Jacob T. Marley

By: R. William Bennett

Narrated by: Simon Vance

"Marley was dead to begin with...."

These chillingly familiar words begin the classic Christmas tale of remorse and redemption in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Now R. William Bennett rewinds the story and focuses the spotlight on Scrooge’s miserly business partner, Jacob T. Marley, who was allowed to return as a ghost to warn Scrooge away from his ill-fated path. Why was Marley allowed to return? And why hadn't he been given the same chance as Ebenezer Scrooge?

Or had he?

Written with a voice reminiscent of Dickens, Jacob T. Marley is a masterfully crafted story of remorse and redemption, sure to become a Christmas favorite.

©2011 Burgess Adams Inc. (P)2011 Shadow Mountain

The untold half of Dickens's "A Christmas Carol"

Where does Jacob T. Marley rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I love Simon Vance as a narrator, and was ecstatic when I learned he had done this book. It met my expectations perfectly, and was a delight to listen to.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Jacob T. Marley?

I'd already read the book so there were no surprises as far as plot went, but Vance's narration made all of the emotional scenes come to life, so much so that I had tears in my eyes at certain points. I couldn't pick just one that stands out, unless it's the final scene where Marley offers himself to balance the scales for Scrooge.

Which scene was your favorite?

Marley's crossing over and meeting The Man.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, and I did.

Any additional comments?

For any fans of Dickens' original novel, this is a must-read. It adds so much to the story, and does not detract from the version we all know and love. This is the story of Marley, who, as Bennet points out, is in the story very briefly for such an important character who changed Scrooge's life...in ways we didn't realize.

Perfectly captures the essence of Dickens.

The original A Christmas Carol is one of my all time favorite works of literature and as such holds a special place in my heart. I debated whether I would listen to R. William Bennett’s novella as I feared it would pale from the original and leave me disappointed but my reservations were proved decidedly unfounded. Jacob T. Marley is a wonderfully crafted tale that seamlessly starts where Dickens would later continue and so beautifully blends the two stories into a cohesive whole that I could believe that this was the vision Dickens himself saw and wrote. Mr. Bennett’s retelling of the story as seen through the perspective of Jacob Marley is first rate narrated by the marvelous Simon Vance. Prepare for a treat and give yourself an early holiday present I know you will love as much as do I.

A modern classic

A wonderful story of Jacob and Ebenezer and their meaning of friendship and the spirit of Christmas.

Great concept/execution. Repeating every Christmas

The narration by Simon Vance is outstanding.

The story adds so much to Dickens's original story without changing the original with the perspective shift (like Wicked). It was a delight.

I feel like it could have wrapped up some of the concepts that were introduced a little better, but it was still very enjoyable.

A Perfect Companion

I strongly recommend this! It is a perfect story of redemption for the Christmas season. I purchased (and listened to) this last Christmas. I enjoyed it very much then. but when I re-listened to it a few days ago, I found that I loved it even more this time!! It has a positive, beautiful message. The story is so well-crafted and Simon Vance provides an outstanding voice performance. I followed this listen with Tim Curry's version of A Christmas Carol and found that I much preferred this performance. There is a depth and beauty to Mr. Vance's voice that is very appealing for this work and beautifully suits the tone of Mr. Bennett's text.

the rest of the story.

I loved this. a wonderful story of redemption. more than that, it is about awareness of self.
the saving of Marley after death is the story of God's love. the description of heaven and that spirit's are around us to guide and remind. it was such a beautiful story.

great story

what a great addition to the classic Christmas story. i hope a movie is made!

Excellent story!

Everyone knows the story of Scrooge but no one knows the story of Marley, his partner at the very beginning of the story. This is an amazing story that goes into Marley’s story but also into more depth of Scrooge’s story. I really enjoyed this book.

A Wonderful twist to a beloved Christmas classic

I found this by chance while looking over recommendations one day and was so glad I did! I love this story just as much, if not more than A Christmas Carol! Simon Vance is one of my favorite narrators and he did not disappoint with this reading. If you are in the mood for a Christmas story but tire of the usual, please consider listening to this!

If ever a book should be told on screen

A true redemptive story which completes a tale we all know so well. It would be enjoyed all the more if transitioned to the cinema