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Ashfall Hardcover – September 27, 2011

by Mike Mullin (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,402 ratings
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Many visitors to Yellowstone National Park don't realize that the boiling hot springs and spraying geysers are caused by an underlying supervolcano. It has erupted three times in the last 2.1 million years, and it will erupt again, changing the Earth forever.

Fifteen-year-old Alex is home alone when the supervolcano erupts. His town collapses into a nightmare of darkness, ash, and violence, forcing him to flee. He begins a harrowing trek in search of his parents and sister, who were visiting relatives 140 miles away.

Along the way, Alex struggles through a landscape transformed by more than a foot of ash. The disaster brings out the best and worst in people desperate for food, clean water, and shelter.  When an escaped convict injures Alex, he searches for a sheltered place where he can wait--to heal or to die. Instead, he finds Darla. Together, they fight to achieve a nearly impossible goal: surviving the supervolcano.

With nonstop action, a little romance, and realistic science, debut author Mike Mullin tells a mesmerizing story. Readers will turn Ashfall's pages breathlessly, and continue to ponder Alex and Darla's fate long after they close the book.

Advance Praise:

"Mike Mullin's Ashfall glows and throbs with everyday life and the business of survival in a dystopic future, after an unthinkable disaster." Richard Peck, Newbery Medal winning author of A Year Down Yonder and Three Quarters Dead.

"The scariest apocalypse is one that could really happen. Mike Mullin's Ashfall is way too real for comfort: you'll live the panic and despair and know that all of this could really happen. It will be a long time before you get the taste of volcanic ash out of your mouth. This isn't fantasy, this is real." Michael Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Gone, Lies, Hunger,and Plague.

"Mike Mullin catapults readers into a surreal, cataclysmic world that will hold them until the last page. If you aren't exhausted by the end of the first thirty pages, you may want to check your pulse. Ashfall is the perfect book for reluctant teen readers who 'can never find anything good to read.'" Dave Richardson, book reviewer for the International Reading Association's Reading Today, and children's literature professor at Cincinnati State College.

"This is riveting. Fans of post-apocalyptic thrillers like The Hunger Games will love Ashfall." Cinda Williams Chima, Author of The Exiled Queen and The Warrior Heir.
Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 3
    Ashfall Trilogy
  2. Print length
    476 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Tanglewood
  5. Publication date
    September 27, 2011
  6. Grade level
    8 - 12
  7. Reading age
    14 years and up
  8. Dimensions
    5.5 x 1.7 x 8.5 inches
  9. ISBN-10
    1933718552
  10. ISBN-13
    978-1933718552
  11. Lexile measure
    750L
  12. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review


In this chilling debut, Mullin seamlessly weaves meticulous details about science, geography, agriculture and slaughter into his prose, creating a fully immersive and internally consistent world scarily close to reality.—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

This is a riveting tale of survival.—Publishers Weekly

Mullin's debut novel is carefully researched and vividly imagined, a post-apocalyptic backdrop for an intense tale with adventure, graphic violence, and two young teenagers learning to love. A sure hit for older readers who like intense action, a believable narrator, and a dystopia that could actually happen.—Horn Book

Readers will be propelled along to find out what happens to Alex, the environment, and his love life while also asking what they would do in a similar disaster.—Library Media Connection, starred reviewLibrary Media Connection, starred review

If you aren't exhausted by the end of the first thirty pages, it's time to check your pulse.&mdashDave Richardson, READING TODAY book reviewer

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.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tanglewood; First Edition (September 27, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 476 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1933718552
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1933718552
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 years and up
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 750L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.5 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.7 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,402 ratings

About the author

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Mike Mullin

Mike Mullin

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Mike Mullin's first job was scraping the gum off the undersides of desks at his high school. From there, things went steadily downhill. He almost got fired by the owner of a bookstore due to his poor taste in earrings. He worked at a place that showed slides of poopy diapers during lunch (it did cut down on the cafeteria budget). The hazing process at the next company included eating live termites raised by the resident entomologist, so that didn't last long either. For a while Mike juggled bottles at a wine shop, sometimes to disastrous effect. Oh, and then there was the job where swarms of wasps occasionally tried to chase him off ladders. So he's really glad this writing thing seems to be working out.

Mike holds a black belt in Songahm Taekwondo. He lives in Indianapolis with his wife and her three cats. SURFACE TENSION is his newest novel, releasing in May of 2018. His debut, ASHFALL, was named one of the top five young adult novels of 2011 by National Public Radio, a Best Teen Book of 2011 by Kirkus Reviews, and a New Voices selection by the American Booksellers Association.

www.mikemullinauthor.com

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
1,402 global ratings
Sunrise by mike mullin
1 Star
Sunrise by mike mullin
I received this book and it was water stained, dirty and very well worn. Not happy with this purchase!
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Top reviews from the United States

Ashley Evans
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrifyingly realistic!
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2012
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This book is freakin' scary. For some reason I wasn't super incredibly excited to read it. I wasn't unexcited, I just wasn't looking forward to it the most. But wow, Ashfall has probably affected me the most out of all the books I've read this year. This book will make you think, and wonder, and fear, and then go do research to see if it could actually happen. Because it could actually happen, and that's what makes this book so terrifying. Before I even finished reading, I started doing loads and loads of research, Googling all about the "Yellowstone supervolcano" and soaking up a bunch of information.

In addition to being a total shocker, Ashfall was heart-wrenching. It kind of reminded me of the movie The Day After Tomorrow. That movie is about a devastating disaster, and then a father trekking from Philadelphia to Manhattan to save his son. In Ashfall, the Yellowstone supervolcano errupts, and Alex decides to trek over a hundred miles to get back to his family. The devotion and determination is really moving.

Ashfall was actually funnier than I thought it would be! I mean it wasn't exactly in the humour genre, but Alex had hilarious thoughts sometimes and there were just little snippets here and there that made me laugh! Like this quote:

==========

Darla had been doing something by the fire. Now she returned and began stripping the blanket off me. I grabbed it before she could pull it away from my groin, to preserve my modesty.

"Let go. There's nothing there I haven't seen. Who do you think undressed you, anyway? And honestly, I've seen better equipment on goats."

==========

Alex had such an awesome personality and I loved reading from his point of view. He's kind of a cool kid who clearly used to be a bit awkward and antisocial. He was sucked into video games and books and didn't seem to enjoy the "real world" that much. Maybe that's part of why he's so blunt and has such an awesome take on everything.

There were a few times where I felt that Ashfall was getting a little slow, but that quickly disappeared once I got to the last third of the book. There were some huge plot progressions and the romance started. OH MY GOD, THE ROMANCE! I absolutely adored the romance in Ashfall. It was so real.. I mean Alex and Darla had great chemistry, but Mike Mullin also included some of the awkward parts of a romance, and that's what made it feel so real. Like two people talking about whether or not they're virgins, considering having sex, and so on. Usually books make those kind of things sound so easy and just brush over them. But in Ashfall, those conversations are kind of awkward, which is totally awesome!

As a heads up, there are a few pretty violent and/or gruesome scenes in Ashfall. There's some killing, detailed descriptions of gutting animals, horrible living conditions, starvation, etc. Some of them were pretty disgusting, but it was also very realistic. I mean with no food, no help, and no communication, people are hunting animals and prepare their own meat, raiding and looting, defending themselves from intruders, and so on! But if you're squeamish, just beware!

The loss of humanity is a huge thing in Ashfall. I already alluded to it a bit, but in the book we really see how apocalypse brings out the worst in some people. There are those who will do absolutely anything to get their hands on food and supplies -- including murder. Some people go about it with violence, and others go about it with dirty politics. Seeing these things happen in Ashfall is so saddening and eye opening. It's terrifying to imagine that there are people who would do those kinds of things.

Ashfall is a terrifyingly realistic post-apocalyptic book and I'm so glad I got the chance to read it! It has my brain totally alive and buzzing, imagining the possibility of disaster and fearing the worst. But Ashfall also gives you a glimmer of hope. Despite all the horrible things in the world, great things can still happen. Romance can still be found and families can find a way to stay together!
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Mithrendiel
4.0 out of 5 stars A chilling and feasible take on a super volcano apocalypse
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2013
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In Ashfall, Mike Mullin has given us a haunting and terrifying view of how the world might look if a Super Volcano really went off somewhere in this country. It is apparent an inordinate amount of research went into this book. Everything that occurs within its pages is very feasible, and that makes the story all the more compelling.

The author creates suspense by withholding information. This story is a first person narrative, and the author sticks firmly to that narration choice. There is no head surfing, or extra information given. We spend the story firmly fixed in Alex's head. We only know what he knows, and that isn't much. This strict point of view choice adds suspense to the story. If I hadn't read the book synopsis I'd have no idea what was going on in the first few chapters. Something destroys Alex's home, crushing half of it. He barely escapes. Power and phones go out. Then the explosions start. Without any information on why these things are happening, it's all too easy to put yourself in Alex's shoes. This makes the story much more intense and compelling.

Alex himself was a joy to read. On one hand, he's a realistic teenage boy - a bit resentful of his parents, and frightened of what he doesn't understand. On the other hand, he's heroic. His martial arts training and courage allow him to face seemingly insurmountable odds in this book. This story covers the gambit of challenging situations: First, there's the disaster itself; then the fall out, where people start turning on one another in a mad rush for food and resources; then there's the government's shoddy attempts to address the catastrophe. Through all of these trials, Alex is unwaveringly brave, determined, and a completely likeable character.

Unfortunately he is saddled with a less than likeable companion. Darla bugged me. I admired her survival skills but found her personality deplorable. Through most of the book she's aggressive, angry, and sulky. When she's not acting bitchy, she's catatonic, and useless. She has her reasons (legitimate ones) for her attitudes, but those reasons don't make her a likeable character. I could definitely see the influence of this book's male author in her character. Why do male authors so frequently write female characters that are either sex kittens, bitches, or in desperate need of a big strong man to come and save them?

Ashfall is an intense and engaging read. The book starts exciting, and has very few slow moments throughout. There are times the story was almost too dark and gritty for my tastes. The cannibalistic and rape scenes were hard to read. But those very same scenes lent to the authenticity and intensity of the story. The hero is exceedingly likeable, the villains are terrifying. Unlike so many dystopian and apocalyptic books, it has a feasible premise. By the end of the book, I felt like I'd caught a chilling glimpse of how our world might look if a super volcano ever erupted in reality. That's a version of our future I hope I never have to live through.

"For the first time ever, I felt ashamed of my species. The volcano had taken our homes, our food, our automobiles, and our airplanes, but it hadn't taken our humanity. No, we'd given that up on our own."
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Justin Collins
5.0 out of 5 stars amazing
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2024
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A comforting story of survival and strength . Fast paced and attention grabbing . Made even better knowing the next two books are out !
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Liz53
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Story
Reviewed in Canada on March 20, 2020
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I really enjoyed “Ashfall”. It was really engrossing and the characters are so ‘real’ you feel very wrapped up in their struggles. Even though it is a YA book, I still enjoyed it as an adult.
Highly recommended!
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Amy M
2.0 out of 5 stars Great idea
Reviewed in Australia on March 13, 2019
Verified Purchase
It was a great idea but it was a book that basically consisted of a bit of action and then day to day, step by step walk. So much time spent explaining how they skied down this hill then up this one then made a fire, then ate some food, then kept warm then skied over here, then over there. You get the picture. It was readable but I need a bit more action. It was a bit too focused on the two main characters and not enough of telling you about how the world is now.
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A.J.D.
5.0 out of 5 stars Wirklich gute Story
Reviewed in Germany on September 1, 2014
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Ich war absolut begeistert vom ersten Teil der Ashfall Trilogie. Aus der Ich-Perskeptive geschrieben erzählt der Autor vom Überlebenskampf eines Teenagers nach dem großen Knall. Es gelingt ihm dabei, die Situation sehr realistisch zu beschreiben und immer wieder packende Situation zu inszenieren, in die man sich sehr gut hineindenken kann.
Ich war absolut überrascht, zumal der Autor mit Ashfall seine ersten Werde veröffentlichte. Habe den zweiten Teil schon bestellt und sehr gespannt wie es weitergeht.
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g
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping, harrowing and fascinating.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2012
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Ashfall was recommended to me by a friend, so I added it to my kindle and promptly forgot about it. A few months later I found it and thought I'd give it a go. I presumed it would be along the same lines of Bick's Ashes or Baggots Pure: world ending in one big disaster, teens left to pick up the pieces....

Ashfall follows a male lead, which makes a change in this genre, Alex and his journey to find his parents after the supervolcano in Yellowstone blows. The world hasn't ended, there are no zombies (although there are some cannibals) and the book takes a new look at the 'what if' world.

Alex's world is destroyed, for the first few chapters both Alex and the reader don't really know whats happened, nor how far the damage has gone. The scene setting chapters are thrilling, and you really start to get to know Alex as he realises what the world has become, then the journey starts - I put in spoilers as I don't want to ruin it for anyone else, so I'll keep it vague. Alex's prioity throughout the book is finding his family (who were at his uncles farm at the time of the eruption, leaving alex at home alone), and the majority of the book is about this journey - the people he meets (good and bad), the state of the US following the disaster (and the politics that it creates) and young love. Everything you could need in a book.

Twists and turns are kept to a minimum, Mullin doesn't need cheap tricks to keep the reader interested, the story unfolds as you'd expect it to, but that is a good thing here. Its a story that you really can imagine happening, no sudden paranormal abilities or zombies, just the good and bad in every individual.

A fascinating story, and one I hope to continue to enjoy in book two
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Cayley Harding
4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good
Reviewed in Canada on January 3, 2017
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I originally didn't know this was a young adult book but once I started reading I noticed. It seems to be lacking a close attention to detail that I personally like but it definitely kept my attention. Soon as you think everything's okay something happens and it keeps you on your toes. I will be reading the series since it was addicting.
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