Location: Australia
Member Since: Nov. 17, 2012

Richard Marman

Smashwords book reviews by Richard Marman

  • Grow in Grace on March 16, 2018

    This work is a study of people trying to daily lives with the ever-present fear of denunciation as much as John's accomplishments. If you're interested in early Christianity, then you find plenty to ponder from this intricate, character-based plot. Much of the books underlying philosophy is related through dialogue, while imperial governor Titus Calpernus struggles to appease the might of Rome against John's Gandhi-like resolve.
  • The Girl Who Was Buried in Her Ball Gown on July 15, 2018

    Now this book is a bit different. Once you get over 'The Book Thief' narrator being dead or death, you can get your head around 'Ball Gown'. It's a hard book to review without giving away its secrets, but here goes. Teenager Emma was having a pretty good evening snogging with her boyfriend, until pissed-as-a-fart Patrick cleans her up in his car. So now Emma's in limbo with a bunch of bad-arse demons whose sole (maybe that should be soul) purpose is to put evil thoughts into those predisposed to doing bad stuff. I'm not going into the whole ghost world between living and dead (or un-dead), because that'll spoil it for you. I thought it was going to be a bunch of teenage angst, but the tale turned out to be a damned good (although dark) read and I'll let you decide on the ending, which wasn't what I expected
  • The Bag of Life on Aug. 26, 2018

    I really like this story. It reminded me of Joseph Conrad and some of those 19th and early 20th Century authors where the narrator tells his adventures to an audience — in this case his club buddies. The tale has a spooky Edgar Alan Poe feel about it with an ending I didn't see coming, although it was the sort of yarn that could have gone in any number of directions.
  • Origins Halloween on Oct. 05, 2018

    Like 'The Girl Who Was Buried in Her Ball Gown' this is a dark story with spooky and really nasty dudes being as despicable as possible. It's a quick read those horror-genre fans. As for me, I take the missus to the local on Halloween night. I rather have a some pub-grub and a pint than wait for a bunch of kids to come knocking which can be just as harrowing as Ian King's yarn of terror.
  • Graveyard Hill on Oct. 06, 2018

    This is a tight short story suitable for fairly young readers. It builds up to a punch-line climax.