The testament of Gideon Mack - James Robertson Reviews

The body of James Robertson's novel is presented as Gideon's own writings about his experiences, sandwiched between a prologue and an epilogue by the fictional publisher of his memoir, Patrick Walker. Mr Walker describes how the manuscript came to be in his possession and sets the context of the mysterious circumstances surrounding the events ...  Read the complete review

I spent much of this book trying to discern if this was indeed fiction, or a memoir. As a work of fiction this book is an interesting premise, and very unusual. However as a memoir it would present as the ramblings of a sad, Godless minister who spent his life never living up to his own expectations. A man who wanted to be special, and never came ...  Read the complete review

This is one of those odd reads that doesn't seem to make sense, but intrigues you all the same. This tells the tale of the Minister Gideon Mack, who is never quite happy with his life which is never great, but he simply gets on with it. This is until he falls into a gorge and is saved by the Devil. Oddly enough the part with the Devil ...  Read the complete review

The beginning of the end of Gideon Mack's life starts when he notices a huge, ancient-looking standing stone in his local woods during one of his frequent cross country runs. Gideon Mack is convinced it wasn't there before. He tells his friends about this stone, but they are slightly sceptical. Giant stones don't simply appear out of thin air! ...  Read the complete review

The paperback cover littered with plaudits was enough to persuade me to part with £7.99 from Waterstones. By the end of the first page of the superb prologue, I was hooked. The prologue is an exchange between the Edinburgh publisher Peter Walker and the finder of the testament Harry Caithness. It introduces us to the testament itself and the life ...  Read the complete review