Dead Man's Love

Tom GallonProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.6

Word count: 514K words
Chapters: 52

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971, and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today. Dead Man's Love by Tom Gallon. Author: Gallon, Tom, 1866-1914. Language: English. Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature. Release Date: Oct 21, 2012

Editor's review

Dead Man's Love is by the British writer Tom Gallon and is classified as English literature; it is presented here by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain ebook. Gallon was active from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century, and his works often have a melodramatic flavor, driving the narrative through secrets of identity, emotional entanglements and unexpected twists; judging by the title, the book very likely revolves around a romantic relationship bound up with death, inheritance or a hidden promise. For modern readers its appeal lies in its strong period atmosphere and the pleasure of popular-fiction reading, and it can also serve as a sample of how British popular literature of the time handled themes of love, morality and fate. A caveat: the language and narrative pace of such works differ markedly from contemporary fiction, and characterization sometimes serves plot momentum. It suits readers willing to slow down and savor old-fashioned English storytelling, and works as supplementary reading on the periphery of English literary history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy old-fashioned English popular fiction and melodrama
Readers interested in late nineteenth-century British popular literature
Learners who want to expand their reading of public-domain English ebooks
Patient readers comfortable with a slow pace and period expression

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer modern, concise prose and tight structure
Readers sensitive to old-fashioned romance and moralizing
Beginners with limited English reading experience who are easily put off by long sentences

Reading tips

Read the opening chapters first and sort out the characters' relationships before going further.
Mark period expressions as you go and look them up together after finishing a chapter.
Treat it as a sample of popular fiction and note how the plot twists are set up.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a horror novel?

The available information alone cannot establish the specific plot, and "Dead Man" in the title does not necessarily point to the horror genre. Given Gallon's background in popular fiction, it is more likely a work involving secrets, emotional entanglements and plot twists. It is best to read with an open mind rather than expecting horror.

What is special about the Project Gutenberg edition?

This edition is a free public-domain ebook provided by Project Gutenberg, meaning the text has entered the public domain and can be freely obtained and shared. The information given mainly concerns source, language and classification, and does not represent an evaluation of the work's literary value.

What can I do if I find it hard to get through?

Start with passages dense in dialogue to grasp the characters' relationships and conflicts, then go back to the narrative sections. If it still feels difficult, treat it as optional reading: pick chapters to get a feel for old-fashioned popular English fiction rather than forcing yourself to finish it in one go.

Comments

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About the author

Tom Gallon Author · British · 1866–1914

Tom Gallon (1866–1914) was a British novelist and playwright, born Thomas Henry Gallon in Bermondsey, London. He is known for his vividly plotted popular novels, including Tatterley, Meg the Lady, Jimmy Quixote, and The Cruise of the Make-Believes, several of which were later adapted into films. In his memory, his sister Nellie Tom-Gallon established the Tom-Gallon Trust Award. He died in London in 1914. Public information on his early life and writing career is limited; existing accounts focus mainly on his novels and plays, which often draw on ordinary city characters and adventure-like plots, with a brisk narrative style typical of popular fiction.