In an effort to contain the spread of the Hemorrhage Virus, the United States government launched an attack on its nation’s cities. Hundreds of thousands of lives, and a number of major cities, were lost in Operation Reaper but the monsters created by the bioengineered virus remained.

A small team of Army Rangers have entered the ruins of Detroit in an effort to save whatever refugees they can, and stop whatever creatures they encounter. In an all-or-nothing gambit, the Rangers will soon discover that in the heart of the Motor City, evil rises from the ashes. – Goodreads.com

Although I’m not familiar with The Extinction Cycle series by Nicholas Sansbury Smith, I’m a zombie fan and an avid reader of Hicks’s work.

The overall tone of this novella is blanketed with hopelessness, but contains a cast of characters that refuse to throw in the towel and accept their fate – so it’s easy to root for them.  But these aren’t the typical garden variety zombies characterized by lack of intelligence and a slow gait – Hicks’s zombies seem organized and have increased mobility, making for some gripping, action-filled sequences.

Out of the Ashes is a fast-paced, quick read that vibrates with tension and I’d highly recommend it to sci-fi/thriller fans.

I received an ARC from the author.