The New Hunger, by Isaac Marion

Author: Isaac Marion
Publisher: Zora Books
Release Date: January 28, 2013
Format: eBook; 140 pages
Series: Warm Bodies (Book 0.5)
Genre: YA, Horror, Paranormal, Zombies
Avg. Rating: ★★★★✩ (4.50)

Goodreads

New York is a bayou. New Orleans is a reef. The entire country has been devastated by natural disasters and governmental collapse, and on top of everything else there is the annoying problem of zombies trying to devour you at every turn. But sixteen-year-old Nora and her younger brother Addis are about to discover the most frightening thing yet: being abandoned in this horrific world by their own parents.

Left with only a bag of clothes and a first-aid kit, Nora and Addis begin a harrowing journey to connect with anyone who isn't looking to rob them or eat them. A wounded man wrecks a meal of green beans and French fries at the top of the Space Needle in Seattle. An attempt to get a good night’s sleep in a fortified motel is ruined by an undead face staring at them through the window. And they just can’t seem to shake someone – something – that’s been following them everywhere they go….

Meanwhile, a girl named Julie is traveling toward the city in an SUV with her parents. She is only twelve, but has already seen friends die and her school burn. She has watched her father become nearly as cold and remorseless as the Dead. All she wants is someplace to call home, even if it never really will be.

And somewhere nearby, a tall man awakens in the woods, unsure of exactly where he is, or even who he is. As he struggles to remember details of his life, a single consonant comes to him: R. He is…a name that begins with R…

Since The New Hunger is actually a novella, I guess we would call this a mini-review as I don't plan on speaking much about it for the risk of spoilers.  

All I really want to say is that if you like Warm Bodies, The New Hunger is an absolute must for you. It is a great read from Isaac Marion that gives you a glimpse of the characters and their lives before we meet them in Warm Bodies. 

I definitely enjoyed reading the part of the story about R. You get to experience his first days as a zombie and how he somehow manages to control the hunger from within. I fell in love with R in Warm Bodies, so this back story was definitely a treat.

Even though R is my favorite character, I have to admit that Nora and Addis' story really won me over. Seeing their will to live really stands out as some of the best parts of the story. 

Just like with Warm Bodies, Isaac Marion has managed to use his incredible writing skills to ensnare you back into the world of zombies. This was a great, quick read that everyone should pick up - as soon as it's out, of course.

Rating: ★★★★★
Source: Publisher

Isaac Marion was born near Seattle in 1981 and has lived in and around that city ever since. He began writing in high school and self-published three novels before finally breaking through with Warm Bodies. He currently splits his time between writing more novels, playing obscure instruments in obscure bands, and exploring the country in his 1977 GMC motorhome.

Website | Facebook | Twitter