Benton: A Zombie Novel: Volume One

By: Jolie Du Pre

Narrated by: Angie Hickman

Length: 2 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Zombies have killed everyone in the Benton household - all except 20-something Jennifer. She's escaped her bedroom, but what now? Waterbank, Illinois, is overrun. Where can she go?

A chance encounter with seven other young survivors points her toward Texas. A charismatic, handsome young man named Mark says he can lead them all to his family's ranch. He's sure they'll be safe there. Jennifer wants to trust him, with her life and possibly her heart.

There's no place else to go, there's no way to escape the zombies but through, and there's no telling if Jennifer and Mark will live long enough to act on the emotion building between them.

©2014 Jolie du Pre (P)2014 Jolie du Pre

Zombies are great!

Would you listen to Benton: A Zombie Novel: Volume One again? Why?

Not yet, obviously, as I haven't yet read book two, but oh my gosh! What a great story!

What did you like best about this story?

The characters are very fully 'fleshed out', and easily loved. The burgeoning relationship, between Jennifer and Mark, is remarkable under the circumstances.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene occurred toward the middle of the book, when Eli got bitten. I hate to give spoilers, so that is all I'm going to say!

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

The zombie apocalypse is NOT just for men anymore. Move over tough guy, and get ready for some girl power!

Any additional comments?

I truly enjoyed the voice of the narrator, Angie Hickman. Her delivery is flawless and diverse. Her amazing range is well employed in this story

Benton: A Zombie Novel: Volume One

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

Yes - because it has interesting characters and is a unique story.

What did you like best about this story?

The way it was performed. Voice.

Which character – as performed by Angie Hickman – was your favorite?

Jennifer.

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

Yes.

Nice Read

Would you consider the audio edition of Benton: A Zombie Novel: Volume One to be better than the print version?

I started to enjoy the characters and then it ended. It was not a very complex story, but a fun narrative and a good addition to anyone's zombie collection.

rough

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I felt that certain scenes just did not fit in and were poorly timed. Okay we are running from zombies and are teens but we are going to fall in love in a week and we are going to have sex out of nowhere.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

honestly nothing stands out to me on either side.

What three words best describe Angie Hickman’s performance?

just okay.

Could you see Benton: A Zombie Novel being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No.

Good novel if you like YA, Zombies and romance

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I would have liked this book better if it had been written for an older audience. It originally read like a YA--romantic sections sure attested to this!--but the language, stilted writing, and unrealistic situations made it read more like a tween novel.

Would you ever listen to anything by Jolie Du Pre again?

I suppose.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The narrator did a decent job with boy voices, although she has a high pitched voice. She spoke a little quickly and was a little pitchy.

Did Benton: A Zombie Novel: Volume One inspire you to do anything?

No

fun

Well done great listen! I enjoyed this one it was not overdone! I was given the book free for honest reveiw and i would love to hear more from both the writter and the narrator was top of the line!

A Good Start

Where does Benton: A Zombie Novel rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Benton: A Zombie Novel ranks somewhere in the middle of all the audiobooks I've listened to. This was an easy to listen to audiobook. I'd like to see where this goes.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jennifer and Mark where my favorite characters. I think they're likeable characters with room to build on.

Which character – as performed by Angie Hickman – was your favorite?

Angie Hickman did a great job performing all the characters in this story. She has a nice voice with good control and all the characters were distinct.

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

I actually liked the whole story. I can't wait until they get to Texas. Hopefully in the next book. I liked when they finally finished off Gary.

Any additional comments?

I received this audiobook foc in exchange for an unbiased review.

Zombie

Any additional comments?

This book was very well written. I like the interesting characters and they complement each other. The story moves smoothly and its hard to stop listening once you start I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the,zombie genre

More survival story than zombie bash

Set in modern-day small town Illinois, Jennifer Benton must first escape her house. Everyone she knows, including her family, have turned into zombies. She’s been holed up in her room for weeks, with her zombie mother right outside waiting for something living to cross her path. But escape she does and a chance encounter puts her in a closed garage with 7 other folks. Now, they must make a plan for the future as supplies won’t last forever, especially with winter coming on.

This is another fun addition to the zombie genre. Jennifer Benton is easy to connect with and isn’t a silly lass. In fact, she is quite practical and willing to add to her list of skills, zombie killing being at the top. She’s in her early 20s, so she’s past the silly teen stage yet still young enough to know how tender and encompassing love (or lust) can be. And with the handsome Mark around, there is definitely temptation.

While this book does has a romantic plot line to it, there is so much more going on. Primarily, it is a survival story. Can Benton trust everyone in their little group? Probably not, much to everyone’s woe. Then there are the roving bands of other humans to consider. And those pesky zombies. Since many of their group are locals, killing zombies is a bit emotionally draining as they were once friends or family. I am glad the author explored that aspect of it.

There is one sex scene and it is sweet. However, we’re shown how the man will be pleased, and only told how the woman was pleased after the fact. I would have liked a little more equality there as media in general tends to shy away from the female orgasm. I think we all know that more humans would benefit from some instructive fiction in how to obtain a female orgasm.

Overall, this was a great addition to the survival genre with focus on human interactions and trust. It steered away from the gory horror of zombies that many zombies books focus on.

Narration: Angie Hickman was a good choice for Jennifer Benton. She had a young woman’s voice but didn’t sound like a teen. Hickman also had distinct voices for both male and female characters.

A Zombie book for 12 year olds

No horrible but obviously not researched or thought out. This is another teenage angst, the zombie apocalypse is such a great matchmaker.

Dr. A