Ascension

Nicholas Binge

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.

Ascension is a book that flatters to deceive. At first glance it's just another average sci-fi story. Yet the more you get into the book you realise that there's more to this story. It plays with your mind almost as much as the mountain played with the minds of those who set out to seek the answers. It has all the essence of a great story just bubbling under the surface. The characters are very well drawn, each relatable and yet just enough mystic to keep you guessing about them.

The plot is quite simple. A previously unknown mountain has appeared in the Pacific Ocean, far higher than Everest. A team of specialists is recruited to find out why it's here and where it came from. Simple you may think. No, like I said earlier it's much more than that. Told partly through the diaries of a now dead man, the story has more twists and turns than a mountain path. It messes with your mind. just when you think you've sussed the mountain, the author throws another curveball.

I really enjoyed this book by Nicholas Binge, a new author to me. The ending has you gasping for air as you reach the final dizzying peaks of the adventure. A new sci-fi classic? Maybe, certainly a great compulsive read. Top marks.

Thanks to NetGallery & HarperCollins for the eArc to read in exchange for a fair and honest review.