ASHES

For fans of postapocalyptic and horror fiction, Bick has created a story of equal parts intrigue and gore. The first of a trilogy, ASHES begins with a sudden electromagnetic pulse that wipes out the power grid and kills people by the thousands. Katherine Kellgren narrates the tension-filled action at a lightning pace and creates a range of vocalizations that at times border on the grating. Protagonist Alex finds herself with an 8-year-old girl to watch over, a newly acquired super-sense of smell, and an uncertain path through the destruction, which involves the discovery of others who have been “spared” and a fight to the death against flesh-eating zombies. The author’s frenetic characterization of Alex is tempered by Kellgren’s ability to draw the listener into each scene. E.A.B. 2012 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2012]