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Beneath Gray Skies
Beneath Gray Skies tells the story of David Slater, a young conscript in the Army of the Confederacy in the 1920s, as he learns power politics from the inside in the West's last slave-owning nation. He makes friends with a British agent, and strikes up an unlikely acquaintance with Hermann Goering, eventually finding himself rubbing shoulders with President Jefferson Davis III and Adolf Hitler on the first (and last) flight of the doomed Zeppelin airship Bismarck, carrying a mysterious cargo from Nazi Germany to the Confederate States of America. The action moves between the Confederacy and Washington DC as well as London and Berlin, examining the world of "might have been" had the American Civil War never been fought, and the Confederacy survived into the 20th century. Hugh Ashton lives in Kamakura, Japan, where he works as a writer and journalist. Beneath Gray Skies is his first published novel.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
7 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Hugh Ashton
68 books65 followersHugh Ashton was born in the UK in 1956. After graduating from the University of Cambridge, he worked in a variety of jobs, including security guard, publisher's assistant, and running an independent record label, before coming to rest in the field of information technology, where he assisted perplexed users of computers and wrote explanations to guide them through the problems they encountered.
A long-standing interest in Japan led him to emigrate to that country in 1988; writing instruction manuals for a variety of consumer products, assisting with IT-related projects at banks and financial institutions, and researching and writing industry reports on the Japanese and Asian financial industries, and writing promotional material for international business publications.
He has recently returned to the UK, and now lives in the cathedral city of Lichfield with his wife, Yoshiko.
He has recently published many volumes of highly-acclaimed Sherlock Holmes pastiches (the Deed Box and Dispatch-box series) with Inknbeans Press of California, with some reviewers hailing him as the re-incarnation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In addition, the list of his thrillers currently includes: At the Sharpe End, featuring an expatriate consultant living in Tokyo, Kenneth Sharpe, who finds himself thrust into a world of violence and high finance; Leo's Luck, a story of rock 'n' roll, crime, romance, and the paranormal; and Balance of Powers, set against the backdrop of the subprime mortgage crisis.
His historical works include: Beneath Gray Skies, an alternative history in which the American Civil War was never fought; Red Wheels Turning, set in an alternative Russia of 1917; and The Untime and The Untijme Revisited, Verne-ian 19th-century steampunk science fiction novels.
Children's books include the Sherlock Ferret series about the world's cutest detective, delightfully illustrated by Andy Boerger.
The collection of short stories Tales of Old Japanese describes some of the endearing characteristics of today's "silver generation" of Japan.
A long-standing interest in Japan led him to emigrate to that country in 1988; writing instruction manuals for a variety of consumer products, assisting with IT-related projects at banks and financial institutions, and researching and writing industry reports on the Japanese and Asian financial industries, and writing promotional material for international business publications.
He has recently returned to the UK, and now lives in the cathedral city of Lichfield with his wife, Yoshiko.
He has recently published many volumes of highly-acclaimed Sherlock Holmes pastiches (the Deed Box and Dispatch-box series) with Inknbeans Press of California, with some reviewers hailing him as the re-incarnation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In addition, the list of his thrillers currently includes: At the Sharpe End, featuring an expatriate consultant living in Tokyo, Kenneth Sharpe, who finds himself thrust into a world of violence and high finance; Leo's Luck, a story of rock 'n' roll, crime, romance, and the paranormal; and Balance of Powers, set against the backdrop of the subprime mortgage crisis.
His historical works include: Beneath Gray Skies, an alternative history in which the American Civil War was never fought; Red Wheels Turning, set in an alternative Russia of 1917; and The Untime and The Untijme Revisited, Verne-ian 19th-century steampunk science fiction novels.
Children's books include the Sherlock Ferret series about the world's cutest detective, delightfully illustrated by Andy Boerger.
The collection of short stories Tales of Old Japanese describes some of the endearing characteristics of today's "silver generation" of Japan.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 26, 2015
My primary feeling I had after reading this book was while I liked the premise I was never convinced that this wasn't an amateur novel. The writing is reasonable, in that at times there were many good parts-indeed nearly well done parts, but in certain and indeed most scenes especially in the opener where the Nazis and Confederates arrest the German politicos I thought very poorly done. Likewise characterization was exceptionally weak, most were two-dimensional little building was ever done and the traits were of the "take my word for it" type. But the world that Ashton created was rather intriguing, and I did enjoy the tongue-in-cheek satire of the Bush administration. Furthermore I appreciated Ashton not engaging in another American Exceptionalism novel as these have become far too ubiquitous and tiresome in the alternate history genre.
But to close, a novel not quite worth the cover price, but if one can find it cheaper it's a quick and easy read, that at the very least gives the audience what it wants from the characters, however flimsy they may be.
But to close, a novel not quite worth the cover price, but if one can find it cheaper it's a quick and easy read, that at the very least gives the audience what it wants from the characters, however flimsy they may be.
September 29, 2010
The characters are two-dimensional and some of the dialog is a little unbelievable, but that's not the point. These are comic book heroes pursuing goodness in justice against the most despicable enemies - Nazis and racists. Despite the "gray" in its title, there are few gray areas here - it's pretty black and white, and in that sense it is satisfying. The premise - what would have happened if the US Civil War had not been fought, and the United States of America and Confederate States of America had continued to exist as two separate countries - is interesting, and it is especially interesting to see how this is all imagined by a relatively disinterested Brit (he did his homework, but there's still cultural knowledge that he missed - like the fact that corn bread is not baked in loaves).
I'm looking forward to attending a reading of the author's latest novel in October.
I'm looking forward to attending a reading of the author's latest novel in October.
October 4, 2010
A friend and I are going to an author signing and reading for his next book, this month.
The premise is very interesting- the American Civil War never happens, the USA was split and in the late 30s, the Confederates try to join forces with the Nazi forces emerging out of war-torn Germany. However the characters were flat and I was often left wondering about motivation.
The premise is very interesting- the American Civil War never happens, the USA was split and in the late 30s, the Confederates try to join forces with the Nazi forces emerging out of war-torn Germany. However the characters were flat and I was often left wondering about motivation.
Want to Read
March 13, 2010This is my friend Hugh's book. Every time I talk to him he asks me if I've read his book yet and for some reason other stuff keeps getting put ahead of it on my reading list. So I've added it to my "official" reading list to make sure I read it next!
May 24, 2011
Unreadable. The premise grabbed me, but the dialogue was so absurd as to be unendurable. The Brits, just as an example, speak some patois along the lines of, "Tally-ho, cheerio and all that rot. Pip Pip!"
July 7, 2011
I love alternate history books and this one was no exception. Well-written with a brilliant story, Ashton weaves real historical characters with a past that never happened, making a brilliant and captivating story that is hard to put down. A great read!
September 3, 2013
Once you get over the rather trivial nature of the split in history that inspires this novel (Lincoln was sick, so we couldn't have the War Between the States), it quickly becomes an engrossing and exciting adventure tale involving an industrially stunted Confederate States of America, a politically stunted United States of America, a dynamic British Empire where spying (the alternative to war) is still conducted by gentlemen, and a fledgling Nazi Germany. Actually, I probably should not characterize the split in history as "trivial" (that's reserved for Avram Davidson's alternate history tale where events went sideways because Brigham Young stubbed his toe), but as "slim." The Republican Party split from the Whigs solely on the issue of slavery, and the abolition of slavery was the only plank in the Republican platform, so Lincoln's sudden illness would seem to me a bit insufficient to stop the political juggernaut that led to war; still, momentous events have turned before on just such small actions. This novel rarely delves into politics, but we can surmise much from the comments and the timeline. The split between the states would also have been a split between the parties, with the Republicans (maybe Whigs, if the failure to end slavery doomed the new party)running the USA and the Democrats grasping the reins of the CSA. While the USA did not entirely avoid conflicts (Washington state was lost to Canada), it did seem to avoid the Spanish-American War because there were no Democrats beating war-drums; similarly, the CSA fared poorly against Cuba and lost Florida. The USA did not enter the Great European War, and no one cared what the CSA did there because it was so ineffectual, more of a troublemaker, I assume, than a combatant. At one point, a character visiting the USA War Department remarks about all the empty office space -- "I suppose that's what comes from not fighting so many wars."
The USA at the time of the novel is semi-isolationist and rather politically/diplomatically naive from the viewpoint of the Brits, who had to fight the Central Powers and save the day pretty much on their own; the CSA is a sort of corn-pone Sparta with a hereditary dictator and lacking the industrialized economy that would make slavery ineffective, a country shunned by everyone except the Nazis...well, when your best friends are the Nazis you have more problems than you can even count.
It is this developing "axis" between Richmond and Berlin that moves the story, propelling action after action...in some of those actions we see echoes of our own history (can't always escape destiny, I guess), the motivating force behind the characters, who include a freed slave, a Confederate chess-playing soldier, and a British secret agent who was supposed to come in from the cold...but didn't. Not a lot of Finch-Molloy's (the spy) background is revealed, but a later book, Red Wheels Turning, tells of his recruitment and an exploit during the Great War.
Since alternate history novels are in a sense historical fiction we come across quite a few familiar names, especially with regards to the Germans. All the big-hats are there, including the little chap wearing the Charlie Chaplin mustache, as well as Dr Hugo Eckner, of Zeppelin fame, but the airship bound for Cordelle (not Lakehurst) is named for Bismark, not another famous German. As with other AH novels, you can approach this story from any number of avenues -- there we go but for the grace of God, if only we had ourselves been so prescient about the Nazis, what does this story say about us, or what else has gone differently to create such a world with such people; but I think the most rewarding way to approach this novel is as a rattling good adventure novel filled with such characters that would make our own world a better place to live...if only they were real.
The USA at the time of the novel is semi-isolationist and rather politically/diplomatically naive from the viewpoint of the Brits, who had to fight the Central Powers and save the day pretty much on their own; the CSA is a sort of corn-pone Sparta with a hereditary dictator and lacking the industrialized economy that would make slavery ineffective, a country shunned by everyone except the Nazis...well, when your best friends are the Nazis you have more problems than you can even count.
It is this developing "axis" between Richmond and Berlin that moves the story, propelling action after action...in some of those actions we see echoes of our own history (can't always escape destiny, I guess), the motivating force behind the characters, who include a freed slave, a Confederate chess-playing soldier, and a British secret agent who was supposed to come in from the cold...but didn't. Not a lot of Finch-Molloy's (the spy) background is revealed, but a later book, Red Wheels Turning, tells of his recruitment and an exploit during the Great War.
Since alternate history novels are in a sense historical fiction we come across quite a few familiar names, especially with regards to the Germans. All the big-hats are there, including the little chap wearing the Charlie Chaplin mustache, as well as Dr Hugo Eckner, of Zeppelin fame, but the airship bound for Cordelle (not Lakehurst) is named for Bismark, not another famous German. As with other AH novels, you can approach this story from any number of avenues -- there we go but for the grace of God, if only we had ourselves been so prescient about the Nazis, what does this story say about us, or what else has gone differently to create such a world with such people; but I think the most rewarding way to approach this novel is as a rattling good adventure novel filled with such characters that would make our own world a better place to live...if only they were real.
January 6, 2012
The story's “what-if” premise of the the Southern States peacefully seceding from the Union in the 1860s and forming a separate nation called the Confederate States of America (CSA) and then some decades later forming an alliance with Nazi Germany is an interesting twist on history. However, the reader will have to take a leap from “what-if” to a suspension of disbelief if you are to enjoy “Beneath Gray Skies” by author Hugh Ashton. For example, you will have to believe that a nominally-educated male CSA “Negro” slave is freed as a result of a stereotypical racist incident and then – with no vetting or prior intelligence experience – is embraced by the British intelligence service as an instant colleague. In addition, you will have to believe that this former slave and a beautiful, white, Jewish female, a member of the American intelligence community, have an instant chemistry on first-sight and fall in love, resulting in the former slave marrying the woman and being warmly welcomed into the woman's socially- and politically-prominent and quite wealthy family and social circle.
Next, you will have to believe that a character named “David” – a private in what is described as the uneducated “white trash” Confederate Army – is discovered to have extraordinary aptitude for the game of chess – a game that he had never played before – said skill causing him to gain the notice of his superiors who, in turn, determine David also has extraordinary skills in calligraphy, the ability to read well, and even do “some calculating with figures,” all of which lead David to an eventual rank of Sergeant and a key role with a group of Germans building a Zeppelin airdrome on Confederate Georgia soil.
Next is the enigmatic English hero, Brian, who darts in and out of the narrative with exploits of daring, deception, and spying in an effort to disrupt the CSA-Nazi alliance. Toss in a bunch of nasty Nazis and an equally nasty CSA President, a “save-the-world” United Kingdom intelligence service and its operative named “Dowling” (the former slave's original mentor), a plot to kill the bad guys, and it turns out that all's well that ends well.
The writing is adequate; however, with the exception of some British dialogue, the dialogue of most of the other characters too often lacked the ring of authenticity because what should have been dialects and idioms unique to those characters was lacking. Said another way, the drawl of the South and the unique syntax of German-to-English was missing.
Finally, I felt that the author also had a subtle and personal political and social agenda woven into the story – an agenda that can be explained best by reading both the author's preface to the first edition and his preface to the second edition.
Next, you will have to believe that a character named “David” – a private in what is described as the uneducated “white trash” Confederate Army – is discovered to have extraordinary aptitude for the game of chess – a game that he had never played before – said skill causing him to gain the notice of his superiors who, in turn, determine David also has extraordinary skills in calligraphy, the ability to read well, and even do “some calculating with figures,” all of which lead David to an eventual rank of Sergeant and a key role with a group of Germans building a Zeppelin airdrome on Confederate Georgia soil.
Next is the enigmatic English hero, Brian, who darts in and out of the narrative with exploits of daring, deception, and spying in an effort to disrupt the CSA-Nazi alliance. Toss in a bunch of nasty Nazis and an equally nasty CSA President, a “save-the-world” United Kingdom intelligence service and its operative named “Dowling” (the former slave's original mentor), a plot to kill the bad guys, and it turns out that all's well that ends well.
The writing is adequate; however, with the exception of some British dialogue, the dialogue of most of the other characters too often lacked the ring of authenticity because what should have been dialects and idioms unique to those characters was lacking. Said another way, the drawl of the South and the unique syntax of German-to-English was missing.
Finally, I felt that the author also had a subtle and personal political and social agenda woven into the story – an agenda that can be explained best by reading both the author's preface to the first edition and his preface to the second edition.
February 24, 2012
A compelling rewrite of history. Suppose Lincoln had not lived to emancipate the slaves; imagine slavery continuing in a seceded American South for which generations of Jefferson Davis's led a nation with no industry but a geographically gas-rich nation without a market. Then add the Nazis, anxiously looking for a fire-retardant fuel for their currently hydrogen-powered air ships. A great story. The character of Christopher Pole was interesting, but not terribly authentic as he was very well-spoken and, although I didn't find it unbelievable that a slave might--with encouragement--have developed skills far exceeding those of his peers, he didn't speak as one who had been kept in slavery. David was more believable, as he maintained a certain naivety that his upbringing would have manifested. As for the Jewish bride to a former slave--I cannot conceive of any changes in the Northern States that would have allowed, let alone encouraged the union, especially in the 1920s.
Despite these issues, the story is extremely interesting and had plot issues that far outweighed these character problems. It's a really good read and a very interesting premise. I was completely willing to take the leaps of faith to find out where the author took his story and was not disappointed.
I look forward to reading more of Mr. Ashton's work, especially his Holmes & Watson novellas which I know from experience to be excellent projects!
Despite these issues, the story is extremely interesting and had plot issues that far outweighed these character problems. It's a really good read and a very interesting premise. I was completely willing to take the leaps of faith to find out where the author took his story and was not disappointed.
I look forward to reading more of Mr. Ashton's work, especially his Holmes & Watson novellas which I know from experience to be excellent projects!
February 2, 2016
This is a historical fiction book based on the premise that there was no Civil War because Lincoln was ill and his underlings decided not to re-provision Fort Sumter and thus provoke a shooting incident. So the story moves quickly to 1923, with the Confederate States of American still existing.
The Confederate States of America has not developed technologically like the North, and their country seems to be under the control of religious extremists. Germany and the CSA are having discussions about an alliance. Slavery still exists, and the South has controls on Jews which are approved by the German representative, who is Hitler. They want to 'borrow' some Southern troops to help them get control of the German government and all Germany. The CSA has pretty much become a dictatorship.
Brian saves a black servant from being lynched by four white guys. One interesting thing that is revealed is that the Confederacy teaches creationism in its schools.
What Hitler had not planned on was that not everyone working for him cared for him. Or that the English and United States governments would fully cooperate on an effort to stop them from making successful ties with the Confederacy.
You can easily see just how complex the relations between the two countries were, and how they had to work together and through their spies in the Confederacy and through unhappy Germans to take care of two birds with one stone.
And a couple of missiles.
A really good story.
The Confederate States of America has not developed technologically like the North, and their country seems to be under the control of religious extremists. Germany and the CSA are having discussions about an alliance. Slavery still exists, and the South has controls on Jews which are approved by the German representative, who is Hitler. They want to 'borrow' some Southern troops to help them get control of the German government and all Germany. The CSA has pretty much become a dictatorship.
Brian saves a black servant from being lynched by four white guys. One interesting thing that is revealed is that the Confederacy teaches creationism in its schools.
What Hitler had not planned on was that not everyone working for him cared for him. Or that the English and United States governments would fully cooperate on an effort to stop them from making successful ties with the Confederacy.
You can easily see just how complex the relations between the two countries were, and how they had to work together and through their spies in the Confederacy and through unhappy Germans to take care of two birds with one stone.
And a couple of missiles.
A really good story.
January 14, 2013
Excellent
February 7, 2016
The concept was intriguing but the story felt too simplistic, as if the author ran out of ideas after the initial good one. The characters were flat and cliched.
July 2, 2019
Compelling
Similar to "The man in the high castle" frightening what if
Not quite as good as Sherlock but worth the read
Similar to "The man in the high castle" frightening what if
Not quite as good as Sherlock but worth the read
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews