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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A fun, easy, and thrilling read for any Mass Effect fan. It added some depth to the world beyond the video game series. The writing could be better but it's a solid read
adventurous
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Revs up slow with a solid finish. It’s not going to make a best ever list, but it was great to relax to. Cool universe Mass Effect has going. Well thought out, balanced, and with a massive warning about tampering with things you don’t understand. I’m looking at you sentient AI.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The book has some intense moments and solid characters. However, it feels like it didn't need to be nearly as long. Much of it feels like meandering around the plot or extending moments far past their due attention. Overall, it had the making of a good story with far too much fluff to be worth ever reading again
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Taking place shortly after the events in the first Mass Effect game, Ascention picks up on Kaylee Sanders, a character first introduced in "Revalations" which was the prequel novel to the franchise. Kaylee has since been working on the Ascension project, an Alliance run program designed to train gifted children to tap into their biotic potential.
What Saunders doesn't know is that Cerberus has a vested interest in one of the students and when things go awry and Cerberus decides to separate that student from Ascension, all hell breaks loose as Cerberus agents are revealed within the Ascension program. In order to escape they enlist the help of a Quarian on pilgrimage...
First and foremost, this book was a fun and fast read. I started it in late February and finished it very quickly, which is consistent with my reading pattern for Revelations. However, the problem I had with this book was that it felt very light on the plot which was a very direct A to B to C to D structure that came to a very sudden and somewhat abrupt ending.
This is a very pulpy light and yes, fun read, that ties into the Mass Effect game Trilogy. If you're looking for a deep and twisty plot...this is not a book for you. But, if you're looking to be entertained with tie in to a fantastic game franchise, I strongly recommend the title.
What Saunders doesn't know is that Cerberus has a vested interest in one of the students and when things go awry and Cerberus decides to separate that student from Ascension, all hell breaks loose as Cerberus agents are revealed within the Ascension program. In order to escape they enlist the help of a Quarian on pilgrimage...
First and foremost, this book was a fun and fast read. I started it in late February and finished it very quickly, which is consistent with my reading pattern for Revelations. However, the problem I had with this book was that it felt very light on the plot which was a very direct A to B to C to D structure that came to a very sudden and somewhat abrupt ending.
This is a very pulpy light and yes, fun read, that ties into the Mass Effect game Trilogy. If you're looking for a deep and twisty plot...this is not a book for you. But, if you're looking to be entertained with tie in to a fantastic game franchise, I strongly recommend the title.
Buddy read with Layla at Buddies Books and Baubles!
Perhaps, objectively look at it, it's not really a four star book, but given that it's based on a video game and given that I liked it as much as I liked the first book, four stars it is!!!
As always, I found interesting all the background info that we got in the book, especially the bits on Omega, which is my favourite location in Mass Effect, second only to the Citadel. I mean check this out, it just feel like a place that is set in space:
And what the heck, I'll throw in a picture of the Citadel just for fun!
Getting a deeper look into the Quarians was also interesting. In fact, I wished we could have spend more time with Lemm and the other Quarians. Lemm turned out to be my favourite, even from limited time he was on the page. I thought Gillian, the powerful biotic girl, was great as a character, if only we'd have gotten a more in dept look at her. Especially at the end when really starts to come into her own person. I loved how morally ambiguous her father Grayson was and how you were left still conflicted about him at the end. Did he truly love his daughter? Did he have a right to? Did his love for her excuse his behaviour with Cerberus? Great questions to think on. Kahlee Sanders was ok, can't say I ever found her super interesting to begin with though.
If you liked the game I think you will still enjoy the book.
I expected this book to be somewhat similar to Revelation, both in the way it was written as well as the way Revelation added something to the overall Mass Effect story that was subtle, yet made you consider the game in a different way. Unfortunately, Ascension fell short for me.
The writing jumped from moment to moment, often repeating itself through the eyes of another character. There were far too many characters whose points of view we got to see, leaving me feeling like there was no clear focus or direction for the story.
I didn't really care for the characters. I wouldn't say that either Mass Effect book was extremely character oriented, but this one is even less so of the two. I found some of the characters taking actions I felt they would never actually take, and ultimately got frustrated with them.
To top it off, the book didn't offer much in the way of expanding the 'world' of Mass Effect. It could have easily been a great way to really explore Biotic abilities in humans, and really taken that concept to the next level. But I learnt more about Biotics from the Mass Effect game, and the story was better in the game, too.
I've read worse books, but this one didn't offer me any insight and very little enjoyment, so I would say not to bother with it unless you're a die hard Mass Effect fan.
The writing jumped from moment to moment, often repeating itself through the eyes of another character. There were far too many characters whose points of view we got to see, leaving me feeling like there was no clear focus or direction for the story.
I didn't really care for the characters. I wouldn't say that either Mass Effect book was extremely character oriented, but this one is even less so of the two. I found some of the characters taking actions I felt they would never actually take, and ultimately got frustrated with them.
To top it off, the book didn't offer much in the way of expanding the 'world' of Mass Effect. It could have easily been a great way to really explore Biotic abilities in humans, and really taken that concept to the next level. But I learnt more about Biotics from the Mass Effect game, and the story was better in the game, too.
I've read worse books, but this one didn't offer me any insight and very little enjoyment, so I would say not to bother with it unless you're a die hard Mass Effect fan.