Synopsis:

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:

Ascension is right up there in my top reads of the year. It’s a science-fiction story told in a unique format, with a twist of horror and it was such a wild ride.
It was one of those books that had me compulsively turning pages, totally unable to stop reading so I started and finished the entire book in pretty much one go.

On the surface, this is a story about a mysterious mountain that appears in the middle of the sea, and about the people on the small expedition team sent to investigate it. That in itself was a fascinating enough pull for me (for some reason I enjoy mountaineering stories?), but there is so, so much more to it when you look deeper. There is love, loss, grief, faith, science and so much more interwoven through this story as we explore the life of Harold while he explores the mountain and its mysteries.

The writing was fabulous, pulling me through the pages so quickly and easily. Tiny little details, ones you may not have noticed while reading, become ‘aha’ moments as you get through all the twists and turns, and you will find yourself racing to the end, desperate to know what the expedition finds on the mountain.

I won’t say anything further, because this truly is a book you just need to dive into knowing as little as possible about the plot.

“If you ever read this, tell others. Don’t come here.”