jimbob_luke's review
4.0
3.5 out of 5 (rounded up to 4)Fast paced and fun. I would of gave it an extra star if it wasn’t so rushed in the final chapter. The fate of every character is summed up in one paragraph, then that’s it. If the end was expanded it would’ve been perfect. Still a good, fun read though.
ianayris's review
5.0
I first came across the writing of Darren Sant in the fabulous Radgepacket series of books from Byker Books - short and sharp slices of Brit Grit that left little to the imagination. I followed Mr Sant as his own collection of stories were published in two editions of Tales from the Longcroft - Brit Grit stories set on the brilliantly drawn Longcroft Estate. The literary concept of 'world-building' is normally applied to the fantasy genre, but in creating a run-down council estate in which all the stories in these two books are set shows Sant's ability to move beyond the limits of Brit Grit. How bloody jealous of him I am for coming up with such a fantastic concept, he will never know. Though perhaps he knows it now . . . :)
So when I read the blurb for The Bank Manager and the Bum, reading about the 'criminal' and the 'supernatural' coming together, I knew I was in for another interesting, genre-busting read.
The story begins simply enough, a ragged tramp and his dog taking a severe beating from a gaggle of ne'erdowells. Then we move to the life of Giles, the Bank Manager of the title, and his comfy little world. But we soon learn this comfy little world of Giles is to be shattered with the news that his son has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Giles then witnesses the beaten raggedy tramp cradling his dog, dead in his arms, and miraculously bringing it back to life with a golden glow.
And Giles wonders . . . he wonders if . . .
Throw in a nasty villain or two, a prematurely grieving wife, and a local brass, and you have a novella full to the brim with incident and emotion. And all the time there is Frank - the raggedy tramp - holding everything together with a power he barely understands.
There is a little of The Green Mile in terms of Frank and his relationship with Giles, a relationship of faith and tenderness and, perhaps the writing could have been tighter in places, and in others an edge just a little sharper, but Darren Sant must be congratulated for the courage he shows in once again pushing the Brit Grit genre into places unknown.
After finishing reading this novella, the story and the characters stayed with me long after.
And not many books do that.
The Bank Manager and the Bum is available from Amazon UK here and from Amazon US here
Highly recommended.
So when I read the blurb for The Bank Manager and the Bum, reading about the 'criminal' and the 'supernatural' coming together, I knew I was in for another interesting, genre-busting read.
The story begins simply enough, a ragged tramp and his dog taking a severe beating from a gaggle of ne'erdowells. Then we move to the life of Giles, the Bank Manager of the title, and his comfy little world. But we soon learn this comfy little world of Giles is to be shattered with the news that his son has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Giles then witnesses the beaten raggedy tramp cradling his dog, dead in his arms, and miraculously bringing it back to life with a golden glow.
And Giles wonders . . . he wonders if . . .
Throw in a nasty villain or two, a prematurely grieving wife, and a local brass, and you have a novella full to the brim with incident and emotion. And all the time there is Frank - the raggedy tramp - holding everything together with a power he barely understands.
There is a little of The Green Mile in terms of Frank and his relationship with Giles, a relationship of faith and tenderness and, perhaps the writing could have been tighter in places, and in others an edge just a little sharper, but Darren Sant must be congratulated for the courage he shows in once again pushing the Brit Grit genre into places unknown.
After finishing reading this novella, the story and the characters stayed with me long after.
And not many books do that.
The Bank Manager and the Bum is available from Amazon UK here and from Amazon US here
Highly recommended.
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