Ashes

Ashes Trilogy, Book 1

By: Ilsa J. Bick

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's Summary

It could happen tomorrow....

An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions. Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom, a young soldier, and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP. For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it's now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human.

Author Ilsa J. Bick crafts a terrifying and thrilling novel about a world that could be ours at any moment, where those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amidst the devastation.

©2011 Ilsa J. Bick (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"For fans of postapocalyptic and horror fiction, Bick has created a story of equal parts intrigue and gore…Katherine Kellgren narrates the tension-filled action at a lightning pace…The author’s frenetic characterization of Alex is tempered by Kellgren’s ability to draw the listener into each scene." ( Audiofile)

2012 Audie Award Nominee, Female Solo Narration

Another Readable Story About the End of the World

As has been said before, One Second After this is not. That doesn't have to be a bad thing. Unfortunately, much of the promise of this adventure story is hampered, in my humble opinion, by its characters.

Alex is definitely not one of my favorite protagonists. Like many central players in young adult epics, her decision-making process seems consistently limited by the presence of a male character for whom she may or may not have feelings. Obviously, such entanglements are often involved in choosing one course of action or another, but much of this narrative seems driven solely by how Alex feels about a boy. This is a real shame since, as other reviewers have pointed out, Alex puts herself forward early on as a motivated, clever young woman capable of surviving on her own.

Having just come off Pure, where the bombs that ended the world as we knew it fused people to whatever or whoever they were in contact with at the time of the blast, Ashes's premise of selective effects from exposure to EMP doesn't seem quite as out there. If you liked One Second After, Alas Babylon, The Postman or the like and are expecting a modern YA equivalent though, I'd advise you to pack a few extra doses of suspension of disbelief.

Katherine Kellgren's performance seems to be a rather divisive point among reviews. I can understand why, as she engages in what one hires Katherine Kellgren to do, putting distinctive, colorful voices to each character and playing up the action. This means an eight year old girl sounding annoying, will sound annoying. Events that happen quickly, will be read quickly. This style can be jarring if you're not used to it, but she's developed a fair bit of critical praise for good reason I think. In short, I found nothing wrong with it and found it a reason to keep going on more than one occasion when I'd begun to have second thoughts about the book.

And the thing of it is, I actually got into the story. I wanted to know what happened to the characters, even though I didn't necessarily like any of them very much. And of course, the cliffhanger ending was such a surprise that I really have no choice but to continue; any criticisms aside, the author deserves a heap of praise for the last ten minutes.

So are there better stories out there? Sure! But there are certainly many I'd call worse. If you're into the setting, I'd say go for it.

A pretty good zombie novel, high in melodrama

Cons first: this is a YA novel (strike one) about zombies (strike two) with a female protagonist who goes mushy over not one but two hot boys (strike three).

If I'd known all these things beforehand (especially #3), I probably would not have selected this audiobook, so it's a good thing sometimes I get pleasantly surprised.

(Incidentally, I do not hate either YA or zombie novels — quite the contrary — it's just that so much of it is awful and derivative that my expectations tend to be low going in.)

Ashes isn't as good as Mira Grant's "Newsflesh" trilogy, but it's still a pretty good zombie tale with a teenage girl protagonist who is, yes (sigh) what you might inevitably call "feisty," but she actually earns the moniker, being pretty smart and having some good survival skills and common sense.

I just wish she spent more time thinking survival and less time thinking "Does he or doesn't he?"

Alex is in the mountains thinking about killing herself when a massive series of EMPs takes out civilization. She's thinking about killing herself because she has an incurable brain tumor. So this is one of those books where having normally fatal medical conditions turns out to be an advantage when a giant EMP fries everyone else's brain but gives Alex super-smelling. Actually, it fries the brains of teenagers, turning them into the Changed — yup, zombies. Yes, this is one of those books where zombies represent something else (if ya wanna get all lit-crit on a YA zombie novel), in this case, fear of kids on your lawn. Who want to eat you. It's mostly old people left after the pulse, shooting those darn kids.

Alex is one of the rare teens who doesn't Change. She meets up with a young soldier on leave named Tom, who also hasn't Changed, and a little girl named Ellie. The three of them set off on a trek across the wilds, and of course run into both zombies and the usual assortment of human survivors who turn out to be as bad as zombies. Alex is separated from Tom and Ellie, and winds up in a town called Rule full of nice pleasant folks who are kind of like Mormons/Amish but not. Yes, one of those towns. Creepy vibes right from the start, even before Alex begins unraveling the truths behind Rule. Besides Hot Boy #2 there are several Big Reveals, the last of which is left until the last page because of course this is the first book in a trilogy.

Notwithstanding the predictable tropes and several eye-rolling moments, this was a pretty good listen with a few somewhat novel twists. Ilsa Blick's writing was decent, and I enjoyed the story (and found the loose ends aggravating) enough to want to read book two.

3.5 stars, which I will round up because I'm feeling generous and because I actually intend to continue the series, which is becoming less common for me nowadays.

A lot of reviewers have commented on Katherine Kellgren's narration. She seems to be quite polarizing. So yes, she reads the action scenes in a rapid, almost breathless tone of voice, she screams when the characters scream, and since unfortunately one of the characters for the first half of the book is an incredibly bratty nine-year-old, that means you get a lot of whiiiiiining and YELLING and carrying on, because Kellgren reads Ellie's parts just like how a bratty, terrified, angry nine-year-old would sound.

Once I got used to it, it did not bother me. If you are used to audiobooks where the narrators tend to keep a fairly even tone of voice even while reading the loud action sequences and don't pitch their voices to match those of panicky, emotional character, then Kellgren's reading may seem overly dramatic, but she is never unclear and her voice fits the parts she's reading. While I'm not sure I'd choose Katherine Kellgren to read a Jane Austen novel, she seems just fine for a zombie apocalypse.

No Thank You

What would have made Ashes better?

A better, less annoying story and less annoying characters.

What was most disappointing about Ilsa J. Bick’s story?

The flow of the story.

How could the performance have been better?

Less screeching and screaming.

What character would you cut from Ashes?

Ellie.

Any additional comments?

Life is too short for bad fiction. In fairness, I will admit that I did not finish this book, but I can just tell that this book is going in a direction that I don't want to follow. After reading some of the reviews (Goodreads and Audible) more in depth, I think it's because people like part of the book but then hated other parts of it so they kind of gave it a "pity" rating. Most dismaying of all, readers seemed to like the first part of the book better than the second part on average. This is a HUGE reason why I stopped reading. I found little to nothing redeeming about the first part and if it only gets worse from here, then god help me.

Audiobook rating: I lay most of the fault with the experience to the story, but this woman's voice was also very grating. Her depiction of Ellie made me want to gouge out my eardrums with a sharp instrument. Especially in the beginning when all Ellie did was scream and whine. Ellie's hysterics eventually leveled out, but not soon enough.

Absolutely Horrible

What could Ilsa J. Bick have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Have Ellie die a slow painful death at the beginning! Delete all the boyfriend drama and make Alex a strong character capable of learning from her mistakes.

Would you be willing to try another one of Katherine Kellgren’s performances?

Worst narration I've ever heard. I should have paid more attention to the reviews.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Relief I paid only the "on sale" price.
Frustration at the missed opportunity this story could have been.

Unbearable Narrator

Would you try another book from Ilsa J. Bick and/or Katherine Kellgren?

I am only two hours into this book, and I almost can't listen anymore. There is a fine line between drama and melodrama, and Katherine Kellgren crosses it at absolutely every opportunity. I'm astonished she has been nominated for so many Audies. Her shrieking affects me like fingernails on a chalk board, which is a shame because I am particularly intrigued by postapocalyptic fiction. If Kellgren narrates the sequel, I'll have to remember to just get the book from my library.

Taut and exciting. Avoid the audio version.

Any additional comments?

Alex had a brain tumor (which she called ‘the monster’) and knew she didn’t have a lot of time left, so she headed up to a special place in the mountains to say goodbye to her parents and dispose of their ashes. While there, she ran into a young girl and the girl’s grandfather. After an unexplained “attack” left Alex able to smell (something the tumor had taken away) and Ellie’s grandfather dead, they struck out on their own to find out what happened.

I really liked Alex. She was a strong protagonist, not your basic clichéd damsel-in-distress. She didn’t need, or want, anyone to take care of her, she’d been doing just fine on her own ever since her parents died. Good grief, Ellie was annoying. She was a child, yes, but her complaining and whining seemed far too young for someone her age. Tom, whom the two ended up running into and sticking with, was another strong character. He had some secrets and wasn’t upfront about his reasons for being on the mountain, but immediately was willing to do whatever he could to protect Alex and Ellie. If I were ever in a zombie apocalypse, I would want him on my side. (As an aside, if the zombie apocalypse were to actually take place, I would hightail it over to Ashley’s house first.)

We met more characters as the trio journeyed to seek answers and some of those characters were more developed than others, though I found one or two to be on the clichéd side. Especially at the end, some were downright regressive in their thinking and they pissed me off.

There was an element of mystery in Ashes, not only in what exactly the attack was and how it happened, but why did it bring back Alex’s olfactory sense, and why did it give her the ability to smell other things, like lies and personalities?

I didn’t like the second half of the novel, as the world learned to move on and survive, as much as I did the first, but it was still enjoyable. There was a change in the novel’s setting and I missed Tom (and yes, even the ultra-annoying Ellie) and thought the story was better when the three of them were together.

The audio was a trainwreck. I don’t know if that’s how Katherine Kellgran narrates all of her books, but I will be avoiding anything narrated by her at all costs in the future. In the beginning, she made Ellie into a LOUD whiny brat. I don’t think she would have been that annoying as a character without Katherine’s narration. She screamed the exciting parts and I ended up turning my volume down several times.

The cover is creepy, and gives a hint at what the book may be about (electromagnetic waves?). Though I don’t like it as a general book cover, it fits the novel perfectly.

Taut and exciting. Avoid the audio version at all costs.

Pretty Bad

I will warn you that I stopped after the first 2 hours and SPOLIERS--- The narration seems to fit, whinny irritating little girls. The story is a joke. In the first two hours they seemingly lose all their supplies, food, weapons--- in what can only be described as a head scratcher. She lost he back pack because she swung around too quick and it flew off a cliff? The kid goes fishing while balancing ALL their fishing gear and and gun on a tree over the river, and you guessed it--- the idiot knocks it all in the river. Pass on this one, it is pretty stupid. It might get better as it goes along, but the first few hours ruined it for me.

I Admit, I Left This One Unfinished

I should have heeded the review that complained about the yelling and whining. I suppose if one read a hardcopy it wouldn't have the same annoying impact as the audio version. The first 20 "pages" were all I could do. The story opens with the main character, a teen girl, Alex, arguing with her aunt on the phone. The aunt feels she needs to yell her half of the conversation. Then Alex meets a truly annoying child that screams, pouts, cries and verbally abuses her grandfather/guardian. Frankly after listening to that I found I could care less about the story.

I like the narrator and have heard her other work but even she couldn't pull this out. I may try it again later and if I can get through it, I'll change the review, but right now I can't do it. The yelling, whining and the attitude of the 8 year old child in the story totally turned me off...and consequently off went my iPod.

good book not so good narrator

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

Would recommend book but not audio version.

Any additional comments?

This is my first review, I'm not writing so much to review the book because the book is actually good. This particular narrator is just generally not enjoyable to listen too. She makes the characters sound whiny and stupid. This is the first audiobook I've ever purchased that I have had to buy the paper version instead. So If you haven't listened to it do not waste your credit. Just get it on your kindle or nook, or buy the book outright. I am looking forward to the author's next book, but I will not get it from here.

Cheap is dear...even at a daily deal not worth it!

What would have made Ashes better?

Eliminate the terrible characters annoying narration

What do you think your next listen will be?

Nothing by this author or narrator

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Very annoying

What character would you cut from Ashes?

The first two girls we meet.

Any additional comments?

Do not waste youcredits or time

Good story spoilt by narrator

The semi-hysterical, high-pitched tones of the narrator at any moment in the book where the action picks up makes this an uncomfortable listen.

Review: "Ashes" by Ilsa J Bick

When I first picked up this book I did so because I'd seen a few good reviews of it around and about and I was enjoying the fab little trend of dystopian fiction that is still running its course in YA at the moment. However, my hopes weren't huge because I'm one of those despicable human beings who judges books by their covers. This cover was just a bit...is “80s” the right term?...for me.

Well give me a sturdy slap on the wrist, I must learn to obey old clichés as this was a book that I should not have judged by its cover. And I should not have expected it to fit into the sometimes (though not always) sanguine niche that YA can be. Don't bite, I said it can be!

For me, Ashes was a book that provided plenty of the darkness and grit that its title suggested. When an EMP causes all electronics to faulter and also interferes with the teeny tiny electrical pulses in the brains of humans, a whole heap of...poop...hits the fan! Only the very young and very old survive intact...save for a few exceptions such as Alex, the protagonist. Others survive, but as maddened inhumane creatures, similar to the "sickos" in Charlie Higson's The Enemy series, or the raging "infected" in 28 Days Later.

The idea of the masses succumbing to a force that leaves them insane and blood thirsty is not new. The dystopian premise of technology falling down around our ears is not new either. So what about this book made me love it as much as I did? It was a combination of things really. I loved Alex as the protagonist. She goes to the mountains to bury her past and to admit that, due to a brain tumor, she has no future. Instead it is her tumor and the treatments she's had for it that saves her from the EMP and allows her to begin her story. These are things you find out in the first pages so I don't think I'm spoiling anything for you.

I'm thoroughly looking forward to the sequel to this (already on my Goodreads Wishlist) and finding out how Bick tortures her protagonist further.

Poorly performed

I read and really enjoyed this book a couple of years back, and thought I'd buy the audiobook to refresh my memory of the story before reading the next in the series. I was really disappointed with the reading of the story however, the reader really over acted some of the scenes and was virtually shrieking and babbling some of the scenes where the lead character was panicked or upset which just forced me to switch off. I will be returning this title

Interesting start but...

Would you try another book written by Ilsa J. Bick or narrated by Katherine Kellgren?

I'm not sure I would try a different book. This one seemed to start well, but somewhere around the middle I had completely lost the plot. There is only so many times i want to rewind a story before I give up.

Would you ever listen to anything by Ilsa J. Bick again?

Depends on the narrator.

How could the performance have been better?

The performance was frantic to say the least. Someone needs to calm the lady down!

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment considering all the good reviews.

Any additional comments?

The are plenty of much better end of the world / zombie teen stories.

Too many unanswered questions.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

It was enjoyable, but I am frustrated by this idea that a lot of new writers have, that book one of a trilogy means you don't have to actually complete a story.
I understand wanting people to be intrigued enough to buy the next book, but this has so many unanswered questions it basically felt like a prologue and not a complete book and that leaves me feeling cheated.

Would you be willing to try another book from Ilsa J. Bick? Why or why not?

Possibly. I did want to know what happens next, but I also did not want to be given no answers and 26 more questions by the end of book two, so it has put me off continuing. The overall idea of something sending an electro-magnetic pulse that changes the planet was intriguing enough, it didn't need to end almost part way through a scene. That feeling of being cheated by the author has put me off.

Which character – as performed by Katherine Kellgren – was your favourite?

Alex or Tom.

Did Ashes inspire you to do anything?

It inspired me to be warier of buying the first book in a series without checking reviews.

Any additional comments?

Well written, but does not feel like book one of a trilogy, more like a piece of one book.

hooked

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

yes, great story, great characters and had me wanting more.expertly read by katherine.

What other book might you compare Ashes to, and why?

the twelve trilogy by justin cronin, ilsa's books come close second. same kind of theme

What does Katherine Kellgren bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

excitement, suspense,

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

yes, but sadly i had to work....but couldnt wait to hear more at the first oppertunity

Any additional comments?

this book was read superbly, i cant wait for the next one. i need to know what happens to the characters as they are amazing

Fast paced action that is quite gory

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

Havent read the print version

Who was your favorite character and why?

Alex a feisty female seemed to lead the way and the story followed her actions and thoughts.

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

I don't often read this type of genre but was interested in the thoughts and ideas she put forward. Never certain about why the zombie concept is created. However the scenario around why the end of the world as we know it evolved through discussion between Alex and Tom was well managed

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

There were some great relationship developing moments between the main characters

Any additional comments?

Not a book for the faint hearted. It is very gory in places. however I like the pace and I kept listening

Beware. Something like this could really happen

What did you like about this audiobook?

Very possible plot

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

Next book added to my wish list

Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does he achieve this?

Very imaginative description

What did you find wrong about the narrator's performance?

Why would there be anything wrong.

Do you have any additional comments?

This is described as young adults. I would say that any adult who likes fantasy would like this.

You Never Know... This Might Just Happen !!

Would you listen to Ashes again? Why?

Yes, I really enjoyed listening to this book, it has a good sense of reality throughout the book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Ashes?

When they found the rangers cabin, and what went on there... (don't want to give too much away)

Have you listened to any of Katherine Kellgren’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No, This is the first book I have listened to by Katherine Kellgren

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device in the world

Any additional comments?

Have added "Shadows", the second book in the Ashes Trilogy: where no one is safe and humans may be the worst of the monsters. to my wish list..