The Wild Machines:: The Book of Ash, #3

Ash's story was originally published as one mammoth book in the UK. In USA (and the rest of Europe) divided into four tomes. A wise option IMHO. "The Wild Machines" is the third volume of this format. As the tale was conceived as whole book, you definitely must read them in order. So my recommendation is start from "A Secret History" and then follows the thread. This is an alt-his tale full of attractive ideas, images, violence and well defined characters. Ms. Gentle has researched both in medieval history and warfare; that allows her to present the reader with a very well documented backdrop. The entire late middle age world is reconstructed accurately; its reality is overwhelming. The mercenary way of life, camping, battles, cities and courts are vividly described. The new alt-his issues & sci-fi elements e.g. Visigothic Carthage, the Stone Golem & the Penitence are as compelling. The story is presented as a contemporary new translation of medieval manuscripts, with the addendum of new revolutionary documents recently discovered by a historian. In this volume new unknown documents are unearthed by the editor and passed to the historian-translator. Ash is a very young & capable mercenary leader that has been captured by the Visigoths and liberated by part of her faithful company leaded by the Lord Oxford. They return to a dilapidated southern Europe and reach Dijon blockaded by the Visigoths and their Faris (female General). Ash is able to bypass the siege and finds Dijon almost exhausted. From here on a new cavalcade of adventures ensues. Characters are well fleshed, each with its own vital problems to solve and interact. Interesting issues about ethic, gender, love, politics & warfare are presented to the reader in a shocking parade. In this volume the fantastic and sci-fi elements continue growing up. This book is strictly for adult readers due to its violent scenes and language; it will be fully enjoyed by alt-his lovers, fantasy fans & sci-fi buffs. Reviewed by Max Yofre.

This is the third Book of Ash (the first two are A Secret History and Carthage Ascendent). But this is not a series, the entire work was conceived as one novel and published as four books in the US. In The Wild Machines, Ash, mercenary company leader and incidentally slave-born genetic experiment (as she discovers in Book 2), is on her way back to the rest of her company and away from Carthage. Very bad things are happening. The sun is no longer shining in the parts of Europe that the Visigoth army has conquered, and it's getting cold, just like in Carthage. The voice in Ash's head isn't what she thought it was (a tactical computer) but a creation of the "Wild Machines," silicon lifeforms that are directing Carthage's political and military actions through an artifact. It is the Wild Machines who have encouraged the conquering of Europe, and they tell Ash that they have drawn down the power of the sun.Heady stuff, yet she still has to reunite her company, as only half of them came to rescue her in Book 2. She returns to Burgundy, which becomes central to the Wild Machines plans for world domination. Ash wants to know more about her twin, the general of the Visigoth army called "the Faris." And the Faris wants to know more about Ash. And everyone is panicking as the weather changes, the crops fail, and the sun don't shine.Meanwhile, Pierce Ratcliff, translator of Ash's manuscripts, is handling more bizarre happenings while trying to convince his editor not to yank his book project. The email messages between them continue to let us know that something very wrong has happened to our understanding of reality, taking this work once more from fiction to fantasy to science ficiton, and round about through alternative history a few times...

This novel, the third in the Book of Ash, is really a terrific read. Mary Gentle's narrative is at once visceral and vivid. This series is refreshingly straight foward and yet filled with enough twists and climatic action that I found it an irresistable page turner.For those who have read the prior two novels, the answers to many burning cliff hangers lie within: What is the fate of the remaining Lion Azure? What are the sinister goals of the Ferae Natura Machinae? Why do they seek the destruction of Burgandy? How did Ash come to be among the Griffin-in-Gold?The mix of the emails of the future historians and archaeologists just adds enough of hint to not only what is to come, but how and why...I've already pre-ordered "Lost Burgandy" and can hardly wait...