Sunrise (Ashfall Series #3)

by Mike Mullin

Overview

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 epic finale has the heart of Ashfall, the action of Ashen Winter, and a depth all its own, examining questions of responsibility and bravery, civilization and society, illuminated by the story of an unshakable love that transcends a post-apocalyptic world and even life itself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781939100030
Publisher:	Tanglewood
Publication date:	03/17/2014
Series:	Ashfall Series , #3
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	466
Sales rank:	259,692
Lexile:	HL820L (what's this?)
File size:	647 KB
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Mike Mullin first discovered he could make money writing in sixth grade. His teacher, Mrs. Brannon, occasionally paid students for using unusual words. Mike’s first sale as a writer earned 10 cents for one word: tenacious. Since then, Mike has always been involved with literature. One of his early jobs was shelving books at Central Library in Indianapolis. Later, he paid his way through graduate school in part by serving as a reference assistant for Indiana University’s library. Mike has worked in his mother’s business, Kids Ink Children’s Bookstore, for more than twenty years, serving at various times as a store manager, buyer, school and library salesperson, and marketing consultant. Mike wrote his first novel in elementary school—Captain Poopy’s Sewer Adventures. He’s been writing more or less non-stop ever since.

Editorial Reviews

"Survivors must rebuild society in the conclusion to the Ashfall trilogy [. . .] As the small community’s population increases through new arrivals, everyone must learn not only trust, but how and when to forgive. The writing, even in transitory moments of peace, never lets readers forget that potential catastrophe lurks around every corner. A story about how hope is earned, as heart-pounding as it is heart-wrenching.” — Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"A very satifying conclusion to the series."— Booklist

"Readers who enjoy dystopian novels will gravitate toward this story of a world set in the not-too-distant future, where danger lurks everywhere. There is plenty of action and bloodshed in this final book in the trilogy. Betrayal, revenge, and suspicion, however, finally give way to the power of hope and love."— VOYA

“ Sunrise, the third book in what I consider the best YA/Teen series being published right now … [is an] absolutely brilliant ending to this wonderful series. I am sorry that this is the last book but it provided many hours of gripping adventure and a wildk, exciting ride.” — Susan Wasson, Bookseller, Bookworks  

From the Publisher

04/01/2014
Gr 9 Up—Alex and Darla are still together and still fighting for survival in a postapocalyptic America in the third and, sadly, last book of this trilogy. Following a cataclysmic volcanic eruption and a devastating plunge into an ice-age, the teens have established a core group of survivors. Darla, with her gift for engineering, has cobbled together greenhouses, and the additional food and shelter have attracted both potential friends and enemies. In spite of his youth, Alex has developed into a charismatic leader but lacks the support of the older members of the community. Living on the knife-edge of extinction has taken its toll on the pair physically and emotionally, and enemies from within and without besiege them relentlessly. Themes of cannibalism, torture, sexuality, death, and emotional anguish may distress some readers, but more mature teens (and many adults) will find this series a worthy addition to the postapocalyptic literary pantheon.—Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK

School Library Journal

★ 2014-02-19
Survivors must rebuild society in the conclusion to the Ashfall trilogy. After Stockton's invasion of Warren in Ashen Winter (2012), Warren's residents take refuge at Uncle Paul's farm. Determined to take back their town and unwilling to listen to teenagers who think the plan's tactically unsound, Mayor Petty leads a frontal assault on Stockton. It ends badly, but that gives Alex the chance to lead a bold, unexpected counterstrike. Once Warren's retaken, Petty disagrees with Alex's argument that they need to fortify against future assaults and manipulates Alex into running for mayor against him. Dirty politics create hostility toward Alex's family. They face abandoning more than just their farm for a defensible location. Their small group ingeniously battles long odds and starvation while creating their new home and greenhouse, necessitating daring stealth raids of Stockton's stockpile—raids with terrifying stakes. Throughout the novel, every decision has consequences, and characters must constantly decide what they are willing to pay. Reluctant Alex's leadership is presented as a burden rather than privilege, and his coming-of-age doesn't prevent other characters from shining. As the small community's population increases through new arrivals, everyone must learn not only trust, but how and when to forgive. The writing, even in transitory moments of peace, never lets readers forget that potential catastrophe lurks around every corner. A story about how hope is earned, as heart-pounding as it is heart-wrenching. (Speculative fiction. 14 & up)

Kirkus Reviews