The Wulver’s Library’s Review of Ascension by Nicholas Binge
Publication Date: 25 April 2023
Series: Standalone
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 333
Rating: 3 stars
Publisher’s Blurb
A mind-bending speculative thriller in which the sudden appearance of a mountain in the middle of the Pacific Ocean leads a group of scientists to a series of jaw-dropping revelations that challenge the notion of what it means to be human
An enormous snow-covered mountain has appeared in the Pacific Ocean. No one knows when exactly it showed up, precisely how big it might be, or how to explain its existence. When Harold Tunmore, a scientist of mysterious phenomena, is contacted by a shadowy organization to help investigate, he has no idea what he is getting into as he and his team set out for the mountain.
The higher Harold’s team ascends, the less things make sense. Time moves differently, turning minutes into hours, and hours into days. Amid the whipping cold of higher elevation, the climbers’ limbs numb and memories of their lives before the mountain begin to fade. Paranoia quickly turns to violence among the crew, and slithering, ancient creatures pursue them in the snow. Still, as the dangers increase, the mystery of the mountain compels them to its peak, where they are certain they will find their answers. Have they stumbled upon the greatest scientific discovery known to man or the seeds of their own demise?
Framed by the discovery of Harold Tunmore’s unsent letters to his family and the chilling and provocative story they tell, Ascension considers the limitations of science and faith and examines both the beautiful and the unsettling sides of human nature.
Review of Ascension
“IF YOU EVER READ THIS. TELL OTHERS. DON’T COME HERE.”
Ascension by Nicholas Binge is another novel that caught my eye with its amazing cover and intriguing premise.
I was eager to start this one since I’ve been on a bit of a sci-fi kick recently and it gripped me from the very start. This is an incredible and intelligent story that elevates (pun intended) the experience of reading. Binge has a thrilling way of keeping you interested and guessing throughout but doesn’t hand-hold you to the answers. There are dramatic pages that shouldn’t work well against such an alien settting but the enjoyment and cleverness of the novel really sets it out from others.
There were flashbacks scenes which, whilst appropriate to the story, really took me away from the experience. I was hoping for more information about the mountain and that whole plot however these took a change of pace in a predictable manner. They did give more essence to these characters that enhanced the timeline but I felt myself drawn back reading these.
This was a great thriller full of clever and fascinating concepts, all culminating to a great pay-off at the end.
