Sunrise

Sunrise is the final book of Mike Mullin's Ashfall series.

The Yellowstone supervolcano nearly wiped out the human race.  Now, almost a year after the eruption the survivors seem determined to finish the job. Communities wage war on each other, gangs of cannibals roam the countryside, and what little government survived the eruption has collapse completely.  The ham radio has gone silent.  Sickness, cold, and starvation are the survivors's constant companions.

When it becomes apparent that their home is no longer safe and the adults are not facing stark realities, Alex and Darla must create a community that can survive the ongoing disaster, an almost impossible task requiring even more guts and more smarts than ever- and unthinkable sacrifice.  If they fail... they, their loved ones, and the few remaining survivors will perish.

The Breakdown:
1. Mullin does a fantastic job of painting a bleak picture of what happens when the world falls apart.  He showcase the best and the worst of humanity in times of disaster. His book gets me thinking just how would we respond if something like this really happened, and that just maybe the doomsday preppers are not as crazy as they seem.

2. I think that Alex is one of my favorite male characters. He is strong and smart, and knows what needs to be done to survive, but he never loses his humanity.  He continues to be kind and help others, even when they were not always nice to him. He is definitely someone I would want around if I needed to survive an apocalypse.

3. I like that Mullin continues to put development in to characters that are just supporting characters like Ed, Anna, and Ben. He continues to add to their personalities even if they are not the center of the story.

4. I think this was the perfect ending for this series, and it really showcased how far the characters, especially Alex and Darla, have come since the start of the series.

To Read or Not to Read:
Must Read