Warm Bodies

A Novel

By: Isaac Marion

Narrated by: Kevin Kenerly

Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

R is a young man with an existential crisis—he is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams. His ability to connect with the outside world is limited to a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. After experiencing a teenage boy’s memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and strangely sweet relationship with the victim’s human girlfriend, Julie.

Julie is a blast of color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His choice to protect her will transform not only R but his fellow Dead and perhaps their whole lifeless world. Scary, funny, and surprisingly poignant, Warm Bodies explores what happens when the cold heart of a zombie is tempted by the warmth of human love.

©2011 Isaac Marion (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“I never thought I could care so passionately for a zombie. This story stayed with me long after I was done reading it.” (Stephenie Meyer, #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Twilight series)

Nothing like I expected, which is GOOD!

Nothing like I expected, which is GOOD!

Although it's about zombies, it really isn't. It's a great insight into the depths of the mind and whether a soul can change.

Original

definitely for the listeners who do not mind their books being a little silly. Still one of my favorite end of the world/zombie books. give it a try, you'll chuckle. This one also has a bit of existentialism thrown in. A good listen.

PG rated Zombie Romance

Would you listen to Warm Bodies again? Why?

Yes, I enjoyed the narration immensely and the writing was descriptive and you felt like you were right there with the characters. I loved the character development seen throughout the novel.

What other book might you compare Warm Bodies to and why?

I have never read a Zombie book with a romantic twist, other than lovers being devoured by zombies. This story was truly original. At first I was skeptical about a human and a zombie in any sort of relationship except predator vs. prey normally seen in apocalyptic novels. I loved the book but the only suggestion for improvement would be include more romance/passion between the main characters. Maybe I'm biased as I just finished the 50 shades trilogy. LOL

Which character – as performed by Kevin Kenerly – was your favorite?

R and Perry were my favorites!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The Kiss

Any additional comments?

I can't wait for the movie Feb. 2013!

A view from a different perspective

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Be a little more realistic about the resolution.

Would you recommend Warm Bodies to your friends? Why or why not?

Sure. It was a fun read with a different view of the zombie apocalypse. I just wish the end wasn't resolved with a magical solution.

What about Kevin Kenerly’s performance did you like?

I believe he did a real good job playing the zombies and "human" characters.

Was Warm Bodies worth the listening time?

Sure.

Any additional comments?

Now I need to see the movie.

Just keeps getting better with each new page.

I was in the midst of my finals and in dire need of something light and fun to read. Lucky for me Audible had a sale a couple of weeks ago and I bought a handful of books for $5 each! I can’t speak for the rest of the world, but I love to have an audiobook on standby for when I’m driving, doing dishes, or even just relaxing. Since I’m a sucker for a book on sale, in any way, shape, or form, I have an endless supply of options to pick from.

Visually speaking, Isaac Marion’s book Warm Bodies is a mental delight. It’s a quick read, sitting at a mere 240 pages it made for a wonderful zombalishious snack. I have to give a nod to my fellow Seattle author. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t more then a little excited to meet him at Emerald City Comic Con later this month.

The book was well written, but more then that it was fresh. The main character, R, is a zombie and as the reader we get to experience the world from his point of view. The book grows in consciousness as R does. I can’t say if it was intentional or not, but the descriptions, and artistry of Marion’s writing grows to a climax right along with R’s own transformation from zombie to human.

I’ve often wondered if it is possible to care passionately for something that contemporary mythos deem a monstrosity, and the resounding answer is yes. Marion has created a mesmerizing evolution of a being, bringing together both the mob mentality of your typical zombie movie and the genital romance of first love. Who would have thought it was possible?!

I enjoyed this book very much and I look forward to watching the movie later this week! Did you read Warm Bodies? What were your thoughts?

Book vs. Movie

If you could sum up Warm Bodies in three words, what would they be?

This was one of the best books I have listened to in a long time, I really loved the story line.
However I had already watched the movie so what I expected from the book really wasn't there after reading the book the movie was such a huge disappointment. So many good parts skipped and unimportant ones added.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved how detailed it was, everything left such a crisp picture in my mind, and for me this is very hard to accomplish.

Better than the movie!

I was unsure about getting this but after listening I realized it was much better than I could hope for

I totally didn't stay up all night...

I totally didn't get completely immersed into this book and listen from 8pm-6:30am nonstop knowing I had to be up in two hours. 😉😅

Also, I'm pretty sure I could hear the voice actor's stomach growl from time to time which was both ironic and a mood.

Absolutely Loved it!

Where does Warm Bodies rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I'd say it's in the top ten.

What other book might you compare Warm Bodies to and why?

I cannot compare it to anything I've read, It's unique.

What about Kevin Kenerly’s performance did you like?

I loved all the little differences with each character's voice and a the fact that each one was believable.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Well, a couple of tears fell, yeah and I smiled quite a few times at the conversations. Nothing extreme, but it was a very pleasant experience.

Any additional comments?

I would have liked the book to last longer, though. Is there another?

Creative idea, disappointing execution

Ever wonder what it's like to be a zombie? Isaac Marion did, and did a great job getting into the zombie mind. At first it's a bit like you would imagine it might be for someone who's had a stroke and still has an actively functioning mind but can't express herself. I greatly appreciated the fresh take on an extremely overexposed genre. The idea is well executed at the start and really draws you in. But .... sadly the story deteriorates about halfway through into a sappy moralistic love/rebel/save the world mess. What would have made a clever and thought provoking short story or novella deteriorates into a kind of zombie version of "Twilight".(Sorry Twilight fans - but this book isn't billed as YA fiction). The narrator executes well especially at the start where he conveys the confusion and frustration of a being who is so much more than he appears on the outside. Mr. Kenerly soldiers on through to the end but he begins to sound as though his heart isn't in this any more. If you're in the mood for zombies, listen to a classic like "I Am Legend" instead.