Synopsis:
For fans of Guardians of the Galaxy or Invincible.
Like Dragonball Z but wish it had a little more hard science fiction in it?
The il’Drach Empire spans half a galaxy, built on the feet and fists of their Powered hybrid children.
At eight Rohan of Earth learned that he was only half human. By sixteen he was an active superhero, using his inherited powers to fight crime, in mask and spandex. At twenty-two he left his home to fight for the his father’s people, expanding the il’Drach Empire and protecting it from local and interdimensional threats. At thirty-two, exhausted by ten years of ruthless warfare, he retired to Wistful, a vast sentient independent space station, to try to live a normal life.
With a steady job, someone far out of his league to date, and the most cosmopolitan selection of fine dining in the sector, things are looking up.
Then a long dormant wormhole in Wistful’s system is opened by a ship full of refugees, drawing unwanted attention from the Empire. The appearance of the refugees sets off a chain of events that will force Rohan to confront his checkered past and cast doubt on whether he can ever leave behind his violent warrior heritage.
To keep his friends safe, and himself in one piece, Rohan has to face giant insects, body-skipping assassins, vengeful armored aliens, an inquisition of intelligent bears, and a team of his fellow hybrids. The open question is whether tapping into his savage alien powers will end up destroying the peaceful life he has been trying to build.
Review:
Wistful Ascending begins with a wild, action-packed prologue. Our main character is in turmoil. We’re on the edge of our seats, but we don’t know why. Just when we think something devastating is about to occur, the prologue ends, and the first chapter takes us back to twelve days earlier.
Rohan, our main character, is a man trying to lead a normal life. Except, he is not normal. He is a mix of human and something incredibly powerful, labeling him a “hybrid”. Hybrids are strong and fierce and born to fight wars. Except Tow Chief, Second Class Rohan is happy enough to tow ships into Wistful’s space station. Regardless of what makes him happiest, the universe has other ideas for what Rohan will endure.
As someone who is newer to the science fiction genre, I always fear that books in this genre will lose me, or the world-building will go over my head. It is books like Wistful Ascending that prove me wrong. The world-building is done in my favorite style. No long paragraphs of info dumps. The world around Rohan is actually done primarily through dialogue.
The dialogue in this book is astounding. I did not even realize that I was gaining so much knowledge about the world because I was enjoying tense conversations or witty banter. Next thing I knew, I was aware of the different species in Berne’s world, past historical events, and how the space station Wistful came to be. There were many parts that had me laughing out loud.
Rohan’s voice in this book contrasts with the other characters—aliens and AI—in the best of ways. While he is casual, snarky, and very human in his speech, other characters converse formally and without humor, making his jokes even funnier. Some of my favorite back-and-forths were between Rohan and the space station Wistful herself. She is quick to answer his questions far too honestly, and he is quick to regret asking questions that do not always warrant an honest answer.
Rather than being chock full of wild adventures or harrowing events, Wistful Ascending takes its time. Rohan faces many challenges, but we also get moments of dinner with friends or playing frisbee with a local boy. While I was enjoying myself in the calm, thoughtful moments, there were always undertones of an issue soon to be faced.
The second half of the book picks up as Rohan faces several adversaries. His attempts at remaining peaceful and under the radar are futile. Berne produces top-tier, well-described bouts of action as Rohan performs like a true hybrid.
I listened to this as an audiobook, and I found it to be an incredibly enjoyable way to absorb this. Most of the time, I find narrators to be pleasant enough. Other times, I feel as though no other narrator could have done a book justice better than the one chosen. Wistful Ascending is an example of the latter. Wayne Farrell used many different accents and really brought Rohan to life.
Wistful Ascending was exciting, hilarious, and kept me engaged throughout. It is a must-read for anyone who enjoys light-hearted space adventures, loveable main characters, and severe situations involving dangerous enemies.
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