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alialu's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
"The moon had come to the battle flanked by countless stars."
Difficult to rate this book.
I was excited to read this, since it's been portrayed as "Eragon but better made"... And I'm having a hard time coming to terms with that.
Yes, the world makes a bit more sense than the IC in the beginning.
The prose might be better, but the dialogues were very tacky, and quite bothering sometimes, so all-in-all meh.
But let's drop the comparison. The reasons I was a bit dissappointed in this have nothing (or little) to do with my love for Eragon.
I wasn't at all convinced by the magic system. Having such clear "magic types", with the Ranking involved, the names of the magic abilities... Made me feel like I was in a Pokemon game. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it was not what the story needed for me.
It didn't flow. Characters didn't learn step by step, and discover things on their own. They suddenly gain much more power and have this set of abilities that they can use. Seriously, it's a magic system based on advances more proper of a videogame. It bothered me all throughout the book.
Also, hate the trope of they suddenly gaining massive strenght and physical abilities.
I was also quite bothered by the "be in danger and your power shall grow". I think it sends such a troublesome message... Like, make an effort, put yourself in danger, be close to death and you will be stronger because of it... Well... Or not... Because, you know, mental health and stuff... I just don't think it was well handled. And the times where the characters feelings or fears were acknowledged were scarce and weren't given much importance.
Also very dissappointed that they stole tons of "Ash being a baby" moments. He grew up too fast, and those moments had to be very endearing. So the story lost much of its emotional investment because of that.
Also, very weird how Talia's POV was introduced at 66% into the book..... I mean whyyyy would you do that. Why not have her all throughout. It seemed like an after thought.
Final complaint, why did everyone have to call each other Boy or Girl! It felt so weird!!!
I did enjoy the story overall, I like the world building (though hate the concept of the scourge, so disgustiiing), the society and the bonds with the dragons were interesting. I think it just lacked some more depth, I guess it's more YA than I enjoy by now.
The ending intrigued me enough to make me want to follow the story with the second book and see if it gets a bit better.
Difficult to rate this book.
I was excited to read this, since it's been portrayed as "Eragon but better made"... And I'm having a hard time coming to terms with that.
Yes, the world makes a bit more sense than the IC in the beginning.
The prose might be better, but the dialogues were very tacky, and quite bothering sometimes, so all-in-all meh.
But let's drop the comparison. The reasons I was a bit dissappointed in this have nothing (or little) to do with my love for Eragon.
I wasn't at all convinced by the magic system. Having such clear "magic types", with the Ranking involved, the names of the magic abilities... Made me feel like I was in a Pokemon game. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it was not what the story needed for me.
It didn't flow. Characters didn't learn step by step, and discover things on their own. They suddenly gain much more power and have this set of abilities that they can use. Seriously, it's a magic system based on advances more proper of a videogame. It bothered me all throughout the book.
Also, hate the trope of they suddenly gaining massive strenght and physical abilities.
I was also quite bothered by the "be in danger and your power shall grow". I think it sends such a troublesome message... Like, make an effort, put yourself in danger, be close to death and you will be stronger because of it... Well... Or not... Because, you know, mental health and stuff... I just don't think it was well handled. And the times where the characters feelings or fears were acknowledged were scarce and weren't given much importance.
Also very dissappointed that they stole tons of "Ash being a baby" moments. He grew up too fast, and those moments had to be very endearing. So the story lost much of its emotional investment because of that.
Also, very weird how Talia's POV was introduced at 66% into the book..... I mean whyyyy would you do that. Why not have her all throughout. It seemed like an after thought.
Final complaint, why did everyone have to call each other Boy or Girl! It felt so weird!!!
I did enjoy the story overall, I like the world building (though hate the concept of the scourge, so disgustiiing), the society and the bonds with the dragons were interesting. I think it just lacked some more depth, I guess it's more YA than I enjoy by now.
The ending intrigued me enough to make me want to follow the story with the second book and see if it gets a bit better.
weedleeedle's review
adventurous
dark
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
5.0
Ascendant is a powerful addition to the dragon-rider subgenre, with lots of fresh ideas that really make this book stand out. I mean, this book literally has zombies and swarms of massive, insectoid creatures as its major antagonistic force. The book starts out strong; we're immediately dropped into a caste society where strict adherence to rules and order is the only way to defeat the chaos and noise of the insectoid threat, called the scourge. "Order beats chaos," we're told. You pick up all of this intuitively without much exposition, which is always really cool to see.
Holt represents a fairly typical young adult protagonist. Impulsive, questioning the status quo, a big dreamer. Characters like these can be hard to enjoy reading about, but Miller does an excellent job making Holt relatable while also acting his age. The other supporting characters add a lot too. I especially appreciate Talia as a well-rounded counterpart to Holt. I think that some of the third or fourth degree side characters can sometimes feel a little flat. Ash is truly best dragon.
One thing that I personally dislike seeing in fiction is "video-game mechanics" that are ported over into a narrative framework. Ascendant is full of them! There's quite literally a leveling/ranking system, with new abilities that dragon riders unlock—abilities that get names like "Firebolt" or "Lunar Quake". That's not even the worst of it. One ability is quite literally a damage-over-time effect; and Miller goes into detail about the exact nerfs it inflicts and the period over which they occur. It feels divorced from reality and breaks my suspension. But despite the words I devote to complaining about it, it's really not that bad, just one of those annoying modern fiction tropes that happens a lot in other books too.
There's a good deal of political intrigue, which is divisive I'm sure. I really enjoy it, it's played well here. Admittedly I had a hard time keeping up with all the factions, the countries, and even just individual actors in the web of conspiracy, but that's probably just my fault for being such a fast and sloppy reader. I will say with the countries, I actually appreciate _not_ getting a built-in map or compendium of the land. I think not having a scale or a clear picture actually makes the book's scope feel even better. I imagine it would be how Holt sees the world; hearing offhandedly about various nations and geographical anchors but not really having a sense of how they connect together.
All in all this was a book I could not put down. I had a lot of free time to read and I'm very glad i spent it with Ascendant. It's rare that I'm so hooked on a book that it's effortless for me to continue reading, and that definitely happened here. As soon as I finished I instantly downloaded the sequel, and I wholly intend on burning through that one. Absolutely fabulous read, would 100% recommend!
Holt represents a fairly typical young adult protagonist. Impulsive, questioning the status quo, a big dreamer. Characters like these can be hard to enjoy reading about, but Miller does an excellent job making Holt relatable while also acting his age. The other supporting characters add a lot too. I especially appreciate Talia as a well-rounded counterpart to Holt. I think that some of the third or fourth degree side characters can sometimes feel a little flat. Ash is truly best dragon.
One thing that I personally dislike seeing in fiction is "video-game mechanics" that are ported over into a narrative framework. Ascendant is full of them! There's quite literally a leveling/ranking system, with new abilities that dragon riders unlock—abilities that get names like "Firebolt" or "Lunar Quake". That's not even the worst of it. One ability is quite literally a damage-over-time effect; and Miller goes into detail about the exact nerfs it inflicts and the period over which they occur. It feels divorced from reality and breaks my suspension. But despite the words I devote to complaining about it, it's really not that bad, just one of those annoying modern fiction tropes that happens a lot in other books too.
There's a good deal of political intrigue, which is divisive I'm sure. I really enjoy it, it's played well here. Admittedly I had a hard time keeping up with all the factions, the countries, and even just individual actors in the web of conspiracy, but that's probably just my fault for being such a fast and sloppy reader. I will say with the countries, I actually appreciate _not_ getting a built-in map or compendium of the land. I think not having a scale or a clear picture actually makes the book's scope feel even better. I imagine it would be how Holt sees the world; hearing offhandedly about various nations and geographical anchors but not really having a sense of how they connect together.
All in all this was a book I could not put down. I had a lot of free time to read and I'm very glad i spent it with Ascendant. It's rare that I'm so hooked on a book that it's effortless for me to continue reading, and that definitely happened here. As soon as I finished I instantly downloaded the sequel, and I wholly intend on burning through that one. Absolutely fabulous read, would 100% recommend!
ethias's review against another edition
5.0
This book broke my heart and put it back together so many times over the course of the novel. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, the characters, and the heart the author put into it.
vshashank666's review against another edition
5.0
What a ride.
Dragon check.
Sinister battles check.
Character arc and story development are brilliant with rpg vibes.
A rip roaring read.
My world for yours.
Dragon check.
Sinister battles check.
Character arc and story development are brilliant with rpg vibes.
A rip roaring read.
My world for yours.
thepagelady's review against another edition
5.0
Book Review…..Ascendant, book 1 Songs Of Chaos by Michael R. Miller
Holt Cook has always served the Order Hall of the Crag dutifully, keeping their kitchen pots clean. Until he discovers a dark secret: dragons do not tolerate weakness among their kin, killing the young they deem flawed. Moved by pity, Holt defies the Order, rescues a doomed egg and vows to protect the blind dragon
But the Scourge is rising. The undead are roaming the lands and leaving destruction in their wake. Holt has one chance to survive. To tip the balance in the battles to come Holt must learn to harness the mysterious power of his dragon's core.
Holt was never meant to be a dragon rider but with the dragon riders being slaughtered and betrayal lurking in the shadows can Holt figure it out in time and prove to the world that a servant is worthy after all.
Ascendant was a great coming of age fantasy story! It's fast paced and full of adventure! Everything that I look for in a book with dragons is in here! Great magic that is unique and intriguing, danger, vivid battle scenes and of course fantastic dragons! The world and character building were done wonderfully. There wasn't a bunch of information all at once. The world came to life a little at a time and the characters are the same way. In the end it created a wonderful picture and the characters have a realistic feel they are flawed but easy to root for. But one of the things I really enjoyed was the bond between the dragons and the riders! The ending wasn't a cliffhanger but there's some much more I want to know about this world and the characters. I can't wait to see what the next book brings!
Thank you Books Forward PR and Michael R. Miller for sharing this fantastic story with me!
Holt Cook has always served the Order Hall of the Crag dutifully, keeping their kitchen pots clean. Until he discovers a dark secret: dragons do not tolerate weakness among their kin, killing the young they deem flawed. Moved by pity, Holt defies the Order, rescues a doomed egg and vows to protect the blind dragon
But the Scourge is rising. The undead are roaming the lands and leaving destruction in their wake. Holt has one chance to survive. To tip the balance in the battles to come Holt must learn to harness the mysterious power of his dragon's core.
Holt was never meant to be a dragon rider but with the dragon riders being slaughtered and betrayal lurking in the shadows can Holt figure it out in time and prove to the world that a servant is worthy after all.
Ascendant was a great coming of age fantasy story! It's fast paced and full of adventure! Everything that I look for in a book with dragons is in here! Great magic that is unique and intriguing, danger, vivid battle scenes and of course fantastic dragons! The world and character building were done wonderfully. There wasn't a bunch of information all at once. The world came to life a little at a time and the characters are the same way. In the end it created a wonderful picture and the characters have a realistic feel they are flawed but easy to root for. But one of the things I really enjoyed was the bond between the dragons and the riders! The ending wasn't a cliffhanger but there's some much more I want to know about this world and the characters. I can't wait to see what the next book brings!
Thank you Books Forward PR and Michael R. Miller for sharing this fantastic story with me!
cashknight's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
princessleopard's review against another edition
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
the_dragon_reread's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0