Book Review: Wistful Ascending by J.C.M. Berne

Genre(s): Science Fiction / Superheroes

Content warning: There are a number of violent combat/fight scenes and some gore that may be disturbing for some readers.

Before I get into the review, I first want to thank the author and Escapist Tours for the opportunity to participate in this tour. Wistful Ascending was on my TBR from this year’s SPFBO competition, and when the notice arrived that Escapist was seeking reviewers to participate in this book’s tour, I had to jump on the opportunity. If you’d like to follow the rest of this tour, including interviews and reviews, you can do so here: The Hero’s Journey: Wistful Ascending.

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Rohan is a former soldier, half-human, with some very unusual, super-hero type abilities, referred to as his Power. He now works at a docking station commanded by (and named for) an AI called Wistful. When a nearby, dormant wormhole opens and a ship comes through, Rohan is sent to investigate and make first contact with a species of sentient “space bears” that eventually become known as Ursans.

The wormhole’s reopening isn’t missed by the il’Drach empire, and they send scientists to investigate further. Rohan has a complicated history with the empire, and he’d rather they remain unaware of his existence on Wistful. Things don’t go as he plans…

From the start, I knew I was going to enjoy reading this one. There were bits of humor almost immediately, and an interesting array of human, non-human, hybrid, and AI characters that made the universe feel developed and immersive from page one.

As the story progressed, I learned more about Rohan’s Power. He heals remarkably fast and can withstand injuries that would leave any normal human dead. He can fly, and he possesses incredible strength (for example, he can push full-sized starships without assistance.) In some ways, he was kind of like Super-Man, but more entertaining. I liked that despite his Power, he just wanted to live a normal life—have a job, maybe go on a few dates, etc. And I liked his sense of humor too.

The action sequences were done very well. The book starts with a fight between Rohan and three others who also possess Powers, which was a great hook for the rest of the story. There are other fight scenes as well, some between Rohan and other people, some involving Rohan and spaceships, and others featuring giant monsters like the decipede. For those who have followed my blog for any length of time, you know I have a thing for bugs. So bonus points to the author for including the giant alien bugs!

I really had fun reading this book. The story was interesting and sometimes unpredictable, and the cast of supporting characters were tons of fun. I especially liked the dynamic between Rohan and Wei Li; her sense of humor was great—and his failure to always “get it” was amusing.

If you like science fiction/space opera with superhero-type characters, crazy battles, and humor, definitely check out this book.

Wistful Ascending is the first book in the Hybrid Helix series.

Author website: jcmberne.com