The Stone Man - A Science Fiction Thriller, Book 1

By: Luke Smitherd

Narrated by: Matt Addis

Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's Summary

The #1 Amazon and Audible best seller, shortlisted for Audible UK's Audiobook of the Year Award 2015

Nobody knew where it came from.

Nobody knew why it came.

When an eight-foot-tall man made of stone appears in the middle of a busy city center one July afternoon, two-bit (and antisocial) reporter Andy Pointer assumes it's just a publicity stunt.

Indeed, so does everyone else...until the Stone Man begins to walk, heading silently through the wall of the nearest building, flattening it, and killing several people inside as a result.

As efforts by the local police - and soon the government - to halt the Stone Man's inexorable progress prove futile, only three questions are on the watching world's lips:

Where has it come from, where is it going, and what does it want?

Andy is determined to be the first person to answer those questions; after all, he was there when it arrived. Surely the headaches and visions he's experiencing are proof of a mental connection to the Stone Man. Clearly his dreams of champagne and notoriety are all about to be fulfilled once he uncovers the truth...and the scoop of a lifetime.

In a pursuit that carries him the length of the country and the breadth of the Atlantic, Andy uncovers the jagged pieces of an increasingly terrifying puzzle. As the number of lives lost in the wake of the Stone Man reaches grim figures, the terrible results of Andy's blind determination force him to confront the savagery of human nature.

When irresistible forces aren't met by immovable objects, how far is too far? Andy must discover the answer - and find out who he really is - in the shadow of the Stone Man.

©2012 Luke Smitherd (P)2015 Luke Smitherd

Critic Reviews

" The Stone Man is a novel that intrigues, enthralls, horrifies, thrills, and hits the reader with an emotional resonance as only the best stories can." ( Ain't It Cool News)

Totally Original Story of Horror and Courage

It seems most people start out reading Luke Smitherd's books with "The Stone Man". For some reason, I read all the other ones first and only just finished this. I just have to ask myself, "What took you so long, idiot?" I think I was putting off reading it because I wanted one last book to look forward to. This seems to be the most popular of this author's books, and I guess I just had to be different.

Anyway...

This is one of the best books I have ever read.

It's one of those books where your hands are shaking as you read it and sometimes you notice you haven't taken a breath in a while. Make sure you start listening to it with plenty of time to spare because you will not want to stop once you start. It is nearly impossible to believe this was the first book written by this author because it is SO good, SO well-written, and just perfect. Now I'm gushing and must stop.

The basic outline of the story is that a stone man (or creature or object) appears in England and wreaks havoc throughout the country. It can't be stopped by any means known to humans and its purpose for being there is not known. As you get further into the book and some of the implications of the stone man being there do become evident, it becomes more real and scary. That's all I'm going to say about it. You just have to read it to appreciate it.

The characters are very well-developed. The two main characters are not perfect. They do heroic things, they do selfish things, they drink (a lot), and they don't even get along some of the time, but I was completely invested in them and felt a loss when I finished the book--like I had just left behind two people I really cared about.

I loved this book. It covers the gamut of emotions from sadness to happiness, from cowardice to bravery, from tragedy to hopefulness, and everything else in between. It can also scare the crap out of you.

Download this book and listen to it. You will not be disappointed.

The narrator is British, but I had no problem with the accent or those strange words that we use differently even though we're both speaking English.

One final thing. I saw another review that said, "... overly lengthy descriptions of break-ins and old men getting up from chairs." That really hit me when I read it because the scene referred to is one of the best in the book, in my humble opinion, and shows the dignity and courage few people possess.

A delightful Listen

If you could sum up The Stone Man in three words, what would they be?

This is an engaging book. The author really knows how to write compelling Science Fiction.
The narration is excellent.
Because of adult language this is not a book I would give to children.

Why haven't I heard of Smitherd before?

This wasn't on a best seller list, or a must read list...I came across the minimalist cover on audible and thought, well this is either going to be complete crap or brilliant. I don't use brilliant randomly, it was brilliant. Not Moby Dick brilliant, but more like Orwell brilliant. I've read a lot of books. I spend an average of 12 hours a day plugged into my audible library and besides that sounding antisocial, I've got a good handle on a story...whether it's good or just eh, or had poor execution. Read this book. As original as a story can get when all stories are a regurgitation. Smitherd doesn't take the easy way out, with the beginning, middle or end, which is to say he doesn't lose interest or give us crap love stories. Your money will not be poorly spent. I'll be getting more from this guy. Smitherd, hope your relatively young and not a heavy drinker, you need to stick around a while.

The afterward was worth it

Luke Smitherd- you are a funny guy. I loved the afterward and lo- your pleading worked - I offer this review-
This is an interesting book - the narration was very good.
I was immediately grabbed by the story - after all a giant stone man marching across England is bound to catch your attention.
The characters were fine and I enjoyed the concepts at the end- but I felt it was missing something - I don't know exactly what - either more delving inward or expanding outward. Perhaps more humor? Readers who want a definite ending and answers will resent the ending - I recommend it .

A great read, but unsatisfying ending

I listened to this book with intensity and my interest in the story and characters grew every minute. The relentless pursuit of the Stone Man raised the anxiety notch by notch. While it's hard to find fault with the book, the ending left me hanging. Perhaps there simply was no ending that could satisfy every reader, so the author chose something vague... maybe room for a sequel with more answers? We can hope so! only the ending kept me from giving this 5 stars. A great listen.

There is no stopping this story

This is a relentless thriller. Sometimes I just want the main character to tell us the next part of the story and drop all the commentary about why he is telling it. Narrators do get off track. However he is lovable, imperfect hero and I would have lunch with him for sure. (But I would not let my wife have lunch with him.)

The plot is excellent and keeps you engaged. Yes they are actually Stone Men, real ones.

The prose is fine, and the British english fun for a yank, bangers and mash and so on.

I listened to this on my commute and found it perfect for passing the time. I recommend this book.

Asimov, Clark, Bradbury: Like That: 15 Stars!

Matt Cates of the "Futurism" website wrote of Isaac Asimov, "His completed works have been called difficult to critique because he laid out everything so coherently, spelling it all out and leaving nothing to interpretation." Arthur C. Clarke was known as a casual exploiter of his own epiphanies that were intuitively obvious to the meanest of intelligence just as soon as he explained them to us. And Ray Bradbury? The New York Times explained his genius as a story teller when they explained, "....the sort of sensational subjects that fascinate children are the stuff of Ray Bradbury's fiction."

Their success was built upon s secret that Asimov revealed when he explained that accomplishment in science fiction plotting happens when the science of a story is what drives the fiction rather than the other way around. Too often now, science is exploited to allow an author to wallow in some variant of an ideological obsession. Instead of wondering what a scientific puzzle's revelation will offer the future, many modern SciFi writers look for scientific possibilities to show how terrible modern culture is. It is the old chestnut of dystopian versus utopian fantasies (Star Wars Vs. Star Trek).

These proselytizers' SciFi wants us to believe then preach their fearful certainties, but Clark, Bradbury, and Asimov - and here Luke Smitherd - wanted to share their ambiguous dreams. It's the difference between agitprop and Socratic revelation.

Anyway, Smitherd's reviving the wonders of the classic imagineers. Here's a book that will niggle at me for a while. He gave me a takeaway of possibilities... possibilities driven by a scientific idea, rather than scientific ideas exploited to justify an author's conclusions or even politics.

Here's a cool book. I want to listen to more of this guy's mind-pops. It'd be nice to hear them read again by Matt Addis who's a solid actor. Smitherd's original voice is secured by a talented understanding of craft. He can tell a coherently scary story just like Asimov, Bradbury, and Clarke.

Pretty good company, huh?

A very tedious listen

The story opens with an intriguing concept that falls flat. The origin and purposes of the creators of the Stone Men are never revealed. We do however get to listen to seemingly endless monologues and dialogues in this long novel that are only occasionally relevant to the story. In between all the talk, very little seems to happen. In the annoying Afterword, the author pleads for positive reviews and jokingly (?) suggests that, if we didn't like the book, we should blame the narrator (who in fact did an excellent job).

Stone Man Invasion

This is one of the strangest yet plausible alien invasion stories I’ve ever read/listened to. Panic and devastation ensue when a gigantic man shaped “thing of stone” suddenly materializes in the middle of a mall and begins stomping through shopping centers, neighborhoods and motorways across England. It sounds kind of silly but the story works. I did find myself wishing the protagonist was more likeable. He seemed to be a selfish pig with inconsistent moments of nobility. But I guess that sums up a lot of people. Overall a good experience.

Insert rocky headlines about a good story here!

What made the experience of listening to The Stone Man the most enjoyable?

Most definitely the performance by Matt Addis. Wow! He rocks this character driven story. The plot does stumble at times, but the characters are so alive courtesy of Mr. Addis that it more than compensates for weaknesses.

Would you be willing to try another book from Luke Smitherd? Why or why not?

After listening to this offering, definitely. The resolution will leave some listeners disappointed ( count me as one, mildly to be sure ) but overall a solid , interesting offering. To call this a horror story is abit of a stretch with a couple of exceptions, but definitely full of suspense, drama and it does leave the listener wondering...what if....

What about Matt Addis’s performance did you like?

Everything. Every word, every accent, every character. Goodness this is a tour de force with no exception. I do understand that some listeners may have troubles with his authentic Midlands accents, but hey folks, it comes with the territory.This reader is a force to be respected and attention needs to be paid!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I almost did! 3 days or so. A quick listen to a wonderful telling.

Any additional comments?

Given the highly entertaining afterword, this may well prove to one of those great combinations of writers and performers that come along once in a while. The characters that Smitherd has visualized and formed the dialogue for literally come to life in the capable hands of Addis. A wonderfully entertaining, thoughtful offering that comes HIGHLY recommended!

Very repetitive

I’m sorry to say that I really didn’t enjoy this one; it’s taken me a long time to finish! I found it to be incredibly repetitive, and the characters / narration very belligerent. The premise is interesting but because so much of the book is spent rephrasing itself the plot doesn’t really go far. Thumbs down I’m afraid.

Simple, gripping, with minor faults

Luke Smitherd takes a very simple concept and builds a very enjoyable and moreish book around it. Like all the "sci-fi" I really enjoy, this book really isn't about the sci-fi. It's about the characters' journeys and keeping you guessing, while just happening to have some sci-fi elements to the situation.

The two main characters are fairly likeable, and you really end up getting inside their heads. There was one point in the story where I was actually fighting back tears, which is always a sign I'm emotionally invested.

Not much bad stuff to say about the story really. Personally, I tend to like a little more resolution at the end of books, and there are some elements left open in this, but it works well, and I can see why the author chose to do so.

The narration by Matt Addis is also excellent. He characterises well, reads clearly, naturally, and makes it sound real.

However, this leads to the one negative thing I have to say about the book (well, the audio production really).... The majority of the book is written in the first person, as the character "Andy", reading into a dictaphone. This works really well, and you get to feel like Matt Addis IS Andy, that you're actually hearing him speaking on the recording.

Towards the end of the book, it switches to third-person, and suddenly you're hearing Addis as a narrator, not as Andy, which is really jarring. Also the little beeps between chapters, put in earlier to signify Andy stopping an starting the dictaphone are still there in the third-person narrated sections, which doesnt make sense.

It's not a massive problem, but with Addis's success in making you think you're listening to Andy, it would actually have been better if these sections had been read by a different person.

Kept me gripped from beginning to end

I rarely leave reviews but I was so gripped by this story I felt I must! I cared about Paul and Andy and wanted to know what was going to happen to them. The narrator was excellent, really first class and never irritating. Luke Smitherd brings the characters to life and despite the subject matter makes it incredibly believable. I thoroughly recommend this book, even if you are not a fan of sci-fi (I thought I wasn't but I've changed my mind). Atmospheric and unputdownable, I finished this in a few days, listening at every available opportunity.

I Hate Luke Smitherd!

Okay so I once again followed my normal process with a Luke Smitherd novel. It goes like this: Read the premise. Think to myself “there is no way he can make a compelling story out of that, at least I can finally write a bad review on him this time”. Then pontificate about this for some time and spectacularly fail to imagine how it could possibly be any good. Eventually read it anyway, struggle to put it down. Love it!

All I can say is that it really is a good thing for all of us that the grey matter between Mr Smitherd’s ears works rather better than the obviously second rate gloop that occupies the space between my personal wax deposits!

In my defence . . . that premise is . . . some bloke made of stone just up and appears in the middle of Coventry and starts walking in a straight line smashing stuff up. I mean, come on! Even as a five year old if good old Bernard Cribbins had started an episode of Jackanory like that I would have switched the TV off in disgust at being taken for such a fool. It’s just not acceptable for authors to ambush me with an excellent book when the blurb just sounds so flaming daft! Despite all the other positive reviews I still felt sure that I’d got him this time.

Of course that’s the problem with our Luke. You can’t trust him as far as you can bloody well throw him! Somehow, some way this is the best of his books that I have read yet. The sheer ordinariness of the setting, the basic humanity of the characters and the slowly revealed plot blew me away. This is an author that doesn’t need grand scenery, outlandish rogues for characters or to lay waste to one of the world’s best known capital cities to grab your attention. He does it with the sheer quality of his story-telling.

The narration by Matt Addis is first class. He conveys emotion and the tension of the situation in compelling tones and does almost sound like he’s going to crack up himself at some points. It is a very convincing performance. The book’s highlight for me was when our two main protagonists meet the Sargent, I don’t do spoilers so won’t go into more detail. However, the beautiful story-telling of the author and the fine performance of the narrator make this one of the most powerful scenes I have ever listened to.

So, Mr Smitherd, I am going to find a book of yours that I can read, feel able to criticise and write a bad review of it kills me.

This, quite simply, was never going to be it though. It just should have been given that awful premise, stone men rising up in Coventry . . . mutter, mutter, Bernard would never have done that to me. He cared for my sanity!

Loved it!

If you could sum up The Stone Man in three words, what would they be?

Compelling, exciting, brilliant

What other book might you compare The Stone Man to, and why?

Different to, but as good as, anything I've read by Neil Gaiman

What does Matt Addis bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

I LOVED it! What a treat: clever, intriguing, beautifully written

Suspenseful thriller brilliantly narrated

I really enjoyed this book - quiet a simple plot with not to many characters to confuse/get your head round. Extremely well read and very suspenseful throughout - definitely worth a listen.

Original British SF...absolutely loved it!!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Stone Man to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the paper copy but always prefer audio if the narration is good...and Matt Addis was perfect.

What did you like best about this story?

The mystery...I was hooked within the first 5 minutes and then couldn't stop listening to it. I wanted to make it last but ended up ripping through it in 2 days. If I was listening to it whilst driving I'd take the longer way home so I could 'just finish this chapter'. Now I'm annoyed that I've finished it too fast...but this is one that I will listen to many more times in the future. I also loved the fact that it's written by a British author and is set mostly in England and Scotland...I even found myself looking on googlemaps to see whether the transport museum exists and how far Coventry is from Sheffield!

Have you listened to any of Matt Addis’s other performances? How does this one compare?

This was the first Matt Addis audio I've listened to and I thought he did a brilliant job...I couldn't fault it. I loved his portrayal of the main characters, and he even did a decent female voice. He also sounded like he actually enjoyed reading the book which seems to be missing from a lot of the narrators I've come across on audible. After finishing The Stone Man I immediately looked for other audio titles by Luke Smitherd and on finding none I then went searching through everything Matt Addis has narrated to see what else I could listen to.

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

yes... but I won't spoil the story by revealing them here, other than to say that I laughed in some places and was genuinely moved by some passages. I was also surprised in places when something happened that I really didn't expect...at one point I actually clapped my hand to my mouth and said 'oh s**t!'. So yes, I'd say that was an emotional reaction.

Any additional comments?

Make sure you listen to Luke's afterword at the end of the book and write a review. I've never written a review before because I always think nobody is going to be interested in my opinion but Luke's afterword made me realise how important ratings and reviews are, especially for self-published authors. I hope we see his other works available on audible soon.

You just can't put it down.

Excellent. Very well written and narrated. As good as all the reviews say it is.

Great book! hope he writes another stone man book.

Loved the book and really enjoyed the narration. Going to read his other books. happy listening

Gripping story, full of humanity

Loved it! Excellent story. Great narration. Spot on ending. Highly recommended. Will definitely be reading/listening to more from author Luke Smitherd and narrator Matt Addis.