(Title: Ascension / Author: Nicholas Binge / Publisher: Harper Voyager / Publication Date: April 25, 2023 / Total Pages: 352)
Back Cover Blurb
An enormous snow-covered mountain has appeared in the Pacific Ocean. No one knows when exactly it showed up, precisely how big it might be, or how to explain its existence. When Harold Tunmore, a scientist of mysterious phenomena, is contacted by a shadowy organization to help investigate, he has no idea what he is getting into as he and his team set out for the mountain.
The higher Harold's team ascends, the less things make sense. Time moves differently, turning minutes into hours, and hours into days. Amid the whipping cold of higher elevation, the climbers' limbs numb and memories of their lives before the mountain begin to fade. Paranoia quickly turns to violence among the crew, and slithering, ancient creatures pursue them in the snow. Still, as the dangers increase, the mystery of the mountain compels them to its peak, where they are certain they will find their answers. Have they stumbled upon the greatest scientific discovery known to man or the seeds of their own demise?
Framed by the discovery of Harold Tunmore's unsent letters to his family and the chilling and provocative story they tell, Ascension considers the limitations of science and faith and examines both the beautiful and the unsettling sides of human nature.
Review
I've read a ton of books over the years. Some I didn't enjoy, some barely made an impression, some I've liked a lot, some I've loved beyond belief. And then there are a select handful, like ASCENSION by Nicholas Binge, that I want to physically place in every person's hand that I see and say "Please, do me a favor and just read this. No it really doesn't matter what genre or type of books that you usually enjoy, trust me and read THIS ONE." That's really the best way I can properly articulate my feelings after finishing this extraordinary book.
ASCENSION is a fantastic blend of so many different sub-genres that I adore. There are elements of science-fiction, horror, techno-thriller, and weird fiction, just to name the most prominent ones that come to mind. The completely fascinating story of a mysterious mountain that appears in the ocean seemingly out of nowhere is one that you can't help but get caught up in. And having the expedition to explore it told in a series of letters is such a cool way of experiencing the enigmatic find through the eyes of the person witnessing it for the first time.
If that alone wasn't engrossing enough, there is a heart wrenching side story of love and loss told via the reflections of the main character as he goes over the events of his life leading up to that point. That is what really made this book one that will stay with me long after reading it. Some of these scenes are so powerfully moving that they impacted me just as much as the mystery of the mountain did, but in a more personal and emotional way. There were moments when I didn't know which part of the story I wanted to jump back into more because they were both equally riveting. And therein lies the type of brilliant storytelling that Nicholas Binge has brought forth with his latest release ASCENSION.
This book also tackles some pretty heavy topics, one of which is the much debated issue of science vs faith. The main character does struggle with this at times as he is a former doctor turned physicist but was also raised in a household where religion was an everyday part of life. So there is that interesting dichotomy that is presented and throughout the book he is faced with a tug of war of sorts between the two. There were a couple of moments when I thought, oh this is going to go down a super preachy road and end up being a convenient, "God is the answer to everything" message. But I was pleasantly surprised that this was not the case and the faith aspect isn't done in a overtly heavy handed way at all. Rather, I found that it is there to give another perspective on things.
It's so difficult to put into words exactly how brilliant of a read this was for me. It's a story that gradually peels back layer after tantalizing layer until the ultimate mystery is finally revealed. And let me just say that the ending of this book is even more rewarding than the insanely awesome journey leading up to it.
ASCENSION is a book that blew my mind in so many ways. I never wanted to stop reading it for a second and I felt like my mouth was constantly ajar in astonishment. I have a hard time thinking of another book that was this much of a roller coaster adventure ride while also being a deeply emotional character study at the same time. I would be shocked if this book didn't make gigantic waves when it drops in a couple of weeks. It may very well end up being my top read of 2023. If author Nicholas Binge wasn't a household name before, he most certainly should be after this shimmering jewel of a novel. He's an absolute superstar as far as I'm concerned and I will never miss a single book that he writes going forward. You shouldn't either!
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