Yellow Zone

A Journal Documentation of the End of America

De: Jacqueline Druga

Narrado por: David Dietz

On a late spring day, the United States of America is hit with a biological terror attack that brings the nation to her knees. The virus is deadly and highly contagious. It spreads like wildfire, infecting, and killing almost everyone it hits.

In order to prevent the worldwide spread of the disease and for the preservation of all mankind, the United States of America is shut down. Quarantined from and by the rest of the world for a period of five years or until a cure is found.

In the interest of the human race, those who remain inside the isolated United States are forgotten and left to fend for themselves until the quarantine is lifted.

This is a journal documentation of just a few of those survivors, those abandoned and left behind to witness the end of the once Greatest Nation in the World, the United States of America.

©2011 Jacqueline Druga (P)2015 Jacqueline Druga

A bit unlikely

But a good story as per her usual. I wasn’t too happy with the narrator though. Not for the main characters voice anyway.

Amazing narration!!

I was a bit hesitant upon starting this because the reviews vary, but to be honest, I really enjoyed it! I think the narration helped with that a lot because David Dietz was amazing!

Let's talk about the narrator first, because he is seriously the best thing about the book! I have never listened to a male narrator that was able to pull off a female voice properly, that is, until this book! He did an amazing female voice and at the start, I had to go back and see were there 2 narrators. He was excellent in all the tones and voices he did and it felt like a full cast were telling the story!!

Now onto the story itself. I loved the journal entries! It really brought a feeling of uniqueness to the genre and added a little extra to the book. The story starts with a virus being intentionally unleashed inside JFK airport. The virus rapidly spreads despite quarantines in place. Most people die but some are immune and more are carriers. These carries are being rounded up and branded. They are taken to carrier camps to live but in one such camp is the author of the journals we are reading. She finds out that the government plan to eradicate all carriers so that the US can start again with no fear of the virus. Thus begins a journey of survival.

There is a lot to like about this book. The way it's written in journal form is one! We don't just see one POV but at times others write in the journal and tell their story. The carrier idea is another! Usually we see the virus killing people and all that's left are the survivours, but here we have the extra complication of carriers! It was a unique and brilliant addition. I also liked that this focuses on one womans life and what happens to her and her loved ones.

In all, I enjoyed this Post Apocalyptic book. It was fairly fast paced and entertaining. The plot was believable and engaging and the book held my attention. As I said already, the narrator helped a lot with this book and I can;t recommend his work enough!! If you like this type of book then it's worth a listen.

Narrator great; not wild about story

Would you try another book from Jacqueline Druga and/or David Dietz?

I would definitely listen to another book narrated by David Dietz. I found his voice enjoyable and versatile. He was able to do women's as well as men's voices without the women seeming falsetto. This was my first exposure to Jacqueline Druga. I cannot say I found the story to be an good as other post-apocalyptic books like "The Dead Lands".

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I really did not enjoy the book that much so the ending did not make much of a difference.

Which character – as performed by David Dietz – was your favorite?

The story itself did not really do anything for me so I was not wild about any of the characters. I did enjoy David's voice. I would buy an audio book narrated by him if I find one that interest me.

Was Yellow Zone worth the listening time?

It was worth the time to be introduced to David Dietz as a narrator.

Any additional comments?

While David's reading was great, it seemed the production values were not as good as some other books I have listened to. The sound quality especially when he raised his voice was not great. I know that is a studio production issue and one that should have been addressed by the producer of the audio book not the narrator.

Yellow Zone

I love 'end of the world' type books.This one was only the demise of the U.S.,but that's ok.It was written in journal form.A typical family vs a plague that is spread by a terrorist.It's a great story with a great narrator.David Dietz is a master of voices.
I was gifted a copy for review by Audioblast.

never really captured my imagination

This was my first exposure to Jacqueline Druga. I cannot say I found the story to be as good as other post-apocalyptic books such as “The Dead Lands“.

The opening scene in the book is of Jen, the main character, sitting on a porch in Ohio. She sees a man she judges as “infected” and shoots him with a rifle, killing him. Jen then takes us back to before the infection started and tells us how it all began. She explains how she went from being a working mother and wife in Philadelphia to survivalist watching the death throes of America. The virus started at Kennedy airport in New York City and at first Jen thought she was far enough away to be safe. As the virus rapidly spread Jen, her husband, son and daughter head to a family cabin in West Virginia taking Dan’s mother with them. They meet up with other family members but have very little time before the infection invades their secluded area.

The story itself never really captured my imagination. Throughout the entire story, I never felt a connection to Jen. She lost loved ones, watched her world destroyed but I never really felt anything for her. I did not like her. I did not dislike her. I just did not care. She never reached out of the story in a way which would have invested me in her survival.

David Dietz’s narration was enjoyable. He was versatile, able to do women’s as well as men’s voices without the women seeming falsetto. I would buy an audio book narrated by him if I find one that interests me. While David’s reading was great, it seemed the production values were not as good. The sound quality, especially when he raised his voice was not great. I know that is a studio production issue and one that should have been addressed by the producer of the audio book not the narrator.

Although Yellow Zone was ultimately a weak book, it was worth the time I spent listening to it to be introduced to David Dietz as a narrator.

Audiobook provided for review by the narrator.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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