Raising Stony Mayhall

By: Daryl Gregory

Narrated by: David Marantz

Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

From award-winning author Daryl Gregory, whom Library Journal called "[a] bright new voice of the 21st century", comes a new breed of zombie novel - a surprisingly funny, vividly frightening, and ultimately deeply moving story of self-discovery and family love.

In 1968, after the first zombie outbreak, Wanda Mayhall and her three young daughters discover the body of a teenage mother during a snowstorm. Wrapped in the woman's arms is a baby - stone-cold, not breathing, and without a pulse. But then his eyes open and look up at Wanda, and he begins to move.The family hides the child - whom they name Stony - rather than turn him over to authorities who would destroy him.

Against all scientific reason, the undead boy begins to grow. For years, his adoptive mother and sisters manage to keep his existence a secret - until one terrifying night when Stony is forced to run, and he learns that he is not the only living dead boy left in the world.

©2011 Daryl Gregory (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Stony [is] the best zombie character ever....More than many novelists, Gregory's work not only withstands but grows richer with re-readings and sustained attention." (SF Signal)

"Raising Stony Mayhall should add to Daryl Gregory's reputation as a dazzling innovator....a fast-paced, exciting narrative laced with both humor and moments of pathos." (Locus)

"Part superhero fiction, part zombie horror story, and part supernatural thriller, this luminous and compelling tale deserves a wide readership beyond genre fans. Highly recommended." (Library Journal)

Wonderful Read!

I really enjoyed this book. I wasnt sure if I was going to like it but as I listened I just couldnt turn it off. I finished it in a day! Im so glad I gave the book a shot because it was well worth it! I also loved the narrator! He did a great job with every single voice!

Is Jack Gore, P.I. Dan Shamble?

A coming of age Zombie story, what could be more original? The first part of this three part book, is very very good. This story is also told from the perspective of a Zombie. The people are the bad guys for the most part.

Did you know that George Romero's movies were actually documentaries? Our school history books only dedicated about three pages to this 1968 Zombie uprising. This is not uncommon for U.S. History books. Usually the War of 1812, the Spanish American War and Korean and Vietnam war are only given a paragraph or two. That is because we are not proud of these events in our history.

If Daryl Gregory could have kept with the coming of age story this could have earned five stars. The society of Zombies had some interesting and creative parts to it, but as a whole it was not as interesting as the first part of the book.

The book as a whole earns four stars, as the Zombie expert I am following also gave it. The action/adventure person I am following gave it three stars and agrees that the first half is good, while the second half is boring.

I wonder if Kevin J. Anderson got his idea for character Dan Shamble Zombie P.I. from Gregory's character Zombie detective Jack Gore, they both even share a bullet hole in the forehead.

Not horror

What a fun read/listen!
A friend of mine recommended this book to me, and I was a bit reluctant at first because I'm not usually interested in zombie stories, and I stay away from anything in the horror genre. However, this novel is anything but. It's about a boy who is different trying to fit in, about family love and about government oppression. All told with a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor.I was entertained throughout and couldn't put it down.

Really enjoyed this story

I enjoyed this book a lot. It's a cute story with a totally different twist on the zombie genre. Probably more of a girl book -

Gotta love zombies with feelings!

Overall this book is a win!

The narration is well done and the story keeps you listening.

Zombies Rule!

Ok, I admit I am a sucker for anything paranormal, especially zombies, vampires, and wereanimals. That being said, I get tired of reading the same story over and over again. That is why this book was so fantastic for me. It is a different twist on your typical zombie lore. It doesn't take place in some futuristic time, or start from some mad scientists lab, or some government born pathogen. It starts in present day, then goes back to the 1960, and moves forward from there. A family is driving through snow on their way home one night and finds a dead girl on the side of the road, in her arms is a baby that the family also believe to be dead. This baby is a zombie, but he learns to breathe in order to make noises and speak, he learns to grown and walk. His adoptive family keeps him such a secret, fearing if anyone knew they had him that he would be destroyed. The story follows Stony's "life" and his adventures. Great story. Occasional lags, but mostly quickly paced.

Fun and well read - not the usual zombie bit

Would you listen to Raising Stony Mayhall again? Why?

Yes - I think the narrator did an excellent job, with appropriate flow and inflection and understandable but not over the top voices. Granted, this is one of my first fiction audiobooks - I usually choose nonfiction topics, so maybe any fiction is more exciting than real life. But I found this to be a unique and interesting take on the zombie theme. Not too light, not too dark. Just right.... I would recommend this book! I stayed up late listening to it when I should have been asleep; always the true sign of a good book!

Wonder what the Zombies are thinking...

This book will make you see Zombies in a whole new way and introduce you to possibilities you likely never even thought a world with Zombies could include.

Zombies:
Scary? Yes.
Blood thirsty? Yes.
Threat to the living? Yes.
Mindless dead things aimlessly wandering about? Not anymore!

I was quite leery to get this book. Initially I passed, but when it popped up on a sale I decided to take the chance. And I am glad I did! My original hesitancy was that the book would be some kind of washed out drama with a lame zombie twist, but I found myself being highly entertained by an original Zombie adventure. I have read my fair share of Zombie books and I must say this is so far the most original and unique one that I have heard.

Within minutes I was hooked and then I just hung on for the ride. This book takes Zombies to a new level of complexity, but still has biting, chaos, fear, twists, survival, running, twisted governments, good people, bad guys and even family infighting. It is like when my in-laws come to visit, but somehow the author made this experience one I would like to repeat. I would recommend taking the chance on this book. It blew my expectations out of the water and I will keep a look out for more from Daryl Gregory!

Very entertaining book

I never really thought I would read or enjoy a zombie book. This was quite thoughtful and interesting. There are family dynamics, politics, and fighting. I highly recommend this audible production.

Slow but overall worthwhile

The story is overall very slow as it chronicles the "life" of Stony Mayhall, but I still found it entertaining for the most part.
There's not much more I can say without spoilers. The cause of the dead rising is never discovered. The story begins in the 1970's. In this world, "Night of the Living Dead" was a documentary, not a horror flick, but afterword begins to follow real world history up to the present. If you're looking for a traditional zombie story, this isn't it.