that picks up a decade and a half after the beginning of the zompoc.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Tom Imura is a wonderful, mentor-like character who is misjudged by the person who has the most cause to trust him.

Which scene was your favorite?

The defeat of the villain makes you stand up and cheer. I loved the final confrontation scene and the surprise that appears during that scene. Maberry is good at tricking his audience.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The end of the novel is tearjerking and completes the novel perfectly. Tears without death are always great moments in any book.

Well crafted story

I know that this book/series was written for kids but it's still an enjoyable listen for adults. There's a intentional simplicity in the way it's written but it is able to draw in listeners of all ages

A must for the Zombie Lover

I enjoyed this book much more than the first, primarily because Benny and his crew are a little more mature and not nearly as whiny as before as he’s been strengthened by what he’s gone through before. Well written with a great amount of action with a few twists and turns mixed in. “Dust and Decay” does a great job of immersing you in this world while bringing the characters to life so that you feel a real connection. A must read for any zombie lover.

Mr. Hutchinson does a great job with the narration and differentiation between all of the characters!

One of the must listens in apocalypse genre

Any additional comments?

Incredible sequel. Big fan of the genre...bigger fan of Maberry books (Joe Ledger)...biggest fan of this series.

Great story but...

This serious, so far, is AMAZING with the exception of one of the most annoying, spoiled, entitled characters I've ever had the displeasure of reading about. Nix Riley might be the most annoying and selfish characters to ever exist. EVERYTHING she says is whiney and annoying. Her thoughts and actions are INCREDIBLY selfish. If she wasn't in this serious I don't think it would affect the quality of the story in any way. Benny, Chong, Tom, and Layla are all great characters, well written and flushed out to near perfection.
Also Mayberry LOVES to yell "NOOOOOO" over and over again. That might be my only other issue other than Nix.
Great story, good characters with the exception of one, and strong villians! Worth a read!

Excellent Series....good character development.

The author does a wonderful job explaining and giving enough details that you can imagine the scenes without being too much or too boring.

Great for teens

If you could sum up Dust and Decay in three words, what would they be?

Atypical of genre.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dust and Decay?

There is a scene in which the main character accompanies his older brother to "quiet" a zombie. It is a pivotal moment in their relationship and in the book. The moments just prior are full of suspense and the scene itself is intensely emotional.

Which character – as performed by Brian Hutchison – was your favorite?

I think my favorite would have to be the main character's older brother, Tom. He's got so many admirable qualities. He is an honorable man who has taken over the care of his younger brother since the death of their parents 8 years prior to the start of the book. The more that is revealed about him during the course of the book, the more I grew to like him. The narration in general, while not bad, was not great either and I listened to it at 1.5x normal speed.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would have but it was too long to hear all at once.

Any additional comments?

I'm a huge horror fan and have many zombie books. My 13 year old daughter also loves all things spooky and I got this for her as her first zombie book. It's perfect for her. The young characters are well-written and their dialogue, thoughts and emotions are believable. The book is more about the relationships between the characters, the difference between living and survival and morality than about zombies. While there are some suspenseful scenes and violence, there isn't the graphic violence and gore typical of the genre. Since I bought this for my daughter, I'm not complaining.

hoped for more

over all the book was enjoyable bet it could have been so much better. The idea of these kids have wooden swords and nothing about that makes sense.

It's not Joe Ledger

What did you love best about Dust and Decay?

There are always two sides to a story, and this story was no different. You have people who want to have a better life, and then there are people who want to rule everybody else on their terms, making themselves gods. I was surprised to learn about how some of the good people were secretly enjoying the bad side of the world, and even making profits from other people's pain. Interesting twist to the story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Tom, definitely. He as a really good guy who was sincerely interested in the best for people, despite what people did to him and the people he loved.

What three words best describe Brian Hutchison’s performance?

ehhh. Brain sounded like he was sorta going through the motions. There didn't seem to be a real interest in the story by Brian. Based on other readers, I think he could have done much better

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Tom's standoff with the dark characters, shaping his hand into a pistol, and shooting one of the bad guys. The looks on the bad guys faces.....priceless

Any additional comments?

For me, I think Brian could have done a much better job. It just "sounded" like he was reading a story, not really participating in the story.