Synopsis
A mind-bending speculative thriller in which the sudden appearance of a mountain in the middle of the Pacific Ocean leads a group of scientists to a series of jaw-dropping revelations that challenge the notion of what it means to be human.
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
“Perhaps my brother was simply mad. Perhaps his work had driven him to madness and these letters were nothing more than the final ramblings of a lunatic. But perhaps there is also truth to them. Because if what he claims happened in these letters is true, if even a fraction of what he tells actually took place, then these might just be the most important letters you will ever read.”
I loved this book. I see people classifying it as science fiction, techno-thriller, weird fiction, or even horror but to me this was a love story. The writing is brilliant enough that different readers will get different experiences out of it and it does have elements of all the above subgenres but I connected most with the love that is prevalent in the story. I don’t think I have read a book where the main character’s mind is laid bare so, so thoroughly as this one and I was moved by his love.
It is an epistolary novel, so there might be a small adjustment period for the readers initially. A lot of the reveals occur in the form of the main character’s letters to his niece who doesn’t know him very well. It is a small task though and you will love yourself for it when you finish the book. It begins a bit slow but don’t let that fool you like it fooled me, the ascension (couldn’t help it) in the mystery is swift. The author perfectly balances the right amount of intrigue and showing us more of the world and the backstory of the characters. The description of the places mentioned was very beautiful, real, and vivid. The science on display is also exquisite. Being a thesis student, I loved the discussions and the discoveries. It is also very accessible to readers who might not prefer scientific leanings.
The highlight of the story for me was however the emotions. I didn’t know one could write so deeply about the human condition in fiction. The author describes human emotion so deftly and so dead on. There is one scene in particular with the MC and his son and some bubbles which even I, a humanist atheist, thought was divine. There are also excellent discussions of spirituality, faith and grief and everything tied into the fictional narrative really well.
“You don’t forgive people because they deserve it, Harry,” she said. I turned back-a half turn. A look. “That’s not what forgiveness is for. You forgive people because they need it. You need it.”
It is very hard to judge authorial intent and as I saw from the different reviews, different readers experience each book differently even if it is the same book. So while love and emotions were what moved me the most in this book, some people might be connected to the mystery the most (a sudden appearance of ginormous mountain in the pacific ocean) or the adventure of climbing up a snowy mountain or some the creepy elements (both psychological ones and actual monsters.) Regardless, I think everyone should read this book. It will stay with me for a long time.
“Why does Sisyphus keep pushing the rock up the hill, Harry, if he knows it’ll just fall down again? Why does he keep pushing?”
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