Very long, strange mixture of pseudo-historical and science fiction with an alternate history vibe. Read some years ago so don't recall much on the specifics, but it follows the career of a woman mercenary who rises to become captain of her own force (though exactly how she managed to do that was skipped over if I recall), having begun life as a camp brat who was brutally raped at the age of eight. But the twist is that a) the 15th century in which she lives and fights is not ours, as for a start Carthage didn't fall in this and there are still Visigoths threatening Europe and b) the story is meant to be a translation and is set in a framing device between the translator and publisher who email each other at intervals.

Furthermore, as the story progresses and more is translated and emailed to the publisher, the contemporary history begins to change and warp around the characters. There are other science fictional elements: part of Ash's success is because she hears a voice, only her voice isn't like those of Joan of Arc's as it gives her advice on military tactics and strategy. Eventually we learn that it is a 'Stone Golem' and that Ash is one of a number of children especially bred to be able to hear this telepathic communication and to carry out the Stone Golem's urgings. At one point, she meets a sister who is commander of an enemy force and is doing precisely that.

Along the way there is a lot of very in depth information on 15th century weapons, battles etc, with lots of swearing and also rather anachronistic dialogue though maybe we are meant to think that is the responsibility of the framing translator. There is also a great deal of violence to people and animals, including torture of Ash. I quite 'enjoyed' it overall but not in a must keep to re-read way. ( )

When people ask the dreaded 'what's your favourite book question', this is one of my stand-by answers. And it's not just a throw-away line because it honestly is. I don't usually go for historical fiction but this alternate-history/fantasy-history grabbed me and compelled me the entire way through. I'd only read one other Mary Gentle novel, Grunts, before this, and this was both so different and contained the things that made me enjoy that book. Ash is a fantastic character and not just because it's wonderful to read about a literal strong female character. ( )

Well written, with exacting historical detail in regard to armour, weapons and combat.

My only real complaint is that it's too long. at over 1100 pages, it took me forever to read it. ( )

http://speculiction.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/review-of-ash-secret-history-by-mary.... ( )

Ms. Gentle's work is of high quality. This is definitely not by-the-yard trolls, dragons and Elves fantasy. It is a setting postulating that the Visigoths are still in possession of North Africa, and there is a very weird meteorological phenomenon dominating the south shore of the Mediterranean. But the changes all happened so long ago that there's very little artistic reason for any of this being on our earth. I guess it saved money on drawing a map of a made-up planet. So a curious failure in fantasy construction as far as I'm concerned. ( )