Ashfall by Mike Mullin review

Ashfall by Mike Mullin (Ashfall #1)

Egalley thanks to Tanglewood Press


Synopsis from Goodreads
Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet.
Ashfall is the story of Alex, a teenage boy left alone for the weekend while his parents visit relatives. When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts unexpectedly, Alex is determined to reach his parents. He must travel over a hundred miles in a landscape transformed by a foot of ash and the destruction of every modern convenience that he has ever known, and through a new world in which disaster has brought out both the best and worst in people desperate for food, water, and warmth. With a combination of nonstop action, a little romance, and very real science, this is a story that is difficult to stop reading and even more difficult to forget.
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I've already mentioned on Goodreads that this book chilled me to the bone.

The fact is, Ashfall makes us face the unpleasant fact that humanity is not pretty. Strip off the thin layer of civilization, get rid of the organized force which maintains the order and what you get is greed, fear, and hate running unchecked. Well, you can see what's happening in Africa at the moment...

This is why Ashfall is so scary, the scenario so believable.

A supervulcano erupts. Ashfall covers most of US grounds. There is no electricity, not much drinkable water and very little food. Among the post-eruption harsh winter a 16-years-old boy Alex tries to get from his home town to his parents who went to see his uncle living two hours away before the eruption.

Walking through wastelands covered by ash and snow, in danger of dying of hunger or thirst, hypothermia and attacks of the human scavengers in all their horrendous glory, Alex's growth to an extremely admirable human being is astounding.

During his journey he meets another beautiful, strong soul, 18-year-old Darla.

Together they survive through incredibly dangerous situations and tragedies, and what emerges is these unbreakable ties of friendship and then love.

I couldn't find a single fault in this book. The world-building is believable. The characters' growth is amazing. It's an intense, quick, jam-packed with action read. The only downfall of this book is its abrupt inconclusive ending. I was so wrapped up in what was happening I couldn't believe the book would end in the middle of the sentence while I was still expecting this sentence to end...

Oh well, at least there was no cliffhanger.

Overall, a brilliant debut. I'll be reading the rest of the series, for sure.

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Прекрасная книга и в то же время довольно страшная.

После извержения огромнейшего вулкана на территории США, почти вся страна погружается во мрак и хаос из-за вулканической пыли. Электичества нет, продовольствия нет, чистая вода ограничена, практически нет связи между городами и штатами.

Майк Маллин превосходно описывает, что происходит с людской натурой, когда с неё спадает тонкий слой цивилизации, а удержать людей больше некому. Нет организованной силы, следящей за порядком. Остаётся жадность, страх, ненависть, закон джунглей, где выживает сильнейший.

Среди вулканической пыли и начавшейся рано суровой зимы 16-летний Алекс пытается добраться до своих родителей и сестёнки, что перед извержением уехали навестить его дядю.

Ему грозит опасность умереть от голода, жажды, холода или человеческих хищников, и из всех трагедий, схваток и страданий его характер вырастает в нечто сильное, живучее, благородное и не потеявшее свою человечность.

В дороге Алекс встречает 18-летнюю Дарлу, и происходящие трагедии сближают их и превращают их отношения в крепкую дружбу и постепенно в любовь...

Эта книга проморозила меня до костей. Настолько легко было представить как вероятен описанный сценарий. Блестящий дебют, несмотря на неожиданную концовку, - повествование обрывается буквально на полуслове. Буду читать продолжение в обязательном порядке.

9.5/10