Rating: 
Summary: Not bad... Not great...
Review: ...Not compelled to grab the next book in the series. I enjoyed many aspects of this book, but wasn't really hooked. This is a 15th century historical fiction novel with only a hint of SF/F in it. I'd say there is only about 5% of the fantasy that you would find in your typical fantasy book- though I hear it becomes much more in the later books of the series. However, if you don't mind historical fiction, don't let this stop you. The story is about Ash, a female commander of a mercenary company who does more than anyone thought a woman could in the 15th century. But here is where it really twists off from historical fiction: A great, unknown nation from Northern Africa invades Europe, bringing with it a large assortment of technological machines, featuring large brass golems. Ash and her army-for-hire end up in the middle of this nation-crushing conflict! I loved the setting she chose for her story- a point in history where guns and canons have been incorporated into European combat, but archers, lances, and armor are still the main scene. And a mercenary band is ALWAYS great to read about in any book as far as I'm concerned. It was fun seeing how they operated autonomously- separate of any of the nations or religions of the time. They choose their contracts among themselves as a council. No matter what their political interests are, they pretty much want to make sure they are on the winning side! The book started off very well, and drew me in, but by the end- I'm not really in any hurry to continue the series. In fact, it can't really be considered a series... From what I hear, you have to read all four books end-on-end to get the whole effect- and from the ending in this one book- that certainly seems the case. One feeling I got was that Gentle seemed desperate to write women into history, or even this fictional history. I was quite fascinated with Ash's character at the start- "She's like Joan of Arc," I thought. I'm interested. But then it starts to feel like Gentle is trying to show us that every time a woman is in charge- things get done right. But men are portrayed as completely incompetent or are good soldiers at best. Of course, one would have to admit that there are WAY MORE fantasy novels that cater to the opposite extreme, so one can't complain too loudly about the ladies getting the spotlight! :) All in all, I didn't have any major gripes here- Just that Gentle's style didn't really keep me enthralled. So instead of grabbing book 2, I'm off to try my luck elsewhere! -Lysander
Rating: 
Summary: Historical fiction? Fantasy? Alternate History? Sci-Fi?
Review: A Secret History, the first of the four "Books of Ash", is difficult to categorize. While the book itself is stamped "Fantasy" on the spine, all the topics above apply at one time or another. And that, perhaps, is why several of the reviewers got annoyed with this book, because it refuses to stick to one category and stay there. This is not a failure on the book's part, but a success; this work is a tour de force. The tale starts off as a translation of a 15th century manuscript, with notes from the (purported) author to his editor, and then we are absorbed into the story of Ash, Renaissance Battle Babe (well, mercenary company leader). Mary Gentle has done her homework on this period, and you will experience almost everything to make it real by dwelling on the discomforts. You will march through muck, mud, and mire, don and doff heavy armor more times than you will care to, while overhearing political calculations in where the next mercenary contract should come from. And the more you take in, the more twists are in store. The breezy correspondence between the translator, Pierce Ratcliff, and his editor, Anna Longman, at first seems jarring compared to the long, complex, and thorough descriptions and adventures of Ash and her company. But do follow them, because they hint from the beginning that this book is not a mere swords without sorcery tale. The editor mentions that she studied Ash in college, yet we know Ash is fictional. And then all of Pierce's source materials either disappear or get reclassified as fiction. Not only do we wonder what will happen to Ash, trying to own land to keep a mercenary company in a land where women cannot own land; we wonder where Pierce's book will ever see the light of day. And why would his sources... change? There are enough similarities to the Late Middle Ages to seem familiar, but here and there some differences catch you up. Europe is Christian, but the worship is different. There are temples to Mithras. There are Visigoths still around... and they're in Carthage, and not the Carthage sacked by Rome. At the end of this book, the mostly-solid reality of life in 1486 is starting to unravel, and this will be further explained (and complicated) in the next book. History becomes fantasy, which becomes alternate history, and on to the science fictional parts. Do stay with it, for it is indeed worth the trip. My only complaint is that the book so pulled me into Ash's world and wouldn't let me out because there are very few stopping places! Note: This work is not a "series" in the true sense, because Gentle conceived and wrote it as one novel. In the US it was published and released as four books, but in the UK, where she lives, it was published as one tremendous novel.
Rating:
Summary: Historical fiction? Fantasy? Alternate History? Sci-Fi?
Review: A Secret History, the first of the four "Books of Ash", is difficult to categorize. While the book itself is stamped "Fantasy" on the spine, all the topics above apply at one time or another. And that, perhaps, is why several of the reviewers got annoyed with this book, because it refuses to stick to one category and stay there. This is not a failure on the book's part, but a success; this work is a tour de force. The tale starts off as a translation of a 15th century manuscript, with notes from the (purported) author to his editor, and then we are absorbed into the story of Ash, Renaissance Battle Babe (well, mercenary company leader). Mary Gentle has done her homework on this period, and you will experience almost everything to make it real by dwelling on the discomforts. You will march through muck, mud, and mire, don and doff heavy armor more times than you will care to, while overhearing political calculations in where the next mercenary contract should come from. And the more you take in, the more twists are in store. The breezy correspondence between the translator, Pierce Ratcliff, and his editor, Anna Longman, at first seems jarring compared to the long, complex, and thorough descriptions and adventures of Ash and her company. But do follow them, because they hint from the beginning that this book is not a mere swords without sorcery tale. The editor mentions that she studied Ash in college, yet we know Ash is fictional. And then all of Pierce's source materials either disappear or get reclassified as fiction. Not only do we wonder what will happen to Ash, trying to own land to keep a mercenary company in a land where women cannot own land; we wonder where Pierce's book will ever see the light of day. And why would his sources... change? There are enough similarities to the Late Middle Ages to seem familiar, but here and there some differences catch you up. Europe is Christian, but the worship is different. There are temples to Mithras. There are Visigoths still around... and they're in Carthage, and not the Carthage sacked by Rome. At the end of this book, the mostly-solid reality of life in 1486 is starting to unravel, and this will be further explained (and complicated) in the next book. History becomes fantasy, which becomes alternate history, and on to the science fictional parts. Do stay with it, for it is indeed worth the trip. My only complaint is that the book so pulled me into Ash's world and wouldn't let me out because there are very few stopping places! Note: This work is not a "series" in the true sense, because Gentle conceived and wrote it as one novel. In the US it was published and released as four books, but in the UK, where she lives, it was published as one tremendous novel.
Rating: 
Summary: A really fun book
Review: As always, Mary Gentle's work never fails to entertain. It's an engrossing work that will consume your time and deprive you of sleep. The characters are well fleshed out and fun to watch, and the world in which they life is a marvel to behold. One cavaet, this is not for those who are easily upset by strong language.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing and Ambitious Mix of History and Fantasy
Review: As so many other reviewers have gone to great lengths to describe the plot line of this novel--see particularly Richard R. Horton's admirable outline--I see no reason to rehash a summary of the story. Let it be enough to say that this tale surrounds the medieval life of Ash, a woman and former camp follower who rises to lead a band of mercenaries in late 15th century Europe. Presented as a history narrating events translated from questionable manuscripts of the period, Ash is essentially a Joan D'Arc figure, hearing voices that direct her combats and associated with parallel legends, though in command of a military body whose motivating goals are far more prosaic and less altruistic. Mary Gentile has invested her novel with her considerable knowledge of medieval and military history (she possesses MA degrees in both Seventeenth Century and War Studies), resulting in an extremely detailed description both of military camp life of the period, as well as the shifting political and social worlds in which the novel takes place. For anyone interested in this period of history, it is easy to become captivated by the medieval world the author has so descriptively and successfully recreated. And she has inhabited her world with figures familiar to any student of the period--Charles of Burgundy, Frederick of Hapsburg, or John de Vere--though, in keeping with the fiction of the history being written--the questions arising around the legitimacy of the narrative's medieval sources--these figures play roles or make appearances that contradict the historical timeline of the narrative. It is the author's presentation of this story as actual history, alternate or otherwise, along with the descriptive reconstruction of medieval military life, that in large part sets this story apart from other fantasy. Purportedly the unpublished manuscript of a respected, modern day academic and historian, written based upon authentic if questioned manuscripts of the period, interlaced with historical and often accurate footnotes as well as reproductions of letters and emails between the author and his publisher, the story is at once presented as both fiction and fact, the lines between the two being intentionally blurred, the historical and descriptive details doing much to add to the illusion of what is imagined being actual. And this sleight of hand is as much a theme of the narrative as the military struggles and life of its protagonist, used as a medium through which to explore the veracity of history, and the often academic assumptions formed around its study. As the title implies, this is a secret history, a glimpse at events that could have happened, a questioning of our study of the period which is often based upon texts of questionable provenance, as well as a paucity of actual records, eye-witnesses or verifiable accounts. The fictitious professor recounting this tale admits, in his emails, that his discovery and translation of the original manuscripts, in part based upon lost and newly discovered documents, will demand a reinterpretation of the history of the period, by inference reflecting the possible fallacies inherent in our own actual study of the period in which conclusions are drawn based upon fragmentary, often biased, and sometimes spurious evidence. Hidden within this fantasy written as history, despite its tongue-in-cheek admission to fiction, is a fundamental question as to how we interpret and understand our past. And, like many of the actual manuscripts of the Middle Ages, this story is riddled with legend and apocrypha, confusion of sources, and invention and outright falsification, subject to speculation and various interpretation. For this reason, while I agree with an earlier reviewer's findings that the sections pertaining to the fictitious author's emails to his publisher are interruptive to the narrative flow of the larger story, they are nonetheless essential to any full reading or comprehension of the novel's multiple and reflective dimensions. The author is using fantasy not only to spin a well-told tale, but to examine issues not commonly found in fantasy. This alone sets "The Book of Ash--A Secret History" well apart from the run-of-the-mill tale of swords and sorcery, as well as most historical fiction. While Mary Gentile's characterizations and detailed and accurate descriptions are to be applauded, her prose skills do not always match the substantial ambition of this tale. Many of the sentences seem a trifle awkward and inelegant in composition, with certain passages remaining vague and unclear as to what is experienced or taking place (Ash's injury and subsequent convalescence provides a good example). Gentile's prose is not the equal of authors such as Jordan, Martin, or Hobb, lacking their narrative flow, and a far cry from lyrical stylists such as Patricia McKillip. Nonetheless, this is a complex and ambitious novel, written with workmanlike skill, with descriptive imagination and characterization than cannot be discounted, and a gritty, often brutal and detailed realism that successfully captures the period. One might argue that the author's historical depictions are alone worth the price of admission, and are far more skillfully done than some other works of fantasy disguising themselves in their accuracy of historical detail, such as the recent "The King's Peace" (Here I find Mr. Horton's praise and description over-generous). Though not always succeeding in its prose, this book is deserving of recognition, and is bound to please readers of the period, as well as offering many a fresh approach and reinterpretation to both history and fantasy.
Rating:
Summary: Very unusual alternate history
Review: Ash is a compelling dual story about a (fictional) female warrior/general in medieval times and the academic who studies her life in the near future. The book we read is a combination of book that the academic *nearly* published about Ash, and the e-mails that pass between him and his editor (this works better than it sounds). The Ash story is compiled from the academic's translation of medieval latin texts (rendered into modern English, so Ash's soldier cursing has been translated into modern strong cursing), and is written as an entertaining novel with some pseudo-academic footnotes. At first, the story would appeal to any historical novel reader (as long as they're OK with strong language and violence), but later in the series it gets into fantasy and also explores the possible nature of time and space quite a bit. The long chapter-less parts make for late night reading (while you wait for a good place to stop), but I had no regrets for the dark rings around my eyes in the morning. If you can't wait for the final volume, the whole work is published as a huge trade paperback in Britain (although reading it like that in one go can send you around the bend!), available at Amazon UK.
Rating:
Summary: Solid fantasy tale
Review: FEELING: Gritty warfare; lots of context in regards to the Medieval era (excellent usage of Medieval names and armor descriptions); runs slow at times; several interesting alternative Historical results. CONCEPT: It is the time of mercenaries as the Middle Ages come to a close; a mercenary female captain, based somewhat on Joan of Arc, is given special military powers to fight her enemies; but, Europe is about to fall to the Empire of Carthage. MARKETING APPEAL: Main appeal to those who are interested in seeing the later medieval ages turned into a fantasy setting; Historians will appreciate the flip of what happened; most notably that the Visigoths invaded North Africa from Spain and actually started an Empire of merit over there. SCORING: Superb (A), Excellent (A-), Very good (B+), Good (B) Fairly Good (B-) Above Average (C+), Mediocre (C ), Barely Passable (C-) Pretty Bad (D+), Dismal (D), Waste of Time (D-), Into the Trash (F) DIALOGUE: B+ STRUCTURE: B+ HISTORY SETTING: A CHARACTERS: B EVIL SETUP/ANTAGONISTS: B- EMOTIONAL IMPACT: C SURPRISES: B LITTLE THINGS: A MONSTERS: n/a PACING: B OVERALL STYLE: B FLOW OF WORDS: B- CHOICE OF FOCUS: B+ TRANSITIONS/FLASHBACKS/POV: A- COMPLEXITY OF WORDS/SYMBOLISM/THEMES: B OVERALL GRADE: B (1) What makes this a great story or a good/mediocre story? First off, this story isn't as good as George R.R. Martin (the author I use as the best of the best in fantasy stories) or Roger Zelazny or even some of Terry Brooks or THE LEGEND OF HUMA . . . in the latter cases, I am referring to the emotional resonance I received upon completion of the story. While Brooks and HUMA are much more simplistic and black and white story telling, they echoed for me far more substantially. Regardless, this is a good story in some areas (Medieval context, usage of names, most of the pacing, POV of Ash, interesting alternative Historical points, email usage of a Historian and publisher to prove that a part of History was lost to us and actually existed) and not so good in other areas (emotional resonance was lacking for me with the characters, the usage of present and past tense during the story telling got confusing, pacing was off at times, the surprises and twists went up and down at times). It is especially of interest to Medieval History buffs, as well as readers who love to hear about alternative Historical points. (7) TOP THREE CHARACTERS: and list why . . . as to what was learned as a writer and reader. This could very well be one of the reasons the story didn't truly resonate for me. While I found Ash fascinating to read about, she didn't turn me on . .. nor did any of the other characters really. The story, in itself, has a very appealing medieval context and some good plot points and surprises but nothing big like GRRM's A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE. (19) CHARACTER EMPATHY: did you find yourself caring about what happens to the main or other characters? I didn't latch on to any of the characters unfortunately. This was the biggest drawback to the story for me. While I found the story and setting interesting, I just didn't emotionally resonate with Ash and, since she was the only POV in the story, that left me with no options. They say you need to like the character to feel enough emotions to care about the story . .. and, I agree. I still enjoyed reading the story but I didn't care too much about Ash. What didn't I like about Ash? Hard to say, really. I didn't necessarily hate her or even dislike her. I just didn't care about her even though she was a fully dimensional character. Perhaps I never felt enough of a weakness in her since she was always operating from anger of mistrust.
Rating:
Summary: Detailed but distracted.
Review: Gentle certainly deserves applause for the verisimilitude that she brings to her alternative history novel of 15th century Burgundy. She brings the mercenaries and the time to life in a way that only the best historical novels have managed to do. However, the sequences with the current historian researching Ash annoyed me to the point of wanting to put the book down. It may be that if you read the book as it was intended (as one book) then this is less troublesome, but in this first installment I failed to see the point and I wasn't interested enough for the mystery of it all to move me. I may pick up the second installment and see what happens, but I won't go out of my way to read it.
Rating:
Summary: Detailed but distracted.
Review: Gentle certainly deserves applause for the verisimilitude that she brings to her alternative history novel of 15th century Burgundy. She brings the mercenaries and the time to life in a way that only the best historical novels have managed to do. However, the sequences with the current historian researching Ash annoyed me to the point of wanting to put the book down. It may be that if you read the book as it was intended (as one book) then this is less troublesome, but in this first installment I failed to see the point and I wasn't interested enough for the mystery of it all to move me. I may pick up the second installment and see what happens, but I won't go out of my way to read it.
Rating:
Summary: 3.5 Stars ?
Review: Gentle deserves a load of credit for originality and earthy writing. This is no re-telling of the current stock fantasy novel where a young, petite and beautiful maiden discovers her extraordinary yet frightening inate magical powers and saves the day. Instead, Ash is a young, petite and beautiful ex-prostitute who somehow has managed to become a famed mercenary leader. The remarkable events begin in the first few pages when at the age of 8 she slays two professional soldiers with their own weapons. No shortage of action and fantasy here. I really enjoyed the war and mercenary company aspects of the book, and was pining for more of that. When Gentle writes about battles and mercenary life it is striking, technically detailed and intriguing. However, rather than being solely about warfare, the story is told as an alternative history. Specifically, interspersed throughout the pages are notes from a researcher who pieces together the "true" story of Ash and her world. I found these parts distracting and actually began to skip them halfway through the book. The narrative portion of Ash's story was far more interesting to me than these confusing modern bits. Perhaps it is a personal preference but I would have enjoyed a novel free of the e-mail exchanges between the fictitious researcher and publisher in favor of more about Ash and why she is so incredible. Why is her company so loyal and successful? Is it all because of the special voice in her head? How did she get to where she is in face of clear gender-based opposition? What makes her so much more skilled in combat than others? She's not big, so is she really fast, better trained? I found myself wishing for a better sense of answers to these and other questions about Ash and her background. Still, I want to emphasize that this book is really a big step above the dull stuff sagging next to it on the fantasy shelves.
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