Normally I would spend this first paragraph of a review giving a brief overview of the plot of the novel in question, however in this case I feel it is entirely unnecessary. It's about a man with psychic abilities trying to solve a murder mystery. Do I really need to say any more? No, I think not.

The problems with this novel are numerous, but the biggest issue is undoubtedly how under-developed it feels. The main character's psychic abilities, despite playing a major role in the 'conclusion' (so to speak) of the novel, feel lacking in depth. The plot is really jumbled in the beginning and it just feels incomplete and unsatisfying in the end. The whole book feels like it needed more work. It was very readable, in that I read through it at a fairly quick pace, so it wasn't painful to read at least, but that's about the only positive thing I can say about it.

It almost seems like, if you took decent author, sat them down at a computer, and told them to write a full novel page-by-page in a single sitting without leaving their seat, this is what they would write. It's shallow, disjointed, and comes off as being rushed and written haphazardly.

Ultimately, The Ascending is a bland, forgettable novel from the early 90's, which is probably why you have never heard of it until now. ( )