Growing up Dead

The Life and Undeath of Mortimer Drake

By: Greg Wilkey

Narrated by: Maxwell Zener

Mortimer Drake discovers that he is the product of a supernatural mixed-marriage. His mother is human and his father is a 925-year-old vampire. His life is completely turned upside down as he struggles with this knowledge and his emerging vampiric nature. The truth behind the myths and legends of the vampire are revealed as Mortimer enters into a centuries old war of the Undead.

©2012 Greg Wilkey (P)2015 Auspicious Apparatus Press

Fun Vampire Book

This was a fresh take on the "teenager discovers that he's a supernatural creature" premise. I liked the funny family dynamics. The narrator Maxwell Zener definitely enhanced the book. He has the kind of relaxing, pleasant voice that I like to listen to, plus he did a great job bringing the characters to life (or should I say . . . to death?) Overall, it was a fun listen!

WOW! When is the next one coming to Audible?

Where does Growing up Dead rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

As an adult that enjoy YA fiction I have to say this is awesome. Well written and entertaining. Smooth transitions, fairly strong characters for a first novel of a writer. Mortimer (even with the geeky name) could be any child out there. If you are a fan of Harry Potter OR Vampire Chronicles you have to check this out. I sure hope the rest of this series gets put on audio...AND SOON!

What other book might you compare Growing up Dead to and why?

Harry Potter for the YA side, very well written strong characters. The Vampire Chronicles for the whole mythology and vamp thang.

What does Maxwell Zener bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He was the weakest part of this book experience but NOT BAD AT ALL! I think it took him a little to warm up to the characters though.

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

No...it was just issues...but I had been waiting for it, AND WANT MORE! NOW!

Mortimer comes to life!

Greg Wilkey has a genuine gift of creating engaging tales with vivid accounts of the woes of teen angst. The hero of our story in 'Growing Up Dead', Mortimer is faced with a new supernatural existence which provides it's own set of challenges. Wilkey takes us step by step through Mortimers journey as his social interactions and school life are altered permanently. Delving into this story I found Mortimer's conflicts to be accurate to a teen experiencing life changes as he matures, the dialogue between the hero of the story and his mother are classic.
The one thing that struck me about this story is the atmosphere of the places in which key events occur. The scenarios came alive in my imagination as I read and then listened.
I read the book first and then listened to the audio version. I thought the narrator did a great job of pausing making clear sense of the writing and added life and inflection that enhanced and did not draw from the overall adventure.
It gave a different perspective and reaffirmed the amusingly familiar true to life accounts of Mortimer's teen dramas with his mother and school officials.
I highly recommend this book. Must read more of his work.

Growing up dead. You will be hooked by the title and want to learn the answers to the secrets of the Blake family

I received an audio copy from the publisher for review.

I planned on listening to one chapter a day. That did not happen. The further the story progressed, the more involved I became. It was very easy to see, hear and smell the essence of the story from the colorful descriptions. There is a clear sense of reality and imagination throughout the book. I especially like that the book draws to a close but the story does not end. Plenty of space for a sequel that will be well received. The audio book is well done by Maxwell Zener and compliments the author's voice presented in the written words. I will be looking for more writing from Greg Wilkey.
Dorothy Kirby BA Literature, retired teacher

Awesome all around!

Would you consider the audio edition of Growing up Dead to be better than the print version?

I think it depends on your personal preference. I liked the audio edition, but I wouldn't say it was better, they were the same. It was more of a convenience, I could listen while cleaning, driving, mowing, etc.

What did you like best about this story?

How relatable Mortimer is and how this vampire story is so different from all the others out there.

Which character – as performed by Maxwell Zener – was your favorite?

Alexander Drake because when Maxwell Zener started reading him, he didn't seem to have a feel for him and grew into the charactor.

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

I think Mortimer's drinking his mother blood and then feeding her his when he had only fed on animals was a very moving moment.

Any additional comments?

I loved the story line and Maxwell Zener did a great job. I can't wait for an audio edition for the rest of the books.