Ashling: The Obernewtyn Chronicles 3 [Mass Market Paperback]

Ashling (1995) is the third SF novel in the Obernewtyn series, following The Farseekers. In the previous volume, Elspeth was healed by the Agyllians. Gahltha found her on the plateau and took her back to Obernewtyn. There she saw the ruins left by a firestorm.

In this novel, Elspeth Gordie is a Misfit who leads the Farseeker Guild. She has many talents and has been told that she is the Seeker who will find the weaponmachines of the Beforetimers.

Allthis is the leader of the oldOnes, the Agyllian birds. He has Talents and some resources that Elspeth does not comprehend.

Maruman is a mutant cat. He has been with Elspeth for many years. He is getting old and lazy, but he is also her contact with Allthis.

Rushton Seraphim is the Master of Obernewtyn, leader of the Misfits. He has some latent Talent.

Maryon is the Futuretell guildmistress. She foresees futures, but what she sees is not necessaily foreordained.

Garth is the Teknoguildmaster. He supervises digs in the ruins of the Oldtimers. He passionately desires knowledge of the Beforetime.

Gahltha is a large black stallion. He often provides rides for Elspeth.

Domick is a Misfit spy in Sutrium. His bondmate is Kella, a Healer ward. Domick has recently become strange and remote.

Brydda Llewllyn is a Rebel leader in Sutrium. He has parents among the Misfits.

In this story, Elspeth rescues a gypsy woman from burning on a stake. Another gypsy helps by shooting down the Herder who had ordered the burning, another man who interfered with the rescue and a couple of soldier-guards. As Elspeth is starting to ride away with the victim, a Herder novice throws a knife at her and knocks her unconscious.

When she awakes, Elspeth is in the Obernewtyn infirmary. Matthew had brought her and the gypsy woman back home. The Healers treat Elspeth and the gypsy, but the gypsy is slowly dying.

When the gypsy woman awakes, Elspeth tells her that she has been rescued and asks directions to her kin folks. The woman suspects that the whole affair has been a trick. The Misfits learn that the Herders had tortured her mate to get her talk and she is still refusing to give any information.

Elspeth and the Misfits learn more about the woman through their talents, but she has a natural mind shield that deprives them of any detailed information. Maryon has visions about the gypsy woman. She must be returned to Sutrium within a sevenday and Elspeth must accompany her to the town.

Elspeth is surprised, but willing to go. She has other reasons to travel to Sutrium, including learning more about "swallow" and meeting with Brydda and Domick. So Elspeth, Matthew, Maruman and Gahltha take the unconscious gypsy woman to Sutrium.

This tale has Elspeth dreaming about Ariel and other topics. Garth shows Rushton and Elspeth some findings in the city under the Tor. And Maruman passes on some more directions from Atthis.

This novel extends the story, but obviously does not conclude it. The next volume is The Keeping Place. Read amd enjoy!

Highly recommended for Carmody fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of psionic talents, postapocalyptic societies, and unwilling love. For anyone who not yet read this series, the initial volume is Obernewtyn.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Ashling is an amazing book, I just love Isobelle Carmody and this whole series, She may take as long as she want to finish the series as she would like, so it can stay amazing and original for an australian writer, Im proud to be australian. Your imagination is unique and I also recommended Darkfall series of two books, they are another amazing imaginative series.

I think that Carmody gets better and better in her Obernewtyn series. Ashling is the best so far. it has an edge-of-the-seat plot, strongly characterised protagonists and is written very beautifully. It is extremely hard to put down, and it keeps you reading till way past midnight. i used to read other books till i fell asleep. When i read Ashling, i couldn't fall asleep. Every page makes you want to turn to the next.
The characters seem so real, and every thing about them is strongly detailed. there is comedy and a little bit of romance :)
The entire Obernewtyn series so far is written very beautifully, as i said before, and has a special quality to it that sets the books apart from most others. A must read for fans of fantasy, great adventure and action. Oh, and absolutely everything else! (except vampires;thank God) ;)

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