On the Other Side of the Sky

Towards the end of the eighteenth century, a group of learned men in the English Midlands, the Lunar Society, works to bring science and reason to the world. In America, the colonists are starting to break away from Britain in the War of Independence. In France, relations between the King and the people are worsening, which will eventually result in the bloodshed of the Revolution.And in a farmhouse not far from Birmingham, a young girl hears a frightening prophecy about her future from one who comes from the other side of the sky,Orphan Jane Machin, exiled from her native Staffordshire as a child on account of the uncanny events of which she appears to be the focus, and living a lonely life in Zürich, sets out on a journey to discover her true nature. On the way she discovers strange affinities: with Otto, mesmerist, conjuror and alchemist, and with Thomas FitzAlan, former soldier in the American War and English secret agent. Travelling through Switzerland, Germany, and Belgium, she arrives in Revolutionary France at the height of the Terror.As she discovers her hidden powers and her control over creatures she had previously regarded as fabulous, the desire for revenge against the being who calls himself her father builds inside her. She returns to England to join forces with a secretive group who are determined to see the end of the malignant forces of chaos who come from the other side of the sky and appear ready to take over our world.On the Other Side of the Sky brings together real historical figures such as Doctor Erasmus Darwin, Josiah Wedgwood, and Benjamin Franklin, and a background of eighteenth century Europe with a spellbinding alternative paranormal reality with its roots in traditional folklore, alchemy and the Rosicrucian tradition, and Kabbala.

From the Back Cover

"Well, there are Those who come from the other side of the sky."Darwin was startled. "I've never heard those words before. What do you mean? There is no other side to the sky. I mean, the sky is..." He found himself lost for words. How could he explain the principles of the refraction of light to her?At the end of the eighteenth century, little Jane Machin, just nine years old, is a problem that perplexes even the great Doctor Darwin. Our world seems to be under attack from denizens of a world that cannot exist, and Jane appears to be the focus for these attacks. Sent away to live in Switzerland, ten years later she travels through Germany and Belgium to Revolutionary France, learning some of the mysteries of alchemy and Kabbala from unlikely sources, and discovering her true and terrifying inner nature. Returning to her native Staffordshire, she aids the ­Revellers of Thoth in their attempt to understand what is happening to our world, and seeks her revenge on the one who claims to be her father.Erasmus Darwin, England's leading doctor, poet, inventor, botanist, natural philosopher, friend of Benjamin Franklin, and Jane Machin's adopted uncle when she was younger, is confronted with an enigma which even his powers of rational thought cannot unravel. On the Other Side of the Sky blends real historical characters, ideas, and places with fictional personalities and locations to create a story of imagination and adventure.

About the Author

Hugh Ashton was born in the United Kingdom, and moved to Japan in 1988, where he lived until his return to the UK in 2016.He is best known for his Sherlock Holmes stories, which have been hailed as some of the most authentic pastiches on the market, and have received favourable reviews from Sherlockians and non-Sherlockians alike.He has also published other work in a number of genres, including alternative history, historical science fiction, and thrillers, based in Japan, the USA, and the UK.He currently lives in the historic city of Lichfield with his wife, Yoshiko.His ramblings may be found on Facebook, Twitter, and in various other places on the Internet.

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