Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #339024 in Books
• Published on: 2002-06-05
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
In Deathscent: Intrigues of the Reflected Realm Robin Jarvis has created an endearing and yet dark tale which encompasses historical adventure, fantastical visitors from other worlds and political intrigue. "Englandia" is the familiar Renaissance England of history and literature yet also full of unfamiliar practices and characters--Elizabeth has been on the throne for 178 years, but is still at war with Catholic Spain; one's class within society is still determined by one's noble status and favour with the queen (and indicated by how frilly one's ruff is or how flamboyant one's doublet and hose), but that archaic society exists in 93 beatified floating isles, which were "raised" many years before; and the only living animals which exist are humans. This last conceit is brilliantly elaborated upon to great comic and sentimental effect--the mechanical animals which exist instead (and whose "proudflesh" is eaten after being harvested and flavoured with essence of beef, venison, pork or lamb) become characters in their own right. Suet, the mechanical piglet who is blessed with being given one of the most sophisticated cordials or humours to make him work, is a devoted pet that any reader would like to adopt for themselves.

Adam o' the Cogs is the young apprentice who is adored by Suet the piglet, and it is partly through his eyes that we follow the story. His life in a literal backwater in Suffolk working as a repairer of these mechanical animals is disturbed greatly when Brindle, a visitor from another world, comes crashing down to their floating isle in his alien vehicle. By focusing also on Brindle's experience of this strange world Jarvis very successfully explains the alien and the familiar to the 21st-century reader. Jarvis's ear for authentic 16th-century language, and his insistence on retaining Renaissance authenticity despite the fantastical setting and conceits, ensures that the genuine excitement of Elizabethan politics is conveyed to the reader as clearly as the mundane of everyday life.

In Deathscent, Jarvis packs in many events within a short time span, though never letting the pace of the story detract from the detailed description and character development. The ending is hinted at in the last third of the book, and the quick-witted who follow Adam and his thoughts carefully will not be too surprised at the outcome. However, the nature of that outcome cannot be truly anticipated, and it fits satisfyingly into the twisting and turning plot that has been so lovingly created. --Olivia Dickinson

Synopsis
Robin Jarvis's latest creation is a world set in an alternate past - in a genre that can only be described as Scyence Fyctione! This strangely familiar Britain consists of ninety-three individual 'blessed isles' floating in the deep darkness and the story begins in December in the Gloriana Kalendar, when Elizabeth Tudor has reigned for one hundred and seventy-eight years. Into this world - a place with no animals and little technology - comes a stranger, Brindle. No one knows where he's from, or how he's arrived. But he brings strange implements and practices, and he's about to change things forever...

Customer Reviews

Brilliant construct - shame abut the alien
Well, it wasn't until I read some of these reviews that I realised that perhaps this was aimed at young people. If so, I'm surprised, because it was certainly pretty sophisticated in places, although unfortunately rather obvious in others - see below. However, I thought the early parts of this book were absolutely wonderful. Not just the marvellous inventiveness of the core construct - an entire 'uplifted' Elizabethan world with its ichor-fuelled mechanical creatures, and sky galleons (well, not terribly original, the sky galleons, but you can't have everything) - but in particular, the wonderfully evocative way in which the author has captured and conveyed the parochial and insular little world of a Tudor estate (quite literally now reduced to a whole series of claustrophobic little worlds), each with all its own characters - where middle class gentry get drawn into the great affairs of court, and where life is on one hand pleasant and bucolic in the pastoral countryside of an England in miniature, and on the other hand cheap and sordid once helpless pawns become enmeshed in the politics of state. To be honest, given the author's obvious and superb grasp of the period detail, and flair for conveying the feel of the nitty gritty of this Elizabethan world, I would almost have preferred this to have been a straight historical novel. As it is, what seems to start out as an intriguing, beguiling and wonderfully inventive alternative history, transplanted to a different universe, regrettably ends up in pretty familiar territory with the advent of the Iribian Alien, complete with his uncontrollable bloodlust (see Alien) and very PC self awareness of the cross he has to bear (see Mr Spock), most of which amounts to a far from new proposition. I really felt that the subplot of the alien interloper (which manages to supplant what seemed to start out as the main plot), with its entirely predictable ending, was both uneccesary and disappointing, and kind of spoiled for me, what would otherwise have been a wonderful work of imagination and escapism. One can only imagine the fantastic things that Robin Jarvis could bring to pass in this wonderful new world he has created, and I look forward to reading a sequel, or preferably several - but please - no more aliens getting-off-on-point-of-death. Stick to the intrigues of the uplifted Elizabethans and their mechanical companions - that's perfectly compelling on its own.

Deathscent - a tour-de-force
This book is fascinating. Jarvis introduces the concept of alien visitations to Tudor England, investigates the probable reactions, and still makes this a cracking yarn.

We have had displaced societies before (Harry Harrison's "Captive Universe" for one) but this is a subtle and fresh reworking. In many ways it resembles an alternative history but it requires only common knowledge of true history in order to appreciate - though a grounding in the basic personalities and mores driving Tudor society will help.

In some places it is subtle and in others not so subtle but the pace and the invention sweep you along so that you don't really care. It may be aimed at young adults but it certainly pulls no punches: themes of death, loss, guilt, and loyalty are explored.

The hints of the larger Deathscent universe are breathtaking and I look forward to obtaining the sequel.

(Oh, and when you've read it - go and watch The Clangers and see if you too think that Suet is based on Small Clanger...)

Deathscent.
I have only recently discoverd the Robin Jarvis books at the age of 31, but have really enjoyed the ones I've read. Deathscent has to be one of my favourites it's just so different from anything else. Different in a good way it's a definate page turner. It's difficult to describe what it's about it's almost a fantasy book really but a good one to read know matter how old you are. Looking forwards to the next one.