Mark W Sasse

Mark Sasse never disappoints. He writes with heart and soul and sucks you right into his characters' world…wherever and whenever it is.

This story starts out to all intents and purposes as what you think is going to be a simple love story between Chip, the son of a wealthy corporate type, who has turned his back on involvement in his father’s business, and Thuy, a beautiful young Vietnamese woman. But ‘simple’ is the last word that can be used to describe the journey of love when Chip is involved in a dreadful accident, which lands him in prison. What follows is heartache, the devastating impact of cultural differences and of past wars, and a struggle to overcome the constraints of obligations that tie a family together.

This is a powerful story that examines a romance stretched to the absolute maximum by tragedy, culture and history; it’s ably and movingly penned by Sasse and is set in a historically troubled country. It yo-yos between 1945 and the present, but the transitions are seamless; the dramatic backdrop of an exotic and breathtakingly beautiful country reflects the deep and varied emotions experienced by all the characters.

It’s an excellent story, beautifully written, quite possibly his best book yet. Highly recommended.
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What a lovely story: a story that marries romance, war, hardship, and tragedy. Not only was it beautifully written, but skilfully too. The use of the first person narrative for each of the main characters was executed extremely well.

The main character, Martin, comes in the form of a lumbering, overweight, ginger-haired man, who, at thirty-six, still lives with his mother—a mother embittered by her empty marriage to his father, a veteran of the Vietnam war that changed him irrevocably.

Martin is an unlikely hero, but what is so appealing about him is his development from a bland, stay-at-home character, who has a boring and mundane job, to a wholesome and determined person.

When his dying father asks Martin to scatter his ashes in Vietnam, Martin manages to bungle the request big time: little does he know that his error will eventually lead him to the mysterious and beautiful Vietnamese My Phuong. Vietnam is an unwelcome word in his mother’s vocabulary, and its new prominence in Martin’s life opens up a box of family secrets, regrets. and renewed resentment. A resentment so strong, she is determined that Vietnam will not ruin her son’s life like it ruined her own.

The ending stuns and astounds you, and Martin brings his story to a poignant, touching, and satisfying conclusion.

There’s no doubt that the author was passionate not only about his characters, but about Vietnam too: that passion shone through clearly and embraced a first-class story.… (plus d'informations)

The first book I read by Mark Sasse was Beauty Rising, a beautiful and well-written story, so I knew I was going to be in good hands when I read this. Sure enough, it was another treat.

Margaret Pritcher lives alone…reclusively, in fact, to the point that her neighbours think she’s slightly odd. This doesn’t stop them, however, from knocking on her door for one reason or another. In her solitude, she tells stories, the characters of which are her persistent neighbours. Most of them think her stories are just flights of fancies, but she finds two very avid listeners in twins, Pam and Sam, who despite their mother’s disapproval, go to great lengths to listen to them. But when snippets of the stories start to bear some resemblance to real life, the neighbours who are starting to think Margaret is quite mad, start to take a step back and reconsider.

This was extremely well—and uniquely—executed. The stories told by Margaret are ingeniously braided with her own story, Margaret herself a complex, if slightly tragic, character. The novel overflows with poignancy and a gamut of emotions. I like Mark’s style: he manages to paint a picture, be it one of action or one charged with emotion, with simplicity. There’s no floridity or pretentiousness about his writing.

There are (avoidable) editing issues—a good proofread wouldn’t go amiss—but highly recommended nonetheless.… (plus d'informations)

This is a very short Christmas story…one you can read on the train or bus on your way to work. And if you’re sitting there on your journey with that Monday morning feeling, this will give you a cosy little glow and brighten your day.

Beatrice is a widow living alone in a small cabin in the woods. As she ‘chats’ to her deceased husband and sends prayers for her daughter to be kept safe, her wintry Christmas Eve is interrupted when a runaway slavegirl (it’s the mid nineteenth century), desperate for food, warmth…and love…finds herself at Beatrice’s door. When a sheriff, seeking the young girl, calls to ask if Beatrice has seen her, it’s up to Beatrice to spread Christmas cheer, love and goodwill…to all.

Mark Sasse is a very accomplished writer, and I’ve read two of his books so far. He shows no less skill in writing a short story. This is a story of compassion sprinkled with Christmas kindness and tolerance, and it's a charming hour well spent with Beatrice.… (plus d'informations)