March of the Stone Men

The Stone Man, Book 4

By: Luke Smitherd

Narrated by: Matt Addis

March of the Stone Men–The Stone Man, Book Four

The return of the Stone Men reaches its dramatic conclusion…

The internationally bestselling Stone Man series returns! The five battered survivors of the Fifth Arrival have reached the Isle of Skye, only to face an impossible mission: destroy the Barrier that has trapped the country and stop the ever-growing army of Stone Men. The survival of humanity itself hangs in the balance, and though they’ve been given their greatest weapon yet, our heroes must first learn how to wield it... before time runs out.

But these are ordinary, frightened, and exhausted people. Their journey will take them from the rugged coast of Scotland to the heart of England, crossing the land on foot. As secrets come to light and tensions rise, conflicting personal objectives threaten the fragile balance essential for harnessing their powers as a unit. To stand a chance, our heroes must master their unity or face annihilation.

The March of the Stone Men has begun.

Concluding the epic arc that began in The Empty Men and continued through The Stone Giant, the fourth installment of The Stone Man series promises to thrill, terrify, and captivate audiences once more—twelve years in the making.

©2024 Luke Smitherd (P)2024 Luke Smitherd

"Luke Smitherd, gots to get those Benjamins"

Excellent end to a great series from your new favorite author. Hopefully this or another novel will be optioned for a series.

This One Will Stick With You

March of the Stone Men is the fourth and final book in Smitherd's tetralogy.

There's a lot to say about it, but nearly everything I could say might spoil the read for the millions of readers who've waiting a decade for its release. Because of this, I'll keep my thoughts forward and concise:

I meant to spend a week reading this novel. I blew through it in a single night.

I then joined Audible and picked up the Audio Book to listen to it and experience it all over again.

Smitherd manages to wrap up nearly every single one of his storylines, leaving only a few dangling threads for for we might assume [hope?] will be a sequel series sometime in the future. The characters are impeccably written, and the book is perhaps the most action-packed in the series, which is saying something if you've read book two [The Empty Men]. What sets this one apart is the emotional core, though. It's moving. And it's sad. And it's going to absolutely destroy you in a way no book has. Prepare yourself. You'll feel things.

I think my heart almost stopped.

Dear Luke: I’ve read all of your books and I preordered this one. My first thought when I saw it was ready was, “FINALLY!”

I downloaded it and started it the same day.

I am thankful the “Benjamins” were shared so you could have the same narrator. I cannot imagine hearing the voices of these characters voiced by anyone else.

If we were to sit down to have coffee or tea, I’d want to ask you how…how you got through writing the heart rending scenes that devastated me. I’m sure you know what I mean. Did it devastate you to write those scenes?

You make things so vivid with your writing. Does it feel “real” to you?

I completely understand how this book/series took over your life. I’m (not so) secretly keeping my fingers crossed that you’ll eventually spill the beans on what happens next but I’m also relieved for you to get your life back. Write on, sir. As the stone man walks.

Another Great Ride with Luke Smitherd

I have enjoyed all of the books in The Stone Man series, and this latest work is by far my favorite. Luke Smitherd writes with a narrative-driven style that beautifully lends itself to the Audible format, and Matt Addis does a great job of narrating.
This book took me on a journey with familiar characters as they navigate devastated inner and outer landscapes. The relentless stomping of the Stone Men propels this book, and I found myself deciding to "listen to just one more chapter before bed" until the very late hours! This was a satisfying last (?) installment of the series, and I'm intrigued by imagining what might happen to our favorite characters after this story.
Strongly recommend this series to anyone interested in thoughtful science fiction with deeply human characters. Yes, there are also Stone Men. This story balances their over-arching menace against the struggle of the characters to retain their humanity, humor, and will to persevere. A great listen.

worthy conclusion

Side note - Luke's consistent and authentic humble after works and his jokes at Matt are always charming and a great end.

The Stone Man was an incredible book and any subsequent books had an incredible bar to clear but I'm glad to say that Luke stuck the landing here. Very glad I started this series and have as requested, recommended it to many friends.