I decided a long time ago that I wouldn’t review other authors’ books. To me, the idea just felt wrong…and maybe a little pretentious. Knowing first-hand how incredibly challenging the whole publishing process is, I thought, who am I to pass judgment on another writer’s work?
Well, I still don’t think I should pass judgment, but I also think I have a responsibility as a reader to point to an exceptional book and say, “You HAVE to read this!”
Mike Mullin’s ASHFALL is such a book.
I love a good dystopian novel, and this is definitely one. Mullin has created a chilling story that grabs you by the throat from the beginning and doesn’t let go even when you reach the end. Based on the possibility of a supervolcano erupting beneath Yellowstone (and, yes, that is a possibility), this wasn’t just a book that I didn’t want to put down while I was reading it, it’s one that has stayed with me, even days after I finished. It’s also one that has me looking at my own emergency preparedness with a critical eye, wondering just how well I’d survive the kind of all-too-possible world Mullin has shown us. I cannot wait for the next in the series, ASH WINTER.
While written for a YA audience, Mullin’s debut novel is fast-paced and gritty enough to appeal to adults as well. And as a reader, it’s my duty to tell you, “You HAVE to read it!”
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