Guardian Angel

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Guardian Angel

Category:	Fiction
Author:	Brian John
Publisher:	Greencroft Books
Price:	£6.99
ISBN:	978-0905559-865
Pages:	256
Reviewed in issue:	8

Guardian Angel follows the adventures of Martha Morgan and her transformation into the mysterious Susanna Ravenhill. After being found ‘dead’ on her beloved Welsh mountain, Martha spontaneously awakens on her kitchen table surrounded by grieving relatives. Convinced she has been saved to complete an unknown mission, Martha takes on the identity of Susanna and convinces the wider community she is dead. The stage is set for a thrilling adventure.

Unfortunately, John takes too long to deliver, and the details of the story hang together only loosely. I was increasingly frustrated with the story not progressing at a faster pace. The writing could be overly garrulous, in particular one chapter even reads more like a history lesson on industrial Wales than a novel. There is plenty of intrigue, but it takes until chapter thirteen for the story to really take off.

John’s subject matter is wide-ranging: a concern for the oppressed and the environment, the contrast between the natural world and the ugliness and destructiveness of industrialisation. His obvious love for Wales does shine through, and many readers will enjoy his descriptions of the mountains and surroundings. At times the plot can get a bit tangled and hard to follow with more characters than are necessary for the story. Also, eliminating occasional typesetting errors would help the overall look of the book.

John obviously has a talent for storytelling. But, I feel if he seeks mainstream appeal, he needs to employ the services of an experienced editor to sharpen up the narrative.

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