Ash: A Secret History of Burgundy is massive. I also discovered rather late that I could skip the 'modern day scientist' parts entirely and not affect the book in any way shape or form.
She has good moments. The late 15th century is a favorite time period of mine, and I was not disgusted by her version of it, though I could rag on her for having a scene where a dress is laced up the back- clothing of the time period, I am 99.9% certain, laced up the front. (nit, nit, nit! Yeah, she does a good job.)
She's very fond of 'grit' and killing off characters. I lost track of how many mercs died, frequently after only one scene of development. Donasian should like her. :) But I found her violence gratuitous at times.
And, from personal experience, no sane woman would wear her hair down in a Burgundian cuirass. Not more than once, anyway. (ow, ow, ow ow ow!)
Good visceral descriptions, though, and I did enjoy the read, once I learned which parts I could skip. (The modern-science epistilarly-style chapters drag like a rusted ford on cinder blocks.)
Piss and bricks realism. That's my short review of Mary Gentle. :)
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Date: 2004-02-20 07:00 am (UTC)She has good moments. The late 15th century is a favorite time period of mine, and I was not disgusted by her version of it, though I could rag on her for having a scene where a dress is laced up the back- clothing of the time period, I am 99.9% certain, laced up the front. (nit, nit, nit! Yeah, she does a good job.)
She's very fond of 'grit' and killing off characters. I lost track of how many mercs died, frequently after only one scene of development. Donasian should like her. :) But I found her violence gratuitous at times.
And, from personal experience, no sane woman would wear her hair down in a Burgundian cuirass. Not more than once, anyway. (ow, ow, ow ow ow!)
Good visceral descriptions, though, and I did enjoy the read, once I learned which parts I could skip. (The modern-science epistilarly-style chapters drag like a rusted ford on cinder blocks.)
Piss and bricks realism. That's my short review of Mary Gentle. :)