Title: Eve of Ascension
Author: Daniel McMillan
Genre: Dystopian Sci-Fi, Mystery
Dystopian sci-fi is not a regular genre for me. But this year I challenged myself to move out of my comfort zone (I still cannot read erotica though). I always felt skeptical to read a dystopian genre book. I thought what if the writing is not imaginative coupled with some unbelievable concept?
However, when I read Eve of Ascension’s blurb it got me excited. I was lucky to get Eve of Ascension to read. It has inspired me to read more of dystopian sci-fi.
Daniel McMillan’s writing is impeccable and descriptive. The book is easy to read, and with his crisp writing, I could imagine the scenes with no effort.
Eve of Ascension is a story about Baxter Clarke. Baxter has everything in life. Being the only son, he is closest to his father, William Clarke. His mother Candace Clarke’s only dream is to rise in The Ascendency (The Elites). There is another group of people who survived the apocalypse, the Sylvans. Their life is more primitive than the Elites. But then life takes a turn. Unbeknownst to Baxter, he stumbles upon the truth about his life and the new world (in the world he lives). He chases the truth not for himself but for all the residents of the new world. What if chasing truth means death? Will Baxter ever know the truth of this New World?
Its sci-fi meets thriller. The story is captivating and keeps you hooked from the start of the book. What I admire is the science fiction part is that it’s believable. It is a plausible projection of the future taken from the present day. The elements are descriptive throughout the book. The technology is futuristic and is incredibly fascinating.
One of the other things I liked are the characters. They have a background. They have depth and they have everything to understand their motivation. There are parts, for example, Raishann’s flashbacks weren’t boring or too long. They were just apt to describe her or her relationship with her father.
There is only one thing that I felt the romantic disposition between Raishann and Baxter, did not add value to the concept. It did not take much part in the story, but it could have done without it.
I know it might sound repetitive but the writing is stupefying. Another book cannot recreate the feeling I had after reading this book (or the genre). But it has definitely pushed me to look deeper into the genre.
My final verdict is 4 stars. It’s a brilliant story with incredible and imaginative settings. In fact, I am looking for the next book in the series, and for someone who always avoided the dystopian genre, that says a lot.
Thank you, Daniel McMillan, for giving me the complimentary book and introducing me to this wonderful genre.
Confessions of a Reading Freak 