Wonderful Narration to a Fascinating Story!

Much to Luke Smitherds surprise (yes Luke, I did listen to your acknowledgements at the end, and they are some of the funniest thing I have listened (read) in a long time - worth getting this just for the 5mins of you talking at the end!!) Matt Addis did a brilliant job with the Narration. His characters are excellent, and he easily shifts between multiple characters, giving us a clean, distinct voice for each one, even female voices. The emotion he displays in some parts of the book were exceptional and brought an extra level of depth to what was already a great story. I can't fault the Narration at all.
This is a very interesting read. Some parts of the story are very predictable, and then you kind of realise that it was done that way as Smitherd was more focused on his character at that point in the book, than on the actual plot, and he wants your focus there too, not lost on trying to unravel what is going on. In other parts, you are definitely trying to unravel what the hell is going on in this incredible tale of how one day a man's life is suddenly turned up side down by the arrival of a stone statue shaped liked a man, and even more so when it starts to walk towards some unseen goal, and nothing or no one can stop it.
Smitherd's characters are real and believable, you can relate to them and how they respond to the situations as they unfold around them. You kind of wonder what you would do?
And that is what's so great about this story, so many questions, some answered, some left to you to answer, and along the way, an exceptionally gripping story that will keep you enthralled right up until the end.
And then at the end, after this amazing gut wrenching ride - Luke will make you giggle like a little school kid when you read his afterward :-)
If you love science fiction with a twist, or mystery, even action/thriller, then you should read this, its really worth it.
This was my first foray into Smitherds work, but I will be looking up his other works as a result of reading this - great work, made all the better by Matt Addis' wonderful Narration.

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I absolutely love this book

The entire story is brilliant. the characters are so realistic with a steady pace and keeps you intrigued all the way through I'll be looking for more of Luke's books. Great work mate

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Luke Rocks

Great story,told with grit. I think I’ll read another of your stories Luke. The hardship and terror inspired in your Stone Man characters makes my own life seem like a holiday cruise. Keep writing, man.

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Really enjoyed it

A really gripping premise.
A well rounded, satisfying ending.
Enjoyed it a lot.
Definitely worth the read, or listen even more so.

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Stone man

I started this book thinking it would not be very good But I was pleasantly surprised. I kept listening because I wanted to know what would happen next. I enjoyed this book. Not what I was expecting. So a lovely surprise. Thanks ☺️

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Not a thriller

Story was interesting but for me not a thriller, and I sometimes got tired of the monologues, overly long

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What a Twilight Zone episode this book would have made!

This is my first journey with Mr Smitherd and I'm happy to say it was in no sense a disappointment. Matt Addis as narrator was an excellent choice and had wonderful material to work with; quirky, difficult to categorise and very, very human. I imagine some readers might be uncomfortable with the degree of introspection the prime characters offer but I felt this enhanced the work rather than detracted from it and the plot itself was at all times interesting, engaging, gritty and realistically portrayed. There are no perfect people in this book but there are people all of us would recognise, sharing the same faults and fears and moments of nobility we all possess. The plot is allowed to unfold and never feels forced or contrived and is wholly unlike any other work I can bring to mind, so bonus points for originality.

Don't expect zap bang pow action sequences, space opera or shining knight characters who ride in and save the day. Instead, sit back and enjoy a book which you could wake up tomorrow and find you are living in the middle of.

Liv Watts
Melbourne, Australia
May 12, 2017

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The ending wasn't all that bad as anticipated

Definitely entertaining. Sometimes felt like things were drawn out a little too long sometimes and some of the characters felt a little 2D. Couldn't stop listening to it though! Was a good listen.

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