The Prologue here features a different climber, American Christopher Anderson, who in the year 1981 perished on the Mountain of Makula when he was struck in the head by a falling rock. Quinn is a Mountain Guide working Mount Everest, but his skills will be put to a higher purpose before this new novel is through. The Ghost Moths is British author Harry Farthing’s second effort following his well-received debut novel, Summit, which also featured expert mountain-climber, Neil Quinn. Only alone and unseen like a ghost moth will you be able to do this.’ There are people recognized throughout this novel and over a period of decades who are referred to as the Ghost Moths and their purpose was accurately described by that brief passage. Like a ghost moth, you must take the seed of our survival and hide it anew.

The best description I found within the novel stated: ‘Like a ghost moth, you must fly far from this soil to escape the fungus that consumes us all.

There are many uses and definitions for the term Ghost Moth within this novel and I believe it is important to understand what it symbolizes to genuinely enjoy the story.

The cover of the haunting Tibetan-based novel The Ghost Moths by Harry Farthing features a quote that really cuts directly to the undercurrent that runs beneath the entire narrative: ‘The past can only determine the future if it survives the present.’ Sounds like a fortune cookie at a progressive Asian restaurant, but it really nails what this novel is trying to say about culture, cultural identity, and tradition.

Summit by harry farthing