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wittyandsarcasticbookclub's review
5.0
Found family? Check. A unique world? Check. A main character who is incredibly likable? Double check. The Ascension Machine is a fun, creative adventure with surprises galore.
Grey (what is his real name?) is a con-man. Well, a con-teen, anyway. He flits from planet to planet, making it on what he can steal or cheat from others. He’s directionless and lonely, although he won’t admit it. He’s also short on funds. So when he’s approached with a high paying offer- impersonate a wealthy teen named Mirabor Gravane- he doesn’t hesitate. Imagine Grey’s surprise when his mistaken identity lands him in a school for superheroes.
One thing that I really appreciated about Grey was that, deep down, he was a genuinely good kid. Sure, he conned an entire school full of people (and aliens) into believing he’s someone he’s not, but he never intended to hurt anyone and he took advantage of every opportunity he had to be helpful, even at risk to his life expectancy. I loved his story arc. It was never stagnant, and he was never demoted to plot device. Instead, he grew and changed in a way that made perfect sense for his personality and the story.
A book like this needs a great supporting cast, and we’ve got one. While there are several side characters, each very important to the plot, I have two favorites. Gadget Dude had the interesting superpower of being great at creating all kinds of gadgetry-but he sometimes seemed a bit unclear as to what he was creating, or how it actually worked. For me, though, Seventhirtyfour stole the show. His size (and four arms) were only eclipsed by his giant heart and his loyalty. He was always enthusiastic and threw himself wholeheartedly into whatever he was doing, whether it be schoolwork, or taking on a mob racket. I absolutely loved him.
The hijinks the characters got up to were a lot of fun. While the final confrontation was fantastic, I loved the inventive problem-solving involved in earlier escapades. Grey’s talents weren’t necessarily what most people think of when they hear “superhero”, which made him that much more interesting. Plus, they came in very handy on multiple occasions.
There was a bit of a mystery as part of the plotline, which was a lot of fun. I know my oldest will have a great time solving the puzzle alongside the characters. There was also action and adventure aplenty. The action was well-described, and the stakes were high without the book being too gory for its intended audience. The Ascension Machine is intended for the middle-grade/teen age range, I believe, but it’s a ton of fun for any age group. I fully enjoyed reading it and am hopeful that a sequel will be coming.
Grey (what is his real name?) is a con-man. Well, a con-teen, anyway. He flits from planet to planet, making it on what he can steal or cheat from others. He’s directionless and lonely, although he won’t admit it. He’s also short on funds. So when he’s approached with a high paying offer- impersonate a wealthy teen named Mirabor Gravane- he doesn’t hesitate. Imagine Grey’s surprise when his mistaken identity lands him in a school for superheroes.
One thing that I really appreciated about Grey was that, deep down, he was a genuinely good kid. Sure, he conned an entire school full of people (and aliens) into believing he’s someone he’s not, but he never intended to hurt anyone and he took advantage of every opportunity he had to be helpful, even at risk to his life expectancy. I loved his story arc. It was never stagnant, and he was never demoted to plot device. Instead, he grew and changed in a way that made perfect sense for his personality and the story.
A book like this needs a great supporting cast, and we’ve got one. While there are several side characters, each very important to the plot, I have two favorites. Gadget Dude had the interesting superpower of being great at creating all kinds of gadgetry-but he sometimes seemed a bit unclear as to what he was creating, or how it actually worked. For me, though, Seventhirtyfour stole the show. His size (and four arms) were only eclipsed by his giant heart and his loyalty. He was always enthusiastic and threw himself wholeheartedly into whatever he was doing, whether it be schoolwork, or taking on a mob racket. I absolutely loved him.
The hijinks the characters got up to were a lot of fun. While the final confrontation was fantastic, I loved the inventive problem-solving involved in earlier escapades. Grey’s talents weren’t necessarily what most people think of when they hear “superhero”, which made him that much more interesting. Plus, they came in very handy on multiple occasions.
There was a bit of a mystery as part of the plotline, which was a lot of fun. I know my oldest will have a great time solving the puzzle alongside the characters. There was also action and adventure aplenty. The action was well-described, and the stakes were high without the book being too gory for its intended audience. The Ascension Machine is intended for the middle-grade/teen age range, I believe, but it’s a ton of fun for any age group. I fully enjoyed reading it and am hopeful that a sequel will be coming.
fantasybooknerd01's review
4.0
The familiar setting of the school for witchcraft and wizardry gets an upgrade to intergalactic academy for Superheroes in Rob Edwards' exciting and action packed adventure for Middle Graders.
The story centres around an unnamed artful Dodger type, who lives hand to mouth doing various con jobs on numerous galactic space stations, until one day he is offered a job that seems too good to be true. All he has to do is to pretend to be some rich kid for a little while so that said rich kid can escape from his magnificently rich family and disappear into the cosmos to make his fortune.
Seem simple? Yeah you would think so, but he should have heeded the advice that if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is, as the seemingly simple job as masquerading as some rich kid gets him taken to the aforementioned super hero academy and ends up with him continuing to live the life of the rich kid, Mirabor Garvane and actually finding something that he didn’t know that he needed - friends and family.
Rob Edwards’s book is a delightful romp from start to finish. The superhero academy works well and whilst it may remind you of certain other educational institutions, it does instil a little bit of realism into the curriculum, as there is the constant question of who does the superhero academy actually belong to, and are all these superheroes doing it for the love of saving people or is there a question that they may be in league with the larger corporations.
The ensemble cast led by the enigmatic Grey, as he becomes known as, is strong and well realised, with certain members of the team standing out more than others in this first adventure. Sevenfourthirty is implacable in his friendship and honest nature. He readily accepts Grey as his best friend and kind of provides his moral compass. Whereas, it is Gadget Dude who shines the brightest and while he doesn’t necessarily converse much throughout the story, he communicates so much with simple verbal expression and gesture.
The narrative itself is fast paced and easy to follow. It's full of well placed humour and lovingly crafted quips at the superhero genre as a whole. The story itself is full of adventure and familiar themes, such as the found family aspect, which when done well is always a delight. There is a little bit of spy thriller thrown in there to up the ante somewhat. On top of that, there is a legitimate feeling of threat in the book, as whilst there are no graphic details of injury, not everyone fares as well as you would expect in the story.
The Ascension Machine is an entertainingly fun packed story, full of action and intrigue and will appeal to both budding sci-fi and superhero fans.
The story centres around an unnamed artful Dodger type, who lives hand to mouth doing various con jobs on numerous galactic space stations, until one day he is offered a job that seems too good to be true. All he has to do is to pretend to be some rich kid for a little while so that said rich kid can escape from his magnificently rich family and disappear into the cosmos to make his fortune.
Seem simple? Yeah you would think so, but he should have heeded the advice that if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is, as the seemingly simple job as masquerading as some rich kid gets him taken to the aforementioned super hero academy and ends up with him continuing to live the life of the rich kid, Mirabor Garvane and actually finding something that he didn’t know that he needed - friends and family.
Rob Edwards’s book is a delightful romp from start to finish. The superhero academy works well and whilst it may remind you of certain other educational institutions, it does instil a little bit of realism into the curriculum, as there is the constant question of who does the superhero academy actually belong to, and are all these superheroes doing it for the love of saving people or is there a question that they may be in league with the larger corporations.
The ensemble cast led by the enigmatic Grey, as he becomes known as, is strong and well realised, with certain members of the team standing out more than others in this first adventure. Sevenfourthirty is implacable in his friendship and honest nature. He readily accepts Grey as his best friend and kind of provides his moral compass. Whereas, it is Gadget Dude who shines the brightest and while he doesn’t necessarily converse much throughout the story, he communicates so much with simple verbal expression and gesture.
The narrative itself is fast paced and easy to follow. It's full of well placed humour and lovingly crafted quips at the superhero genre as a whole. The story itself is full of adventure and familiar themes, such as the found family aspect, which when done well is always a delight. There is a little bit of spy thriller thrown in there to up the ante somewhat. On top of that, there is a legitimate feeling of threat in the book, as whilst there are no graphic details of injury, not everyone fares as well as you would expect in the story.
The Ascension Machine is an entertainingly fun packed story, full of action and intrigue and will appeal to both budding sci-fi and superhero fans.
falune's review
5.0
As more of a fan of sci-fi than of comics books superheroes, I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy the Ascension machine fully. As it turns out I couldn’t put it down! It is a formidable blend of two highly entertaining genres. The plot is riveting right to the final battle, but it is the characters that really make the book. They are instantly likable with their own sets of powers and skills and the universe surrounding them is just as well-thought-out (special mention to Power Ball). The ascension machine is entertaining, funny and had me cheers on the heroes at every turn.
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