It doesn’t matter how many zombie/post-apocalyptic books I read, there is just something about the way Jonathan Maberry writes them that makes me grateful zombies haven’t eaten my brains and left me incapable of reading. Unfortunately, we lose one and possibly two members of our group, while making a very powerful and resourceful friend (who will be familiar to any of you who have read some of Jonathan’s other series). The reader is given a lot of information on the origin of the outbreak and what’s left of the country. Throughout this book, the gang makes some really shocking discoveries. Benny and the Jets have the misfortune of crossing paths with the Reapers and find themselves trapped in the wake of survivors fleeing a local village that has just been raided. Upon hearing a rumor that there is a facility dedicated to finding a cure for the zombie outbreak, known as The Sanctuary, the Reapers set their sights on finding this installation and burning it and all its inhabitants. All throughout what is left of the United States, the Reapers have destroyed villages and slaughtered thousands. Once they have cleansed the world of living flesh, the plan is to turn their weapons upon themselves and leave the world to the zombies. The Reapers, as the cult is known, have been brain-washed into believing that the zombie plague is the wrath of god and anyone left alive is a heretic. Battling a dark, religious cult whose sole quest is the extermination of all remaining life on Earth, the gang will need to muster every ounce of their warrior smarts (with a little help from a friend) to survive.

When Benny spots a woman who seemingly has control over the zombie horde, he has no idea that he and the other members of his group will be catapulted into their most deadly challenge yet. They have seen and committed more violence then they thought possible, and now, rudderless, they see no other option but to continue their search for the airplane and the possibility of a better life. Following the events at Wawona, and Gameland and the defeat of Preacher Jack Benny, Nix, Chong, and Lilah are reeling from the loss of their mentor, Tom.

Flesh and bone jonathan maberry