Mass Effect: Ascension
2008 • 352 pages
Ratings22
Average rating2.9
15
Ratings22
Average rating2.9
Every advanced society in the galaxy relies on the technology of the Protheans, an ancient species that vanished fifty thousand years ago. After discovering a cache of Prothean technology on Mars in 2148, humanity is spreading to the stars; the newest interstellar species, struggling to carve out its place in the greater galactic community.
On the edge of colonized space, ship commander and Alliance war hero David Anderson investigates the remains of a top secret military research station; smoking ruins littered with bodies and unanswered questions. Who attacked this post and for what purpose? And where is Kahlee Sanders, the young scientist who mysteriously vanished from the base–hours before her colleagues were slaughtered?
Sanders is now the prime suspect, but finding her creates more problems for Anderson than it solves. Partnered with a rogue alien agent he can’t trust and pursued by an assassin he can’t escape, Anderson battles impossible odds on uncharted worlds to uncover a sinister conspiracy . . . one he won’t live to tell about. Or so the enemy thinks.
Series
3 primary booksMass Effect Novels is a 3-book series with 3 primary works first released in 2007 with contributions by Drew Karpyshyn and William C. Dietz.
Reviews with the most likes.
It's a fine and entertaining book, with an exciting detective plot. I can say it was an easy read without any flowery prose (which is not necessarily a compliment...). I've never played any of the Mass Effect games, but this is a book which introduces quite well the ambiance, all the political scenario and alien cultural diversity. I felt that you don't have to know the Mass Effect lore previously when reading, which is great (these books inspired or based in games tend to be dull sometimes, especially when the author thinks the reader knows all the lore, etc).
Despite being characterized as a sci fi book, it lacks the substance or the base of any good science fiction book. Since it's just a detective story, the reader doesn't have to think, to reflect on Humanity dealing with the technology, the future, etc. It's a book which lacks several interesting scifi concepts though, such as the Reapers/Geth plot, the discussion on Humanity versus machines, AI, etc. All these concepts are introduced in this book, but not discussed.
