Reviews

Ascension by Nicholas Binge

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miss_majuu's review against another edition

2.0

One of the most annoying protagonist and a completely ridiculous and stupid resolution ruined the pretty good atmosphere and concept.
With every new reveal my eyes rolled back farther and farther into my head.
Every concept was taken so seriously but they were so ridiculous and stupid that it’s almost hilarious and not annoying

“Why does Sisyphus keep pushing the boulder?” is a central “philosophical” problem in this story but in actual mythology there is no choice, repeating it is his punishment. This weird interpretation of Sisyphus was talked about so often and used to make some “incredible” arguments about free will and choice that made no sense knowing the actual myth.

bcnvolio's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

eminireader's review against another edition

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2.0

The one thought I can't shake is that it wasn't what I was expecting going into it and I can't quite put my finger on why. I think my expectations were too high even though I had a good dose of skepticism on the whole premise.

The themes of faith, religion, philosophy, mythology, etc. were not a big hit for me. I couldn't buy into this guy sitting down to write these drawn-out letters to his niece that would ramble on about his life when there were alien creatures lurking about. Also, this team of scientists that they brought out of their labs, how were they ready to ascend a mountain larger than Everest?

It never sucked me in enough to the point where I couldn't put it down. In fact, there were times when I had to step away from it because it began to feel repetitive with no progress to the plot and then I would force myself back into a few chapters and then I walked away for good.

I think I became irritated when I was more interested in why he had separated from his wife rather than the question of why is there a whole ass mountain that just popped into existence in the middle of the ocean. That felt like it should have been the bigger concern and it should have been easy to capture the reader with, but somehow instead it was boring.

It could be a good book to take with you on vacation or to read/listen to on a commute but the real "hook" never occurred for me. I don't feel the need to tell everyone about it and have them read it for themselves. I don't think you would hate yourself for giving it a try because it could be right up your own alley. Ultimately, for me, it was not. Is Ascension a good book? Is it worth reading? My answer to each - I don't know, I didn't finish it. So you'll have to try it out for yourself.

christym's review

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

doctahjonez's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

calamitousreads's review against another edition

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when i read the words: ‘if you ever read this, tell other. don’t come here.’ i immediately knew that i had to request this book!!

ascension follows the perspective of physicist, harry tunmore, as he and a group of scientists investigate a mountain that appeared in the middle of the pacific ocean. this is a text within a text, which i always love, meaning the story is told through harry’s letters he left to his niece.

it’s a sci-fi mystery thriller and was such a fantastic way to escape life for a short period of time because it’s so immersive. the length of the book felt a little short for all it was trying to do, but i did really enjoy the fast pace, it drew me in and kept me eager to discover what lay at the top of the mountain.

within the book, the characters feel the urge to climb the mountain, to discover what lies ahead, the very same can be said for readers. with each turn of the page more information escapes, more of mystery’s threads are pulled at. it also becomes more shocking the deeper you dive.

some of the scientific explanations went over my head but i also haven’t taken any science class other than biology in five years so. overall, the language flowed and wasn’t convoluted. this book is not something i’d typically pick up but i’m so glad i did, thank you Harper Collins AU for sending it my way!

it was a joy to witness these character’s journeys, and as someone who struggles with living in the present, trying to not jump ahead to the future and forgo the past, this book is really inspiring to stay grounded in both the past and present, to use one as a guide and lesson for the other.