The Ghost Moths Lib/E

by Harry Farthing

Whilst searching a windswept mountainside for the fabled ghost moth fungus, a young Tibetan boy unearths a mysterious relic. Moments later the People's Liberation Army of China marches into his isolated village in the valley below and begins to dismantle an ancient way of life. As the brutal oppression grows, the boy's precious find becomes first a symbol of hope for the villagers then a tool of survival for a people and a religion. It must be preserved at all costs.

Sixty years later, mountain guide Neil Quinn is wrapping up his last climb of the season on the highest mountain in Tibet when a transport shortage leaves him stuck in an empty base camp. An earthquake sets off a chain of mysterious events that directly connect the English climber to the ongoing tragedies of a troubled land where the Chinese authorities strive still for complete control.

Unsure of precisely what he witnessed yet determined to protect its truth, Quinn returns to Kathmandu and enlists the help of a famous historian of the Himalayas, an erstwhile American journalist, and a cast of locals as enigmatic as that ancient city--each with their own reasons for joining his quest. Manipulation and murder dog their every step as they strive to piece together a complex puzzle from Tibet's tortured past while navigating the treacherous present.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Adventure, Horror, Thriller

Audio CD

First published February 9, 2021

About the author

Harry Farthing is an Englishman born in 1964 in Lynton, North Devon, and raised in the West Country. He was educated at St. Michael’s Preparatory School, near Barnstaple, Allhallows Public School, near Lyme Regis, and at the University of the West of England in Bristol. From 1987 he enjoyed a successful career with one of the world's largest commercial real estate consultancies. During this period, he lived and worked in the City of London, Lisbon, Portugal and Milan, Italy, becoming Managing Director of the company's Italian operations and European Board Director with responsibility for activities in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain and Qatar. In 2010 he took early retirement to move with his American wife to Charleston, South Carolina, and pursue a career in writing.

​Harry Farthing has had a lifelong interest in exploration, archaeology and world history, both published and alternate. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and has travelled widely to extreme environments such as the Sahara Desert, the Himalaya, the Amazon and the Arctic North. An experienced mountaineer, he has climbed extensively, including Mt Blanc and the Matterhorn in the Alps, Mt McKinley in Alaska, Shishapangma, the highest mountain in Tibet, and Mount Everest itself. In 2010 he successfully led all thirteen members of a charity climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro in Africa. In 2011 he made a solo 7,500 mile journey across North America by BMW Motorcycle that linked the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific Oceans and travelled 2,000 miles of unpaved roads above the 60th Parallel. That trip was the latest in a series of extreme motorcycle journeys that started with a ride from the UK to the Moroccan Sahara when he was just nineteen.

His debut novel, SUMMIT, marries his knowledge of world travel, adventure sports, mountaineering and modern history to create an exciting action story that is both compelling and thought provoking. A sequel, THE GHOST MOTHS, is to be published on February 9, 2021.

Reviews

[Jules The Book Junkie Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harry Farthing’s interesting mystery, The Ghost Moths, is steeped in folktales, spirituality and political unrest. I felt like I was transported to the Himalayas with his vivid descriptions of both the scenery and mountain climbing.

The novel mainly takes place in the present, however, it starts with an incident approximately 60 years prior. A spiritual event propels the main character, Neil Quinn, into the mystery surrounding an artifact unearthed long ago. He is forced to rely on new allies and previous enemies as he may have to key to Tibet’s future.

Mr. Farthing’s novel is filled with information about and jargon from mountain climbing. I found the story very interesting, but I will admit the long list of characters with difficult names felt overwhelming at the start. It was fascinating to be immersed in a different culture while following this intriguing adventure.

I received an advance copy of this book from Blackstone Publishing in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com

[John McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ghost Moths, (Blackstone Publishing, $27.99, 368 pages, ISBN 978-1-5384-6923-1) by Harry Farthing, is a painstakingly researched, carefully plotted and well-written issues-driven thriller that takes place among the towering eight thousand meter peaks of South Asia’s Himalayan Mountains.
The novel is about the occupied nation of Tibet . . . and it’s long struggle for freedom. It begins with the discovery of a sacred object by a young boy in the mountains of Southern Tibet, just as the Chinese Communist Army comes in and claims the tiny country as its sovereign territory in the early 1950s, setting off a conflict which rages to this very day, with no ending in sight.
The focus then switches to the year 2014 and introduces a man named Neil Quinn. He’s an Englishman, a climbing guide with many years of professional experience leading groups of high altitude summiteers to the tops of the world’s highest peaks . . . and the protagonist of the story. As he’s leading a group back from the top of Mt. Shishapangma, he observes some Chinese soldiers machine gun three Tibetan yak herders to death. Quinn records the massacre on his cell phone and forwards it to a woman named Henrietta Richards in Kathmandu, Nepal—the home of large numbers of expatriate Tibetans, Sherpas and Chinese spies. She’s the acknowledged record keeper of all recognized full ascents of the world’s highest mountains, and a retired British Embassy aide who’s lived in Kathmandu for forty-plus years. Together, Quinn, Richards and an American freelance journalist named Elizabeth Waterman team up to publicize the truth about the plight of Tibet and the ongoing search—in the face of ruthless and often deadly Chinese Communist opposition—for the next Dalai Lama . . . as well as the ongoing hunt for the Pachen Lama . . . who was chosen by his Holiness the Dalai Lama, at age six in 1995. The boy disappeared in the Chinese mainland shortly thereafter.
Could the mysterious and ghostly images of a simple moth that keep appearing at critical times and in crucial places have a role to play in the ongoing conflict? Are they somehow related to the shadowy group of climbers who called themselves ‘The Ghost Moths,’ and fought to save Tibetan culture and sacred objects during the so-called “Cultural Revolution” back in the 70s? Is there any hope of escaping the attention of a sadistic Chinese army officer nicknamed ‘Yama’ . . . for the Tibetan Lord of Death? The answers to all of those questions, and more, can only be found by reading The Ghost Moths. It’s one of the most engaging, propulsive, and, dare we say it, educational novels to come along since The Great Wall was built. The Ghost Moths is fiction with a bite . . . and a story the whole planet should sit up and take notice of . . . because in a just world this novel would go viral. It’s that good!

[Kimberly Ouwerkerk · Rating 4 out of 5]

“For the past to determine the future, it must survive the present.” Central to the story are the history, culture, and politics of the Tibetan region. It features mysteries set in the Himalayas and stories that have grown huge from historical accounts. Is something like the Brocken specter a beautiful natural phenomenon or the omen of death? These things depend on who you ask.

If you are not a mountain climber, you’ll learn about the aforementioned Brocken specter – your own reflection cast by the rising sun onto the cloud below – and many other things. The author’s knowledge shines through. You will also read about Tibet’s history, present and past, and its struggle to be an autonomous region.

The main characters want to do right by their conscience or country. You’ll find these people on both sides of the fight. Sometimes you don’t have a choice when powers bigger than you determine the course, though there are some who defend the cause they believe in, until the end.

But what is even more important than a well-designed setting, is that The Ghost Moths also has an interesting storyline, with credible characters. While the plot thickens and all characters get the information needed for their end game, the relevance of the events in the past become clear at the right time.

It is rewarding to take notice of the chapter titles, as they are witty and often come across as a joke or a comment on the situation. I also like the subtitles stating the year and the location of the chapter, which makes it easy to follow the story.

The Ghost Moths by Harry Farthing is a good read for those visiting Nepal, Tibet, or Dharamsala in India. I enjoyed reading it a lot and loved the fact that it transported me to the other side of the world.

Many thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Thomasin Propson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The roof of the world. I went into this story cautiously, hoping it wouldn't be just trauma-rama. And while there certainly *are* the sorts of gruesome and fearful things you'd expect of a novel depicting recent and modern Tibet and the Chinese government I could still read it and not feel terrorized. Unhappy and worried and fearful, but no nightmares. There was more focus on individual people (mostly white folks, some Tibetians/Nepali, one specific Chinese agent) and customs/history than large politics. The depiction of the Dalai Lama (a fiction with 'real' people) seemed respectful. I'd read more of the author's work.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story, just took the extremely long way around to tell it. Was a few rungs off of Summit.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as his first book. This was rather slow.

[Rmslis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll start this review by saying this book exceeded my expectations.

Lately I have been interested in reading novels in which the story takes place in a foreign/exotic locale. I remembered this book was in my roster in my e-reader and from what I could barely recall of its synopsis (it had been a little while since I obtained it) it was a (oh-hum) suspense whodunnit mystery that either takes place in Tibet or has some connection to that country. Ok, so it fit the requirement as (possibly) taking place in some exotic locale. As for being a mystery whodunnit, well, it turned out to be much more.

The setting for the story is Tibet and Nepal. The story follows a number of characters and takes place in various points of time from the 1950s to the present when the bulk of the story occurs. It is in this present day setting that the connection among all of its characters throughout those six decades come to light.

The story begins in the 1950s when a young Tibetan discovers an old and apparently much coveted relic. This occurs at the same time China begins its hostile take over of that country. Knowing that this relic must not fall into the wrong hands, the young native flees the area taking the relic with him. Now, this is the approximate span of time when the Dalai Lama flees Tibet taking up permanent residency in Dharmsala, India. Fast-forward to the present and we have some avid mountaineers participating in some adrenaline producing climbing expeditions, a news journalist, a British ambassador, another British ex-pat who maintains the records of all the mountain climbs and is a long time resident in the region, Sherpas, of course natives of the region, a number of native children who have gone missing over the years and some hostile Chinese obviously searching for something. Even the Dalai Lama has a cameo appearance. Amongst all of this the author weaves into the plot some history of Tibet and provides the reader with some glimpses into Tibetan beliefs and its culture. This certainly satisfied my reading interest in “exotic locale.”

Now it’s hard for me to discuss in more detail the plot of the book because of the surprising twists and turns throughout the story as the author slowly reveals one piece of relevant information after another. And I don’t want to have to give a spoiler alert because what made the book so engrossing is slowly discovering, one by one, how all of the pieces of this intriguing puzzle fit together. Just as the reader might be wondering, who, what, where, how, or why, the author satisfies the question, and the plot is set up for discovering the answer to the next question. As one progresses through the book it eventually becomes apparent that the story is not a typical whodunnit mystery. It is actually about something that transcends the mundane: The very future of one of the world’s major religions is in extreme jeopardy.

As a big plus for the reader the author provides an extremely helpful aide by including a comprehensive list of characters at the beginning of the book and a glossary of native words used within the story at the back of the book. Both were well consulted throughout my reading.

[Michael Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Ghost Moths is an unusual book. It’s focused on Nepal and Tibet and the legendary Himalayas between them. A strong feeling of the mountains and the people who climb them permeates the story.
The novel covers a broad canvass in time, ranging from the takeover of Tibet by the Chinese to the present day. It intertwines the quest story for the missing Panchen Lama, and the Dalai Lama’s struggle while exiled from his homeland. Even a hard-bitten US reporter finds herself sucked into the culture and beliefs of the region.
Each scene is an absorbing and well-written vignette in its own right. However, there are a lot of them and some could happen off stage. The result is a plethora of characters—the invaluable Cast of Characters runs to over 60—and some of them confuse the main story. It’s a great story, so let’s focus there.
The Ghost Moths of the title are a group of mainly foreign climbers who dedicate themselves to smuggling refugees and relics out of Tibet into neighboring Nepal. Their symbol is a drawing of the moth, and the Chinese, trying to suppress all resistance and replace the true Tibetan religious leaders by their own choices, are keen to destroy them. The Panchen Lama—who is key in the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama—is missing, and the Chinese authorities want it to stay that way. One by one, the ghost moths meet their deaths on the mountains until they are apparently all gone.
Neil Quinn is a climbing guide who is sucked into this political maelstrom when at the end of a climb, he inadvertently witnesses a massacre of local villagers. He videos it, and later sends it from his phone to his good friend Henrietta Richards, a long-time resident of Katmandu who makes it her business to validate mountaineers’ claims of summiting peaks. Soon they are both targets as a result.
Elizabeth Waterman is an American freelance journalist working on a story about the Dalai Lama and has managed to obtain an interview with him. Since he is now 80, she decides to focus on the vexed question of his next reincarnation with Tibet occupied and the Panchen Lama missing. She finds him more than up to her tough questions.
Her magazine is pressured into cancelling the story, but by then she has discovered another after witnessing the self-immolation of a man who turns out to be the last of the ghost moths. Before he died, he gave Henrietta Richards a string of beads and a handheld prayer wheel, which is a key relic.
The Ghost Moths is an adventure story set in a fascinating part of the world by an author who knows it well. The metaphysical flavor adds to the intrigue.

[RMazin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Immersed in Tibetan culture, religions and traditions is a mixture of people and politics who have been fighting for control of their heritage and destiny. Farthing transports the reader to the Himalayas through the means of a puzzling mystery, both thrilling and informative. A young Tibetan boy unearths an unusual artifact shortly before the People’s Liberation Army of China destroys all he knows.

Sixty years later, a mountain guide, Neil Quinn is caught on high in an earthquake and bears witness to both a temporal and a spiritual event that will propel him into a world of intrigue. He must somehow navigate through enemies, make new alliances and depend upon those who he has trusted in the past. He may hold the key to Tibet’s next step if only he can discern what is required of him.

Farthing creates an intricate tale of those who wish to help and those who wish to harm. Like the characters, the reader is not sure what the messages may mean or if spirited ghosts or real demons are at work. The author captures the dynamics of the region as well as the climbing culture and excitement. Having read his earlier book, The Summit, enabled me to reunite with some of the characters and settings mentioned there. It is not necessary to have read the previous book to enjoy this one, but The Summit was well-worth the reading trip. This is a thrilling and thoughtful adventure. Recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this title.

[Bri Lamb · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning hooked me with the story of the Tibetan boys experiencing Chinese occupation and discovering the kapala, but it lost me as the plot fell deeper into "white savior" territory. Nearly all the main characters turned out to be westerners, banishing the original Tibetan characters until the last portion of the book; in many instances they were side characters to their own story. Rounded up to three stars because I did appreciate the history described as well as the current Tibetan crisis which still needs to be addressed, but the white hero thing (and also minor love story?) was kinda strange. The dialogue was a little clunky as well, especially during the audience with the Dalai Lama. At the end, they all just sort of waltzed in to see the Dalai Lama, no big deal (pacing was wild in this book). I feel like this is what inevitably happens when an author attempts to write about a culture that is not theirs or that they did not grow up in.

[Lora Milton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This read as if it were in translation and I could easily believe it was narrated by a Tibetan boy. The story is about a boy searching for a fungus called ghost moth, when he finds an ancient relic.

The narrative takes us through some of the political upheaval Tibet went through under Chinese rule and the different phases of change. It's not what you would call a fast moving action story, but it goes through beliefs and attitudes of the Tibetan religion and how the priests who live in the monasteries respond to changes imposed from the outside world, while maintaining their own legends.

Descriptions and characterisations were well done and I did feel transported into this very different culture. We also learned a thing or two about mountain climbing.

[Lucy Farthing · Rating 5 out of 5]

" I really enjoyed this book. The chapters interleave together forming by the end a brilliant collage showing a variety of coloured fabrics. A skilful writer who sets the different scenes so that you are there, observing and entering into the story line. We meet again some of the characters from Summit; Ghost Moths is a stand alone novel but reading Summit again or for the first time adds to it. The maps and glossary are very helpful. This author loves Tibet and her people and joins in their suffering. On the surface this is an enjoyable adventure novel with breath taking climbing scenes but in fact it is much much more."

[Susan Ovans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A group of young boys discover an important relic just as Chinese soldiers invade their small village in the mountains of Tibet in the 1950s. Sixty years later, it becomes clear that the hidden relic is key to an understanding of the past and may well provide guidance for Tibet's future. This atmospheric (pun intended) novel involves thrilling passages that take the reader along on climbs to the summits of some of the most storied mountains in the world and plunges us deep into geo-political controversies that began with Mao Tse Tung and continue today. The Ghost Moths is a great read.

[Hywel Pinto · Rating 3 out of 5]

No as riveting at his previous book - Summit, with a lot a characters just thrown in for the sake of being there - seems like there was no real use of them, expect to deliver a line or two which could have been omitted.
However, the picture painted of the Chinese occupation seems well described and an engaging if not spell bound story line.

[Uwe Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystical Geopolitics

Very educational about the plight of those that lost their Homeland to the voracious communist dragon called China. A wonderful cast of characters that gives a sense of cloak and dagger that is very English in nature. The antagonist was not well developed and needed to have a wider reach to be taken seriously.

[Anjali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Farthing takes real Tibetan history and Buddhist lore and weaves a spellbinding historical novel around them. This is not an easy read, as the facts of Tibet's history are brutal and heartbreaking (see: Eat the Buddha by Barbara Demick and My Land and My People by the Dalai Lama), but Farthing certainly builds an intriguing mystery set in the mountains of Tibet and Nepal.

[Robyn Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contemporary historical fiction about the Chinese occupation of Tibet, the kidnapping of the Panchen Lama and the future search for the next Dalai Lama. Intriguing, fast paced, and laced with descriptions of the "old" alpine way of climbing in the Himalayas. Kept me reading!

[Greer Andjanetta · Rating 3 out of 5]

A weak fantasy tale set in Tibet, China & Nepal. Ghosts, spirits, ancient prophesies. and a missing Dalai Lama successor make for an interesting tale that has resonance with current day events. Intelligent writing (save for the fantasy) and descriptions of mountain climbing.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good novel about the Chinese invasion of Tibet and fictional background into the religion of the area. Some more climbing action and a mysterious goodwill agent. Little to no character development, but I still wanted to travel with these people and be part of the action.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

It started a little slowly compared to The Summit, but quickly engaged me. I learned a lot about Tibet and the political situation there. I thought this was a lot of fun, interesting and well written and read by the author.

[Cynthia Sprout · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding book! So well-written, each sentence is a joy. And the concepts are so significant that I had to pause after each chapter to process what I had just read.

[David Gorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an exciting story. I recommend it, but only after reading the author's first book, Summit.

[Yogasister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

I enjoyed reading this book. It captivated me and kept me turning the pages long after bedtime. I will be reading more of this author.

[Matt Kelland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid thriller with elements of mountaineering and the struggle for Tibetan freedom.

[Petra Smitran · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Wayne Woodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heady mix of reality and mysticism in a truly mythical place, Kathmandu, portraying the ongoing Tibetan struggle for recognition against the might of China.

[Nate Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good idea for drama, intrigue, and action disrupted by slow, disjointed pacing.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story about hiking in Nepal, the Dali lama successor, China invading Nepal. Unexpected story, a little fanciful, I finished- would I recommend? Maybe

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked his first book much better. This book was hard to follow for me.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little tough to follow with all the time and geographic jumps.