Ranger
West Indies, 1796.
Alexander Charteris - the mixed-race son of an aristocratic planter and a slave mother - is raised as a gentleman amidst the country houses and London drawing rooms of Georgian England. Tricked out of his inheritance by his cousin Pemberton - Chart is kidnapped and transported to the island of Grenada where he endures the hell of slavery on a sugar plantation.
When Pemberton arrives at the plantation, accompanied by Chart’s former lover, Lady Arabella, he orders Chart’s torture and execution.
A slave revolt ensues, before the order can be carried out. Chart initially joins the revolutionaries but is sentenced to death for refusing to take part in a massacre of British colonists. Aided by the beautiful daughter of the rebel general, Julian Fédon, Chart escapes.
He is recruited into a new British unit called the Loyal Black Rangers and promised freedom if he fights against the French.
Chart confronts conflicting loyalties as he leads his men in vicious bush-fighting. He rises through the ranks and plays a pivotal role in the bloody battle that crushes the rebellion.
But the soldier must confront one more enemy, that of his treacherous cousin, before he can find peace.
REVIEW ON AMAZON US:
This is Ashby's best novel to-date, and I can't wait to read the sequels. Anyone who enjoys reading about late 18th century England's military engagements around the world centered around strong action leads such as Hornblower, Aubrey, Flashman, Fletcher, etc; will find this King's Ranger, "Chart", equally entertaining, but his mixed racial background and the social issues both overseas and in England are woven into this intriguing tale by the author's extensive knowledge of the places and the history involved, so that actual persons and events are meshed into the story in a fascinating way, without the author seeming to preach social justice to his audience. Very well done! Lawrence Eisenberg
REVIEW ON ASPECTS OF HISTORY: Review of Ranger by Camilla Bolton
REVIEW ON AMAZON UK:
Definitely a page turner. An excellent read on a number of levels. I reached the end of each chapter and simply could not help turning over the page for the next one. I wanted to know what would happen to the mixed-race character, Chart, and how he would deal with torn loyalties resulting from the fascinating contrasts of a West Indies sugar-plantation childhood followed by education in an English public school. The book is a highly engaging insight into 18th century race relations. Timothy Ashby has a gift for portraying evocative scenes using just a few words, so the story never loses its pace by tripping up on detail. Yet somehow he manages to convey a great deal of detail leaving lingering images in one's head - this is masterful. However, it is not a read for the faint-hearted - Ashby does not spare us gruesome descriptions of how the British and French treated slaves. At times it becomes almost overwhelming. On the other hand, his carefully researched novel portrays the nuances of that complex period when attitudes to skin colour were different from succeeding centuries. I found that the book made me reflect on our own times and how we can find in the past the roots of today's ambiguities, where humanity can lie shoulder-to-shoulder with cruelty. Highly recommended for a fast-paced, easy read, but deceptively so, for it is most thought-provoking, and in my view, an important contribution as a historical novel.
Emma Ellis, co-author of Resolution: Two Brothers, A Nation in Crisis, a World at War.