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lindca's review
4.0
This is a transitional book, in more than one sense. While previous books had one main storyline and group of bad guys, this one is comprised of multiple smaller incidents and storylines that highlight and even spur some major changes in Fort's life. At times it makes for a less cohesive and exciting book, but it nevertheless is an important and pivotal book for the series.
I've enjoyed this series from the start. While Fort at first essentially was a doormat and in complete denial of who and what he was, he has grown tremendously over the course of the last few books and, not surprisingly, has developed some of the fortitude for which he was named. In this book, those changes are especially apparent and very much for the better. His relationships with his family, with Suze, and with the other supernatural denizens of his family's territory all evolve and mature, and those changes, especially those toward the end of the book, promise plenty of excitement and conflict in future books.
Suze remains awesome, even with and perhaps especially because of her unique and non-human approach to life. Her and Fort's frequent dry humor continue to make this series downright fun to read. With the changes heralded by the events in this book, I look forward to the next ones in the series.
I've enjoyed this series from the start. While Fort at first essentially was a doormat and in complete denial of who and what he was, he has grown tremendously over the course of the last few books and, not surprisingly, has developed some of the fortitude for which he was named. In this book, those changes are especially apparent and very much for the better. His relationships with his family, with Suze, and with the other supernatural denizens of his family's territory all evolve and mature, and those changes, especially those toward the end of the book, promise plenty of excitement and conflict in future books.
Suze remains awesome, even with and perhaps especially because of her unique and non-human approach to life. Her and Fort's frequent dry humor continue to make this series downright fun to read. With the changes heralded by the events in this book, I look forward to the next ones in the series.
bananatricky's review
4.0
Another great instalment!
Fort(itude) Scott's mother Madeleine is dying, he and his siblings are quarrelling about practically everything - Prudence's approach is to rend everyone limb from limb (what Fort calls "death-by-Prudence"), Fort is (for want of a better description) a bleeding heart liberal and Chivalry is sitting on the fence so tightly the fence pole is up his bum! The situation is positively Shakespearian - think King Lear.
In a furtherance of the situation in the previous book, Fort is now dealing with approaches from dispossessed succubi, the were-bears, the kitsune, the neighbours and the ghouls.
One of the reasons I love this series (apart from a beta hero and kitsune), is the writing, one of my favourite quotes:
I can't believe this is the last book in the series (to date) it doesn't end on a cliff-hanger but almost.
Fort(itude) Scott's mother Madeleine is dying, he and his siblings are quarrelling about practically everything - Prudence's approach is to rend everyone limb from limb (what Fort calls "death-by-Prudence"), Fort is (for want of a better description) a bleeding heart liberal and Chivalry is sitting on the fence so tightly the fence pole is up his bum! The situation is positively Shakespearian - think King Lear.
In a furtherance of the situation in the previous book, Fort is now dealing with approaches from dispossessed succubi, the were-bears, the kitsune, the neighbours and the ghouls.
One of the reasons I love this series (apart from a beta hero and kitsune), is the writing, one of my favourite quotes:
"Ghouls are great at tying knots", my roommate said. "It's a cultural point of pride, since we spent so many years having to tie our human victims on spits to roast over the fire."
I can't believe this is the last book in the series (to date) it doesn't end on a cliff-hanger but almost.
mollymortensen's review
3.0
Most of this book felt like a novella, one of those sneak perks into the everyday lives of the characters where not much happens. It isn't until 45% that we have a hint of the plot.
Don't get me wrong, I love these characters and it wasn't boring, I just wanted more story and less being told about their lives.
Fort complained too much about being broke. He won't take his family's money and gave all his away, (for a good cause) but quit whining!
Suzume remains awesome. There were plenty of funny scenes and their banter remains great!
This cannot be the end. In no way does this book wrap things up. Final books should be exciting and dramatic.
Don't get me wrong, I love these characters and it wasn't boring, I just wanted more story and less being told about their lives.
Fort complained too much about being broke. He won't take his family's money and gave all his away, (for a good cause) but quit whining!
Suzume remains awesome. There were plenty of funny scenes and their banter remains great!
This cannot be the end. In no way does this book wrap things up. Final books should be exciting and dramatic.
saphirablue's review
3.0
Well, on one hand - I liked it. I love reading about Fort and Suze and their adventures. I love reading how Fort deals with being an vampire and maturing and, now, transitioning into vampire adulthood. I especially love the mention that Fort is now teething for months and that Chivalry ordered him a terry cloth octopus for it. XD I love that he's challenging how their territory is run and that he wants to improve stuff so that they won't sit on a powder keg. The fate of the succubi? *sobs*
On the other hand - there has been way too little about Fort transitioning into vampire adulthood for me. Madleine and Henry die fairly early in the book and Fort only mentions in passing his increased strengh and his first feeding on a human? For me it felt just like a "by the way"/mentioned in passing. :/ For me, the certain something has been missing in this book. :/
On the other hand - there has been way too little about Fort transitioning into vampire adulthood for me. Madleine and Henry die fairly early in the book and Fort only mentions in passing his increased strengh and his first feeding on a human? For me it felt just like a "by the way"/mentioned in passing. :/ For me, the certain something has been missing in this book. :/
cultureulterior's review
4.0
I'm never more impressed than when an author changes the conceit if their world, turns the setting upside down, etc. This book does that, and I'm happy I got this far.
I look forward to seeing what happens next.
I look forward to seeing what happens next.
vinayvasan's review
3.0
A massive game changer for the Scott clan no doubt this book turned out to be. Fort's transformation feels quite natural and some of the build up from the earlier book leads to a payoff here. However, the ending feels quite rushed and when one character gives up so easily, contrary to their nature, it doesnt smell right. Another good solid fun read but it will be interesting to see how ML Brennan ramps things up now
ishmael's review
4.0
While I missed the way the overarching mysteries held together the previous books this was a necessary between-book. I enjoyed the changes in the status quo and all the elements I liked were still there. I finally realized one of the appeals to these books--it's incredibly rare for me to understand so many pop culture references. Quick, enjoyable fun with far more nuance than the terribly generic covers. I need to get to buying them all.
I look forward to the next installment.
I look forward to the next installment.
bibliotropic's review
5.0
It didn’t take too long for the Generation V series to cement itself as my favourite urban fantasy series. I can’t get enough of it, and there’s so much here that appeals to me. Interesting characters, great geeky humour, a wonderfully unique take on different mythologies and supernatural creatures. It stands out from other series, and it’s got a lot of very loyal fans, and I count myself among them. And even though I’ve been stupidly slow at actually reading and reviewing them (I seem to have gotten into the habit of reading one right before the following book is scheduled to be released…), I love them to death, and I couldn’t keep up my old habits of bad timing. I had a review copy, and I needed to dive back into this world.
Was I disappointed by Dark Ascension? Not in the slightest.
Unlike the other novels in the series, the central plot is more of a coming-of-age story than a supernatural mystery to be solved. Previously Fort ended up mixed up in a situation that needed dealing with, or actively investigating some odd happenstance, but here, most of what he’s dealing with are the ways his life has changed and continues to change. Fort ends up taking care of far more of his family’s affairs than he ever expected, and with his modern liberal way of thinking, he butts heads with both Chivalry and Prudence on certain issues. Which isn’t surprising, if you’ve read the other 3 books in the series. But a tragedy forces them all to cooperate on a whole new level, and Fort’s transition to full vampirism speeds up, and things will never be the same for him.
While I loved this opportunity to see more of Fort’s transition and to see him really come into his own, those who maybe got used to the series being a bit more action-oriented with a stronger mystery to deal with may be a bit disappointed in the way this novel doesn’t really present those things. There is action, and some of the usual high-stakes fight scenes (especially at the end), but the closest thing to a mystery is really the matter of how Fort will handle the supernatural politics that he’s forced to juggle. It’s a story of little stories, of growing up, of taking a stand and doing what you believe is right, no matter the consequences. It’s a story of figuring out yourself, and the people around you.
And it’s an odd tactic for the fourth book in a series, but it really works! Fort’s transformation comes alongside some truly heartbreaking scenes, scenes that actually had me shedding some tears halfway through the book, and there’s this sense that maturity often goes hand-in-hand with grief and loss. This is probably the most mature of all the Generation V novels for that reason; you see Fort experience things that can hit hard to anyone who’s ever endured the death of a loved on, to those who have had to make the hard choice between the status quo and a potential improvement. Things that are human to the core, a part of everyone’s life, and to incorporate them so well into the struggles of a man who’s wrestling with the unseen supernatural world, tangled alliances and twists on myth, is something that’s often attempted and rarely done well. Fort’s spent most of his life trying to keep the mundane and the supernatural aspects of his life utterly separate from each other, but those walls have crumbled. But some things are universal, and I love the way Brennan managed to blend the two elements so well.
Of course, there’s more to Dark Ascension than just a dark heavy maturity. If that’s all there was, I wouldn’t have liked it nearly so much. As always, the banter between Suzume and Fort is pure genius! I love the way those two carry on, the way their dialogue plays out, whether the situation is tense and emotional or lighthearted and fun. I love the geeky references and odd subculture references that Brennan throws in, very few of which I don’t get, and this makes it so very easy for me to connect to the characters because — at least in the case of Fort — I think how he thinks a lot of the time. His internal monologue contains lines that I would think and say, and I love being able to say that about a character in a modern-day setting, because that’s so rare for me!
(Side note – Since Babymetal was mentioned, I wondered if Megistune was Suzume’s favourite song. It’s a better song that What Does the Fox Say, after all. :p)
What it comes down to is this: the status quo of both the in-book world and the books themselves was established, and Dark Ascension breaks it and takes things in a couple of unexpected directions. It’s got so many beloved aspects that the series has become known for, as well as some new insights that take things to a different level. It’s a great book, a worthy addition to the series, and from the ending, the ride isn’t over yet!
And I want to be right here when it starts up again!
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
Was I disappointed by Dark Ascension? Not in the slightest.
Unlike the other novels in the series, the central plot is more of a coming-of-age story than a supernatural mystery to be solved. Previously Fort ended up mixed up in a situation that needed dealing with, or actively investigating some odd happenstance, but here, most of what he’s dealing with are the ways his life has changed and continues to change. Fort ends up taking care of far more of his family’s affairs than he ever expected, and with his modern liberal way of thinking, he butts heads with both Chivalry and Prudence on certain issues. Which isn’t surprising, if you’ve read the other 3 books in the series. But a tragedy forces them all to cooperate on a whole new level, and Fort’s transition to full vampirism speeds up, and things will never be the same for him.
While I loved this opportunity to see more of Fort’s transition and to see him really come into his own, those who maybe got used to the series being a bit more action-oriented with a stronger mystery to deal with may be a bit disappointed in the way this novel doesn’t really present those things. There is action, and some of the usual high-stakes fight scenes (especially at the end), but the closest thing to a mystery is really the matter of how Fort will handle the supernatural politics that he’s forced to juggle. It’s a story of little stories, of growing up, of taking a stand and doing what you believe is right, no matter the consequences. It’s a story of figuring out yourself, and the people around you.
And it’s an odd tactic for the fourth book in a series, but it really works! Fort’s transformation comes alongside some truly heartbreaking scenes, scenes that actually had me shedding some tears halfway through the book, and there’s this sense that maturity often goes hand-in-hand with grief and loss. This is probably the most mature of all the Generation V novels for that reason; you see Fort experience things that can hit hard to anyone who’s ever endured the death of a loved on, to those who have had to make the hard choice between the status quo and a potential improvement. Things that are human to the core, a part of everyone’s life, and to incorporate them so well into the struggles of a man who’s wrestling with the unseen supernatural world, tangled alliances and twists on myth, is something that’s often attempted and rarely done well. Fort’s spent most of his life trying to keep the mundane and the supernatural aspects of his life utterly separate from each other, but those walls have crumbled. But some things are universal, and I love the way Brennan managed to blend the two elements so well.
Of course, there’s more to Dark Ascension than just a dark heavy maturity. If that’s all there was, I wouldn’t have liked it nearly so much. As always, the banter between Suzume and Fort is pure genius! I love the way those two carry on, the way their dialogue plays out, whether the situation is tense and emotional or lighthearted and fun. I love the geeky references and odd subculture references that Brennan throws in, very few of which I don’t get, and this makes it so very easy for me to connect to the characters because — at least in the case of Fort — I think how he thinks a lot of the time. His internal monologue contains lines that I would think and say, and I love being able to say that about a character in a modern-day setting, because that’s so rare for me!
(Side note – Since Babymetal was mentioned, I wondered if Megistune was Suzume’s favourite song. It’s a better song that What Does the Fox Say, after all. :p)
What it comes down to is this: the status quo of both the in-book world and the books themselves was established, and Dark Ascension breaks it and takes things in a couple of unexpected directions. It’s got so many beloved aspects that the series has become known for, as well as some new insights that take things to a different level. It’s a great book, a worthy addition to the series, and from the ending, the ride isn’t over yet!
And I want to be right here when it starts up again!
(Book received in exchange for an honest review.)
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