Warm Bodies

Narrator Kevin Kenerly is wonderful as the witty hero, R, who tells us, "I am dead, but it's not so bad. I've learned to live with it." After a series of apocalyptic events, living humans occupy an "Escheresque cityscape" within a giant stadium. Outside are toppled buildings and a crumbling infrastructure, while an abandoned airport houses bloodthirsty zombies. Kenerly grunts out syllables as R discovers his inner human, feeling the need to protect, not devour, a young living beauty named Julie. R remains "gastronomically celibate" in his efforts to protect Julie, providing many wry comments and laugh-out-loud moments. With a tender love story at its heart, Isaac Marion's refreshing, brainy novel might be retitled "Romeo and Juliet with Zombies." Kevin Kenerly's performance will win your heart. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

March 21, 2011
Marion's debut, a less than successful attempt to surmount the inherent limitations of traditional zombie fiction, takes the premise that one of the walking dead, known only as R, has somehow retained a wide range of emotions in a postapocalyptic world where zombies hunt human prey. After eating the brain of a teenage boy, Perry Kelvin, and absorbing his memories, R rescues Kelvin's girlfriend, Julie Grigio, whom he takes to the airport, to the abandoned 747 commercial jet he calls home. A romance soon develops between the unlikely pair. Readers will struggle to figure out why R is different from his fellow zombies, while some of the living are oddly understanding and forgiving of R and his flesh-eating ways. R does possess a certain winsome charm and the upbeat ending will warm many hearts, but the great zombie-human love story has yet to be written.

July 25, 2011
The post-apocalyptic world is plagued with the walking dead, and the living must scavenge and fight to survive. Told from the perspective of a zombie named Râwho can remember nothing about the life he lostâMarion's novel describes R's growing sentience and his decision to save the life of teenage Julie and take her under his protection. Despite their differences, R and Julie learn to communicate, and their daily interactions bring life and color into R's world. This unusual relationship sparks changes in everyoneâdead or aliveâaround them. As zombies aren't prone to wildly emotional episodes, narrator Kevin Kenerly's restrained delivery is perfect for R's thoughtful reflections and discoveries. With his smooth, rich voice, he is a joy to listen to and keeps the audience enthralled as the story slowly unfolds. Curious and intriguing, this gripping audiobook is both a horror and love story. An Atria Books hardcover.