Kyana has spent eighty years fighting for the Order of the Ancients, but since the doors to Tartarus have been opened and undeniable havoc has been unleashed in the human realm and the gods have begun to weaken, she is assigned a task like she’s never had before. Kyana is the best tracker the order has – mostly because she is the only of her kind left, half-vampyre and half-lychen – and she is used to tracking people such as the Chosen who are without a doubt some of the most important individuals in the world, but now she’s got to find an ancient artifact and she won’t be doing it alone. Assigned to work with Kyana is Ryker, a demigod with a less than pleasant history with Kyana. While Ryker is hoping that this might be his chance to find the contentment he lost after meeting Kyana ten years ago, Kyana is nothing other than angered that she is being forced to work with Ryker, but eventually even she cannot deny that Ryker’s numerous abilities and connections will benefit her in her mission. What begins as a simple search for a long-lost item becomes a battle with a group of people who are determined to help one god exterminate all other gods and take power for himself.
Okay, so first, let me just say wow.
Ascension is a debut novel from Sable Grace, but let me tell you, it’s a fantastic start. I absolutely loved Ascension, as in did-not-sleep-because-I-couldn’t-put-it-down loved it. I don’t even know where to begin with this one.
A good portion of this book is based in mythology; Artemis, Hades, the Three Fates, Ares, Cronos… they all have a part in Ascension. There are also your Dark Breeds, or general bump in the night monsters in the form of Lychen, Vampyre, Leeches and so on. Witches, Oracles, Seers and Mystics aren’t to be left out either. The authors take from so many different types of myth and put such an interesting twist on those myths that I found myself to be intrigued. When I considered the history and background as it relates to the actual story, well it was simply unputdownable.
I also found the characters in Ascension to be amazing. Kyana is my new hero. She faced a horrid life as a human only to become a creature despised by most others, yet she’s still strong. Actually, she is completely kick ass. Ryker, Ares’s General and therefore well versed in battle, has something of a soft side – a soft side that he only wants to share with Kyana. Ryker is extremely easy to like, because instead of being a stereotypical in-your-face alpha male, he understands that Kyana is not ready to accept that they are meant for each other, and he wants more than just one night from Kyana which happens to be the only thing she is ready to give. In addition to the two main characters, each of the side characters were amazingly well written as well. Haven and Geoff were particular favorites, especially with their integral roles, though I grew fond of Hank and his family even with the small part they play.
While there is quite a bit going on in Ascension, I did not find it difficult to keep up at all. I was completely immersed in the book, entirely impatient in waiting to see what would happen next. While there is a lot of action and a bit of romance in Ascension, the book isn’t limited to those two things. The book went below the surface, it dealt with life and death decisions, particularly with a best friend, and examined the motives behind the different decisions that the characters made. This book isn’t without sacrifice or change either, many of the characters are forced to undergo some sort of major change or make a sacrifice throughout the story.
All in all, Ascension is a fantastic read. The ending was certainly a cliffhanger which has me on the edge of my seat! I really want to know what happens next. I’ll definitely be following Sable Grace and I very much look forward to further Dark Breed novels.
Among Stories 