- Morgan R.
- Tuesday, April 25, 2023
When a mountain almost twice the size of Mt. Everest mysteriously appears in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a group of scientists and military personnel are sent to investigate in this riveting sci-fi thriller by Scottish author Nicholas Binge.
Harold Tunmore, a renowned former doctor turned physicist, is found alive but not mentally well residing in a psychiatric hospital by his brother Ben who presumed Harold to be dead decades before. Harold is forever changed by life-altering events he experienced as part of the research team sent to explore the colossal mountain in 1991.
Written mostly in an epistolary style as letters from Harold to his niece, Ben’s daughter, Harriet, the reader learns how he and his team were sent on the expedition and the wild and terrifying adventure that ensued. Through these letters, the reader discovers what caused Harold’s mental instability and his harrowing journey to the summit of the mysterious mountain. This perfectly paced novel is not only an atmospheric and intensifying thriller with a complex main character and strong character development, but it also has a side story of love and loss told through reflections of Harold’s life before the expedition.
“The only way to live in the present, is to embrace the past, to use it as a seed to grow the future”. p. 290
The novel gently tackles themes of religion and the possibility of a higher power. It covers heavy topics including the long-debated Science vs. Faith argument. Rather than the author subjecting his readers to his own personal views didactically, he presents various perspectives from both sides leaving the reader to decide for themselves. “...some greater being has put this mountain here, something beyond the realm of our comprehension. I am sure of that now. Whether it is Got or not, as I have been taught about Him, I cannot say. Part of me feels that explanation is a little too simplistic, a little too straightforward”. p. 244
Throughout the book, the reader is offered answers to the question of the purpose of life and how our place in the world is affected by those around us. “...That’s what life is. A constant climb. Eternal growth. The continual battle against entropy. It doesn’t matter what the destination is, or what’s at the top; all that matters is that you keep climbing. That's what it means to be alive, Harold. That’s what it means to be human.” p. 311
This haunting and thought-provoking psychological suspense with a sprinkle of cosmic horror belongs on the shelf alongside the likes of Jeff Vandermeer, H.P. Lovecraft, and even Andy Weir.
What the critics say:
“Binge’s eerie speculative thriller looks both outward at the edges of scientific understanding, and inward at the meaning of responsibility, remorse and the human capacity for salvaging mercy from tragedy.”—The Washington Post
"An exciting story where the undiscovered wonders of Earth prove as exciting as those out in the galaxy". - Library Journal
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Ascension by Nicholas Binge
Riverhead Books
354 pages
Publication date: April 25, 2023