Rating: 
Summary: Excellent pulp, greatly enjoyable sci-fi.
Review: This is the fourth installation in Gardner's series involving Festina Ramos, an Admiral and an ex-expendable explorer. As usual, the novel is filled with interesting aliens and mind-boggling technology that makes no sense, but fits the plot oh so perfectly. Overall, this is not a book representing heights of
literature, but then again, who reads sci-fi in order to appreciate allegories, alliterations, rhytms, patterns, etc? This book is a thoroughly enjoyable read - great for the story, interesting new aliens, totally alien technology (which, if a bit implausible, totally adds to the alien feeling of the world). If you've read any of the other Festina Ramos series, this novel is a must for you - otherwise you might miss out on some important concepts. I admit, the premise that the devil is really a highly developed alien is pretty far-fetched, but I promise, the book is very relaxing and sometimes even funny.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent pulp, greatly enjoyable sci-fi.
Review: This is the fourth installation in Gardner's series involving Festina Ramos, an Admiral and an ex-expendable explorer. As usual, the novel is filled with interesting aliens and mind-boggling technology that makes no sense, but fits the plot oh so perfectly. Overall, this is not a book representing heights of
literature, but then again, who reads sci-fi in order to appreciate allegories, alliterations, rhytms, patterns, etc? This book is a thoroughly enjoyable read - great for the story, interesting new aliens, totally alien technology (which, if a bit implausible, totally adds to the alien feeling of the world). If you've read any of the other Festina Ramos series, this novel is a must for you - otherwise you might miss out on some important concepts. I admit, the premise that the devil is really a highly developed alien is pretty far-fetched, but I promise, the book is very relaxing and sometimes even funny.
Rating:
Summary: Wherein the Reader Must First Read Expendable
Review: A great sequel is one which can very effectively stand alone on its own merits, with the flow of the narrative not a all dependent upon the reader or viewer having experienced previous iterations of the series. To this extent, Ascending is simply a good sequel. While it is not truly necessary to have read Expendable (the first book in this series, and the debut novel by James Alan Gardner), there is A LOT which the reader will not understand without having first read Expendable. Similarly, starting the series with Ascending will likely cause the reader fits, as without the "backstory" of Expendable, the main character - Oar, an all-glass female humanoid - is extremely abrasive in the manner in which she tells the tale. Many areas from Expendable which leave the reader wondering "Why" and "How" are fortunately explained somewhat satisfactorily in Ascending. This novel also expands much more into the realm of the zany at times, albeit muted by Oar's telling of the story. Overall, Ascending is a good sequel, as well as a good novel... but only for those who have read and enjoyed Expendable. All others should set Ascending aside and read Expendable first.
Rating: 
Summary: Wherein I Give "Ascending" the Thumbs-Down
Review: I've generally given Gardner's Festina Ramos books high marks, his previous work "Hunted" I gave 5 stars. Overall, Gardner's books have been action-packed quick reads, even if some aspects of the story are unbelievable. "Ascending" however, never really got going and did little to hold my interest. For starters, the narrator, Oar, is really annoying to read for 350+ pages. Her childish prose would be acceptable for a chapter or two, but a whole book becomes tiresome. The book never excited me, but there was a decent pay-off at the end with sufficient action to not be a complete let-down. However, that ending was completely rushed. That was a negative, but at the same time, I wouldn't want to read a 500-page by Oar, it would probably be too tedious to finish. This is my least-favorite of Gardner's books besides "Commitment Hour" which is more of a spin-off. I was really disappointed because "Hunted" was an awesome book that I literally couldn't put down, but "Ascending" didn't come close to filling its shoes. In my opinion, this is in part because Gardner has pumped out one of these books a year since 1997, he should probably take a year off to refresh his persepctive a little. Unfortunately, at the end the mysterious Pollisand remarks that he'll see Festina & Oar real soon, which can only mean that next winter another adventure will be on the shelves. Let's all hope it's better. I said this recently about, "Shadow of the Hegemon" by Orson Scott Card, but it bears repeating. If you're a fan of the Ramos series, read "Ascending" just so you don't get lost, but rent it from the library, buy it used, or borrow it from a friend, because it isn't worth [the money].
Rating:
Summary: Wherein I Give "Ascending" the Thumbs-Down
Review: I've generally given Gardner's Festina Ramos books high marks, his previous work "Hunted" I gave 5 stars. Overall, Gardner's books have been action-packed quick reads, even if some aspects of the story are unbelievable. "Ascending" however, never really got going and did little to hold my interest. For starters, the narrator, Oar, is really annoying to read for 350+ pages. Her childish prose would be acceptable for a chapter or two, but a whole book becomes tiresome. The book never excited me, but there was a decent pay-off at the end with sufficient action to not be a complete let-down. However, that ending was completely rushed. That was a negative, but at the same time, I wouldn't want to read a 500-page by Oar, it would probably be too tedious to finish. This is my least-favorite of Gardner's books besides "Commitment Hour" which is more of a spin-off. I was really disappointed because "Hunted" was an awesome book that I literally couldn't put down, but "Ascending" didn't come close to filling its shoes. In my opinion, this is in part because Gardner has pumped out one of these books a year since 1997, he should probably take a year off to refresh his persepctive a little. Unfortunately, at the end the mysterious Pollisand remarks that he'll see Festina & Oar real soon, which can only mean that next winter another adventure will be on the shelves. Let's all hope it's better. I said this recently about, "Shadow of the Hegemon" by Orson Scott Card, but it bears repeating. If you're a fan of the Ramos series, read "Ascending" just so you don't get lost, but rent it from the library, buy it used, or borrow it from a friend, because it isn't worth [the money].
Rating:
Summary: The Dangers of a First Person Novel
Review: Novels written in the first person can be very affecting. In "Expendable", Festina Ramos was very effective in this role. Her complex personality, with pain and paranoia foremost, came across as believable because she was telling the story, and made the entire book compelling. In "Ascending", Oar is the first person narrator. And (excuse the pun) Oar is a bore. We have no reason to like her, or care about her at all. In fact, the tedium of reading her banal comments virtually destroyed any joy in what otherwise might have been an interesting story concept. The moral of the story: Only try the first person ploy if it's a person you would want to hang out with. I'd probably skip this book if I had it to do over again.
Rating:
Summary: The Dangers of a First Person Novel
Review: Novels written in the first person can be very affecting. In "Expendable", Festina Ramos was very effective in this role. Her complex personality, with pain and paranoia foremost, came across as believable because she was telling the story, and made the entire book compelling. In "Ascending", Oar is the first person narrator. And (excuse the pun) Oar is a bore. We have no reason to like her, or care about her at all. In fact, the tedium of reading her banal comments virtually destroyed any joy in what otherwise might have been an interesting story concept. The moral of the story: Only try the first person ploy if it's a person you would want to hang out with. I'd probably skip this book if I had it to do over again.
Rating:
Summary: Good Addition to the Series
Review: Since Expendable I look forward to each new work by James Alan Gardner. His Festina Ramos books combine space opera with a screwball perspective on the universe. Gardner's style is fast and breezy, a bit scatalogical. Sort of like the 1930's comedies before the Hays Office started censoring them. [Ascending] is a good story, action driven as always, and highly recommended. I did have a few reservations about his choice of Oar, a character from a previous Ramos story, as narrator. Oar comes across as an amalgam of Candide and Commander Data, and the first person narrative occasionally does become wordy and tedious. This minor quibble aside, Ascending is a worthy addition to the League of Peoples series. And I'm looking forward to the next novel from this fine writer.
Rating:
Summary: Good Addition to the Series
Review: Since Expendable I look forward to each new work by James Alan Gardner. His Festina Ramos books combine space opera with a screwball perspective on the universe. Gardner's style is fast and breezy, a bit scatalogical. Sort of like the 1930's comedies before the Hays Office started censoring them. [Ascending] is a good story, action driven as always, and highly recommended. I did have a few reservations about his choice of Oar, a character from a previous Ramos story, as narrator. Oar comes across as an amalgam of Candide and Commander Data, and the first person narrative occasionally does become wordy and tedious. This minor quibble aside, Ascending is a worthy addition to the League of Peoples series. And I'm looking forward to the next novel from this fine writer.
Rating: 
Summary: Suspending Your Disbelief
Review: Someone described John Wayne in the role of Ghengis Khan in the movie "The Golden Horde" as "the willing suspension of disbelief until dead, dead, dead." James Alan Gardner is testing the limits of your ability to suspend your disbelief. Whether it is silly science, silly premises or silly characters, Gardner's writing repeatedly runs the risk of losing its audience to disbelief. Which is a shame because the writing itself isn't that bad. When Gardner keeps the operating rules of his dubious universe away from the central focus, the stories do better; "Vigilant," for example, as compared to "Hunted." But in this most recent book, Gardner sets out to explore the roots of his universe and the flaws, inconsistencies and other goobers are out there on plain display. Oar, the glass woman left for dead in "Expendable," turns out to be very much alive, although why and how are at the heart of this new story. And this new story is told from the point of view of Oar. Which is more complicated than it might seem. Oar is the last conscious member of a re-engineered subspecies of homo sap., given immortal bodies by alien species unknown, which bodies, in addition to being nearly indestructible, are as transparent as glass. Since Oar is a knockout, this gives the folks who do the book covers a certain licentious freedom... But Oar's people got shortchanged: in return for the facile learning skills of a child, they also got "Tired Brain Syndrome," which causes them to go into a near-coma before age 50. And Oar is approaching that deadly age. Remember I warned you about silly science... In this continuation of the events of "Expendable" and the culmination of "Hunted," and in particular the death of Admiral York, the misdeeds of both the Council of Admirals that governs the human worlds and some shady aliens are all threatened with exposure. Oar, who is in many ways a self-centered, arrogant child, is chased or harassed by seemingly most of the intelligent species in the universe. The story works, despite the silly premises and slippery science, because Gardner does write well, and conveys the story from Oar's point of view quite well. Once again we see Festina Ramos, the character that links all the stories, from the view of another person. And certain parts of the story work pretty well. If you bring any skepticism or critical thinking to Gardner's series, you may not enjoy these books. But if you are willing to take it as it comes, and bring the kind of accepting attitude that was the requirement for Golden Age science fiction, then this is a good yarn and good fun. Nothing special, perhaps, but still a bit above the usual fodder cranked out over the last few years.
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