This months book club book was Ascension by Nicholas Binge. It’s a Sci fi horror book, and I’ve read similar books and enjoyed them in the past.
The Blurb
F YOU EVER READ THIS,
TELL OTHERS.
DON’T COME HERE.
When a mountain mysteriously appears in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a group of scientists are sent to investigate.
Explorer Harry Tunmore agrees to join the secret mission – and he has his own reasons beyond scientific curiosity . . .
But the higher the team ascend, the stranger things become. Time moves differently. Memories of their lives before the mountain begin to fade.
What, or who, will they discover at the top?
My Review of the Ascension
This is most certainly the type of story I’d go for while scrolling through Netflix, I’d even watch it dubbed or with subtitles. But, I’m not so sure I’d pick it up as a book. But that is the joy of a book club, you get to read things you wouldn’t normally read. Saying that I have read books like this, it kind of reminds me of Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
The book starts straight away with a strange story of a missing brother who is suddenly found in a mental institute. His brother visits with him but fails to find out any real reason as to what happened to him. Then there is a horrific tragedy and the brother is left to work out what happened by a series of letters addressed to his daughter.
Harry Tunmore agrees to a secret mission after a disturbing experience during an interview with a previous explorer. He has to climb a mysterious mountain to find out what is at the top. He doesn’t really want to go until he finds out his ex wife is there too.
The story then goes on to describe their ascent of this mountain and the relationships between the explorers. Harry manages to connect with his ex wife Naoko and we find out about what happened in the past. It’s all very tragic.
In fact a lot of this story is tragic which is why you feel the need to keep reading. Will reaching the top of the mountain give the explorers what they are looking for. What exactly are they looking for.
There is danger all around with monsters and aliens and the chance of freezing or starving or simply going mad.
The ending was very strange, but we do get to understand why Harry did what he did once he had been found by his brother and his story was safe.
It wasn’t the easiest of reads but it had a lot of depth and intrigue. It also had a few anomalies, which may have been intentional as the entire story was a little unbelievable anyway.
I found myself lost in this book, confused at times but interested enough to keep going and hoping for a conclusion that would explain everything. It does, but it also leaves you having to think a little more when you’ve finished.
You can find Ascension in Waterstones.
This sounds interesting, but not my cup of tea! I’m glad it kept you interested though.
I agree, I know we like a lot of similar books but I don’t think I’ve seen you read the sci fi horror genre.