Review: Sunrise (Ashfall #3) by Mike Mullin

Publisher: Tanglewood Press
Published: April 15, 2014
Pages: 466
Source: For Review from Tanglewood Press/NetGalley
Rating: 4 Stars

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 collapsed completely. The ham radio has gone silent. Sickness, cold, and starvation are the survivors' constant companions.
When it becomes apparent that their home is no longer safe and adults are not facing the 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.

This review is spoiler-free

In short: Sunrise by Mike Mullin is a truly satisfying finale to a riveting series.

It's rare that I get to read a post-apocalyptic novel set after the storm has settled. Most post-apocalyptic reads take place during the height of the apocalypse or shortly thereafter when alarm is high and people are panicking. In this finale to the soberingly realistic Ashfall Trilogy, Sunrise, Alex and Darla and co. are finally faced with the prospect of a future together. Whereas Ashfall and Ashen Winter were about surviving and making it through to the next day, in Sunrise the plot revolves around not simply surviving, but also making a life and community for themselves.

That is not to say that Sunrise is without conflict and peril, however. Mike Mullin knows how to write good action scenes and surprising twists and so, like the previous books before it, Sunrise has plenty of bloodshed and WTF moments. But as its title implies, it is also a cautiously hopeful story. For me, the strength of the trilogy has always lied in the realistic and well-conceived plot and that is no exception in Sunrise. Mike Mullin does his research and creates characters and situations that are as authentic as they are compelling.

I've never been a fan of Mike Mullin's writing style, but I truly can't wait to see what he writes next and I definitely recommend his Ashfall Trilogy. You are guaranteed to fall in love with Alex and Darla and their genuine romance and be impressed with how much the characters and relationships mature and grow over the course of the series. Sunrise is a truly satisfying finale to a riveting series.

Previously, my reviews of Ashfall and Ashen Winter.

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