title: A Secret History: The Book Of Ash, #1
author:  Mary Gentle 
description: Mary Gentle first came to prominence with the lovingly conceived and beautifully written SF novel <i><a href="/exec/obidos/ASIN/0451450167/${0}">Golden Witchbreed</a></i>. Its sequel, <i><a href="/exec/obidos/ASIN/0451450132/${0}">Ancient Light</a></i>, then took the world and premise built into the first novel and deconstructed it thoroughly. Gentle's latest plays some of the same tricks with reader expectations.
zlib_text: ‘Mary Gentle’s skill is such that she makes the miraculous seem totally
  plausible. A master of atmosphere and texture, her bravura portrayal of a
  Europe under pseudo-nuclear winter remains vivid long afterwards.’ _Starburst_
  
  ‘There are other writers who deal in people in our world coming into contact
  with other worlds, but I’ve yet to read any novel where the collision is
  handled as intelligently and subtly as it is here.’ _SFX_
  
  ‘Gentle is a fine writer … her characterisation of Ash is superb.’ Waterstones
  
  ‘Mary Gentle’s earlier work, including _Golden Witchbreed_ and _Rats and
  Gargoyles_ and their sequels, was much applauded. _Ash_ puts them in the
  shade… In its subversion of what we understand by history, and reality based
  on history, this huge work truly is a masterpiece.’ _Freelance Informer_
  
  ‘Very simply, _Ash_ works. There is much more to talk about: the brilliance of
  the conversations and debates; the astonishing clamour of combat; the
  roundedness of almost every character i