In Ascension

By: Martin MacInnes

Narrated by: Freya Miller

LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2023

Leigh grew up in Rotterdam, drawn to the waterfront as a refuge from her unhappy home life and volatile father. Enchanted by the marine world of her childhood, she excels in postgraduate research on ancient algae. When an unfathomable vent appears in the mid-Atlantic floor, Leigh joins the investigating team; what she finds there will change her life forever.

Around the same time, a trio of engineers, unknown to each other, make a seismic breakthrough in rocket propulsion, announcing an almost limitless era of space exploration. Billions of dollars is poured into projects, and Leigh's classified research on the ocean vent sees her recruited to develop an experimental food source for off-world travel. From her base in the Mojave desert, she's drawn further into the space agency's work, where she learns of a series of anomalies suggesting a beacon sent from the far side of the solar system. In responding to this beacon, Leigh embarks on a journey that will take her across the breadth of the cosmos and the fullness of a single human life.

©2023 Martin MacInnes (P)2023 W.F. Howes Ltd

What a unique, amazing, moving book

This book was an absolutely amazing experience to listen to. Sci-fi is not usually this touching, and this is why this book is so unique. The narrator was perfect for this gentle, deep and cerebral story. I enjoyed every second of this reading.

Amazing story

Sumptuous descriptions. Captivating and rich story. Great narrator. Can't think of a single negative thing about this book other than it ended.

A great story but not in audiobook format

I can’t help but agree with some of the negative reviews of this book. Yes, it’s a bit of a slog and there are many aspects of it that seem to go nowhere and plot points that remain unresolved. However, I also think that this is a book that doesn’t lend itself well to the audiobook format. I was lucky that I was also able to get the book from the library and ended up going back and forth between the audio and print formats. The latter was much more fulfilling and I was able to pick up some of the more subtle nuances that the audio format just doesn’t provide. The narrator just isn’t particularly adept at storytelling leaning more into just a dry delivery with no change in cadence or energy. So yes, while I’d recommend the book, I’d also insist that the reader pick up an actual copy of the book for a much more fulfilling experience.

spectacular new age SF 🩵

easily digestible SF. it was the author’s intent to really take a deep dive into the main character’s development and deep internal monologues. she flows like water, while tugging and pulling her red threads of fate—carefully knitting the universal ascension towards knowing I AM. her space whale-like adventures to beingness will forever remain embossed in me. kudos to you too dear freya miller!

Remarkable read

What a gem MacInnes has crafted here. Really glad I gave this a try. It's difficult to create pithy praise for something so layered. Freya Miller's narration of this author's beautiful prose is a song that that I could play ad nauseum for years.