Ash – A Secret History Where to begin? To say this is the best fantasy novel I’ve read for years is a lame sounding accolade, but it’s the truth.
Mary Gentle has produced a book that is not only unique, but also compelling, larger than life and mentally stimulating to boot. Weighing in at over 1100 pages and ½ million words, but costing only 7.99 online this is a must read for any lover of twisted history, fantasy or SF. I mention the three genres because Ash is hard to pin down as belonging to any single category. If you don’t have a good grasp of medieval history you could be forgiven for spending the first part of the book thinking the novel is a fantasy set in our own history.
Only as the book progresses does it become apparent that this isn’t quite our history, but someone else’s. Ash is set in the years leading up to 1477 CE, the present day, and the near future. The majority of the story occurs in the 15th century though, and is presented in the form of a manuscript that is undergoing translation by 20th Century historian, Piers Ratcliffe. The papers are being translated from a Latin manuscript and sent via e-mail in sections to Ratcliffes’ publisher in England, Anna Longman. This is where the modern day section of the book comes in. Between the sections of translation are bursts of e-mails between the two, discussing the findings and the impact they’re having on the modern world. Ratcliffe soon finds himself in Tunisia at various archaeological sites searching for verification of his literary discoveries. As the reader is completely sucked into the medieval world of Ash it would be easy to succumb to the temptation of skip-reading these e-mails.
Be warned, don’t do this, as they are critical to the story and its enjoyment. What’s so gripping about Ash then? She is the central character, the manuscript chronicles her travels and troubles as a mercenary in a warlike Europe. In her late teens, she is already the captain of a small army of 800 mercenaries. A waif, who’s grown up in the camps of soldiers, she killed her first men at the age of 8, following their rape and scarring of her. At the onset of puberty Ash was visited by a voice, which she calls the Lion. The voice gives her advice on military tactics, giving her a frightening military edge to add to her already professional fighting skills. This has rings of the Maid of Orleans (Joan of Arc) about it, although it would be difficult to describe Ash as anything close to holy. She becomes unwillingly betrothed to a man she both loathes and desires as a “reward” from the Pope for services rendered at the siege of Neuss. Then, after meeting her “twin”, a Carthaginian Commander, she’s lucky enough to be kidnapped and abducted to a 15th century Carthage that never was in our history. Here the elements of fantasy glimmer through as walking Golems and genetic engineering are the weaponry of the mysterious Carthaginians. Mary Gentle chooses to endow Ash with the kind of linguistics and humour that one might expect of a medieval mercenary commander, so if you are offended by foul language this maybe isn’t the book for you. That said I would advise blinkering your sensibilities for a couple of weeks because it’s worth the effort. One of Ash’s most raucous lines comes after dropping her livery badge down a medieval toilet. “Son of a whore-fing, ck-sucking, arse-bgering bitch ” she rants.
By this stage in the book the reader will probably be semi-besotted with Gentles young amazon, who has deep reaching compassion and humanity below her abrasiveness, and be willing to forgive her whatever language she’s driven to. Her humour is always bubbling away behind the coarseness, to a clergyman she says “I’m an equal opportunities heretic – I think you’re all talking through your arses….” As well as the language the reader has to live through the battle scenes with Ash. It’s worth pointing out that alongside being an expert with a blade, British author Gentle has an MA in War Studies which she puts to great effect. The detail of the weaponry and armour is both fascinating and at times mind-boggling. Footnotes abound, with little details of both war and translation for the reader to marvel at. To return to the battle scenes though. They are both visual and visceral and the readers will sometimes feel entrail-splattered themselves following a vicious encounter between Ash and a band of opponents. That said the book isn’t all blood and guts. Gentle delights, as in all her work, in mischievous political forays. Ash is pulled here, there and everywhere by her masters, so don’t expect some heroine who doesn’t put a foot wrong. She is constantly being let down, betrayed and used, all of which make her more likeable. As the book progresses it’s easy to think that the unfortunate Ash is doomed, as Mary Gentle has never been afraid to kill off her characters, but I wouldn’t like to give away too much by hinting at how the spectacular and imaginative endings turn out. When I say endings plurally, that’s because there are really three. To the past, the present and the future, all of which are fascinating. There are more and more frequent forays into quantum theory further deeper in the book, but not enough to frighten off someone with my very lay understanding of the possibilities this branch of science offers up. Re-reading several sections was necessary, but it was worthwhile to properly grasp what Gentle was driving at. Well, as you’ve probably gathered I could prattle on for hours about how much I’ve enjoyed this book, but won’t as the plot’s there to discover for yourself.
When I first read “Golden Witchbreed”, one of Gentles earliest novels, it had me totally captivated. With Ash she steps up a level and becomes a master of the genre (Which, I’m not sure).
I’ll leave you with this. I borrowed Ash from the local library, but bought my own paperback copy within the month and have re-read it already. I think it could become one of life’s companions.