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First Impression: Worth the read but could do with some further fleshing out and plot complexities to provide more suspense.

Ascendance Singularity Rising book cover

A big shout out and thank you to Colegero Cascio for the Advanced Reader Copy of this technothriller novel. I appreciated the opportunity to read something relatively new to me. Here, follows my honest review of the book.

The prologue for Colegero Cascio’s technothriller, Ascendance: Singularity Rising, places the story firmly in the not-too-distant future. The year is 2039, and the reader is introduced to the main protagonist of the story, the mysterious Silas Reyes, amongst the alleyways of New York City. The prologue gives little away, only that one Ethan Chase, a former CIA operative, is of great interest, as is one Dr. Lara Cross. It’s not long before the reader is acquainted with the Ascendance Project. The purpose is to genetically engineer humans, vectors, if you like, into controlled, weaponized, government operatives. It turns out that this knowledge is enough to make the bearer of it a target. Having contacted Dr. Lara and shared with her how her work is being developed, Ethan and Lara are both in danger.

The book gets off to a swift start. From New York, Ethan travels to Boston to warn Lara, hoping to stay under the radar. Very soon, the pair of them, along with their associate Kai, are being transported at a cost to benefactor, Silas, to some unspecified islands. Clearly marked as the rebellion, Corporation GlobeX is fast on their tails hoping to keep their research project secure. With only a cryptic clue and a pendant to guide them, can the team race against time and thwart GlobeX’s plans? Or will they become pawns in this dangerous operation?

The story reminded me a little of the work of Marc J. Seifer, who also wrote on coercive mind control and the development of operatives, although this book was far less complex. The book was very much driven by the main plot. That is, there were not an array of subplots at play to further draw the reader into the tale. It would have been good to receive some more back story about the characters, perhaps through the sharing of memory or the occasional reference to demonstrate why they are undertaking their mission together. More was needed in general to develop each of the characters. As it is, it’s hard to relate to any of them as the reader doesn’t get a fully rounded picture of them. How did they all become the people they are and why?

It would also have been appreciated if there was more showing and less telling. For example, there is a scene where an escape is required, but instead of setting the scene earlier in the book to show how this escape might have been attempted, Cascio neatly describes how a character had had the foresight to plant important objects. As a thriller this is where suspense could have been woven into the plot. 

Despite some of the flaws, the book is still an interesting read. The titles, coupled with a short statement, provided vague clues as to what to expect in each of the 39 chapters. The subject matter is fresh and relatively novel, so twists are not as easy to foretell. Although the topic is complex, the simplicity for much of the book’s presentation makes it a book that may appeal to older teens and readers in the potential capabilities of AI. It also suits readers that are looking for a relatively short novel that doesn’t rely on the readers having to remember key facts and decipher clues in order to work out plot twists.

Quick Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/ PG Rated

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