Beneath the Cerulean Canopy

Beneath the Cerulean Canopy is a literary coming-of-life novel about a man shaped by early loss, displacement, and a lifelong search for belonging.

Beginning in 1960s Nigeria, Alex Stansfield’s childhood is fractured by a wrongful accusation and the isolation that follows. Political upheaval forces his family into exile, first to London and later to Australia, where each new beginning deepens his sense of estrangement. Across decades marked by migration, fractured relationships, and buried family truths, Alex confronts the quiet consequences of a life spent searching for where—and who—he belongs.

This novel blends intimate character study with a wide historical and emotional canvas. It is reflective, humane, and quietly powerful, inviting readers to consider identity, inheritance, and the meaning we make from the lives we endure.

Beneath the Fourth Light

Beneath the Fourth Light is a darkly comic literary speculative novel about a power-obsessed corporate executive who believes every system can be outsmarted.

When death arrives, he is placed in a mandatory, time-limited trial across Heaven, Hell, and another realm where the familiar becomes quietly unforgiving. Each realm exposes a different failure of his need for control, and he faces the ultimate choice: rejecting eternity itself. His journey upends the very logic of the afterlife.

This novel blends high-concept speculative fiction with moral inquiry, dry satire, and emotional depth. It’s sharply observed, humorously absurd, and philosophically rich, inviting readers to reflect on control, consequence, and the limits of ambition.

The Author

Chris Marshall is a Perth-based author whose fiction is shaped by a life lived across cultures and continents. His debut novel, Beneath the Cerulean Canopy, masterfully explored themes of isolation, cultural diversity, and personal growth. In Beneath the Fourth Light, he turns to dark speculative satire to explore power, control, and what survives when ambition is stripped of its leverage—even beyond death. Drawing from his rich life experiences, Chris brings authenticity and depth to his storytelling, aiming to connect with readers on a profound level. His fiction is grounded in human complexity and moral consequence, often set against Australian landscapes where responsibility, guilt, and repair quietly unfold.