In 2008, Drew karpyshyn returned to the Mass Effect universe and wrote a second, cringe-worthy novel called Ascension. This time, Kahlee Sanders goes with a madman and his child as they flee to the Terminus systems, then act in a one day time-frame to get the girl away, because Karpyshyn rushes everything to the most illogical time just to get "up" the stakes. Synopsis: When they vanished fifty thousand years ago, the Protheans left their advanced technology scattered throughout the galaxy. The chance discovery of a Prothean cache on Mars allows humanity
to join those already reaping the rewards of the ancients’ high-tech
wizardry. But for one rogue militia, the goal is not participation but
domination. Scientist Kahlee Sanders has left the Systems Alliance for the Ascension Project, a program that helps gifted “biotic” children harness their extraordinary powers. The program’s most promising student is twelve-year-old Gillian Grayson, who is borderline autistic. What Kahlee doesn’t know is that Gillian is an unwitting pawn of the outlawed black ops group Cerberus, which is sabotaging the program by conducting illegal experiments on the students. When the Cerberus plot is exposed, Gillian’s father takes her away from the Ascension Project and flees into the lawless Terminus Systems.
Determined to protect Gillian, Kahlee goes with them… unaware that the
elder Grayson is, in fact, a Cerberus operative. To rescue the young
girl Kahlee must travel to the farthest ends of the galaxy, battling
fierce enemies and impossible odds. But how will she be able to save a
daughter from her own father?
The novel opens with the Illusive Man watching the recordings of Saren's attempted coup and how Commander Shepard (note: Karpyshyn refuses to say whether Shepard is male or female) stopped the rogue turian Spectre, musing on how idiotic it was for the Council to deny Sovereign as a Reaper, insisting that it was a geth ship. He believes that the time is right to push forward with Cerberus' asset in the Ascension Project. Paul Grayson dreams the same dream he's been having for the last few years, that of helping Charles Saracino get the top slot for the xenophobic Terra Firma party; Paul's an addict of the drug red sand. Pel tells Paul that the Illusive Man wants to have more meds pumped into Gillian; Paul's against it, but, for now, puts up with it because the Illusive Man keeps giving him red sand. Kahlee runs some tests on Nick, a biotic teenager; she leaves and runs into Hendel Mitra who's on his way to inform Gillian that Paul intends to visits and will deny the request, but Kahlee tells him to approve the request and she'll tell Gillian. Gillian's less than thrilled, and states that she has homework to do. Pel meets with Golo, a quarian agent who sold some of his people to the Collectors, points Pel toward another quarian who can hand over the flotilla's transmission codes. Paul arrives, and he and Jiro--an Ascension Project scientist working for Cerberus--gives Gillian meds; Jiro gives Paul updated reports on all the students at Grissom Academy, including Gillian.
Pel takes out a squad of quarians and takes Hiro'Jaa vas Idenna--the pilot of the scout ship Cyniad of the Migrant Fleet ship Idenna--captive. Gillian starts acting different, starts integrating with the other students; Nick tries to antagonize Gillian, but she flings him back with her biotic powers, then proceeds to tear up the cafeteria. Hendel takes her down with a stun shot. Jiro abducts Gillian, and Hendel and Kahlee chase after them. Jiro administers a dose of the drug to Gillian, and she has a seizure. Hendel arrives and Jiro stuns him, then flees. Hendel manages to hold on and tries to save Gillian. Kahlee takes Jiro down and demands answers. Kahlee comms Paul to let him know, and Paul tells the Illusive Man. The Illusive Man tells Paul to pull Gillian out of the Ascension Project and to bring her to Cerberus. Pel and Golo talk about the Collectors and how Golo can get in contact with them. Paul takes Gillian away, but Hendel and Kahlee want to help him protect Gillian from Cerberus; Paul agrees. They head to Omega; Pel separates the biotics from the non-biotics. Pel reveals to Kahlee and Paul that he's planning on handing them over to the Collectors. Lemm'Shal nar Tesleya--a quarian on his Pilgrimage--breaks into Pel's base and helps Kahlee get Hendel and Gillian out. Lemm takes them to the Migrant Fleet. They dock on the Idenna. Paul reports to the Illusive Man personally and face-to-face what happened; the Illusive Man sends Paul back to Golo to get a team ready to storm the Migrant Fleet and retake Gillian.
Eventually, the quarian guards bring Kahlee, Hendel, and Gillian to Captain Ysin'Mal vas Idenna--Leem's already there--and Ysin'Mal tells them that the Admiralty (note: Karpyshyn refuses to use any of their established names) is coming to visit and invites the gang to meet them. Between them, they recap Revelation and Mass Effect, focusing on how Saren and Sovereign were able to control the geth. Grayson and Golo prepare to leave Omega on Cyniad to help the Cerberus agents attack. They arrive, dock, and let Cerberus through. A fight breaks out. A team of Cerberus agents finds Gillian and she kills them; she runs into Paul and he tries to get her to leave, but she refuses. Kahlee attempts to rescue Gillian, but Golo captures her. Grayson kills Golo and surrenders. Together, Paul and Hendel manage to shut down a bomb on Cyniad that Cerberus had prepared to wipe out the Idenna. After the battle Lemm'Shal vas Idenna, Kahlee, and Paul leave; Hendel and Gillian stay behind. During the trip to the Alliance colony on Cuevro Paul knocks Leem and Kahlee out, then lands on the volus world of Daleon and escapes. In the end, Paul calls the Illusive Man, tells him he quits, tells him to leave Kahlee alone or he'll go public to the Alliance with everything he knows about Cerberus; the Illusive Man threatens to find and kill him.
All in all, a prose-heavy book that has information from the games pasted in just to add pages and really doesn't serve a purpose. A sham, Drew Karpyshyn takes what could be a fantastic idea and kills it.
Next time: Mass Effect: Retribution by Drew Karpyshyn.
The novel opens with the Illusive Man watching the recordings of Saren's attempted coup and how Commander Shepard (note: Karpyshyn refuses to say whether Shepard is male or female) stopped the rogue turian Spectre, musing on how idiotic it was for the Council to deny Sovereign as a Reaper, insisting that it was a geth ship. He believes that the time is right to push forward with Cerberus' asset in the Ascension Project. Paul Grayson dreams the same dream he's been having for the last few years, that of helping Charles Saracino get the top slot for the xenophobic Terra Firma party; Paul's an addict of the drug red sand. Pel tells Paul that the Illusive Man wants to have more meds pumped into Gillian; Paul's against it, but, for now, puts up with it because the Illusive Man keeps giving him red sand. Kahlee runs some tests on Nick, a biotic teenager; she leaves and runs into Hendel Mitra who's on his way to inform Gillian that Paul intends to visits and will deny the request, but Kahlee tells him to approve the request and she'll tell Gillian. Gillian's less than thrilled, and states that she has homework to do. Pel meets with Golo, a quarian agent who sold some of his people to the Collectors, points Pel toward another quarian who can hand over the flotilla's transmission codes. Paul arrives, and he and Jiro--an Ascension Project scientist working for Cerberus--gives Gillian meds; Jiro gives Paul updated reports on all the students at Grissom Academy, including Gillian.
Pel takes out a squad of quarians and takes Hiro'Jaa vas Idenna--the pilot of the scout ship Cyniad of the Migrant Fleet ship Idenna--captive. Gillian starts acting different, starts integrating with the other students; Nick tries to antagonize Gillian, but she flings him back with her biotic powers, then proceeds to tear up the cafeteria. Hendel takes her down with a stun shot. Jiro abducts Gillian, and Hendel and Kahlee chase after them. Jiro administers a dose of the drug to Gillian, and she has a seizure. Hendel arrives and Jiro stuns him, then flees. Hendel manages to hold on and tries to save Gillian. Kahlee takes Jiro down and demands answers. Kahlee comms Paul to let him know, and Paul tells the Illusive Man. The Illusive Man tells Paul to pull Gillian out of the Ascension Project and to bring her to Cerberus. Pel and Golo talk about the Collectors and how Golo can get in contact with them. Paul takes Gillian away, but Hendel and Kahlee want to help him protect Gillian from Cerberus; Paul agrees. They head to Omega; Pel separates the biotics from the non-biotics. Pel reveals to Kahlee and Paul that he's planning on handing them over to the Collectors. Lemm'Shal nar Tesleya--a quarian on his Pilgrimage--breaks into Pel's base and helps Kahlee get Hendel and Gillian out. Lemm takes them to the Migrant Fleet. They dock on the Idenna. Paul reports to the Illusive Man personally and face-to-face what happened; the Illusive Man sends Paul back to Golo to get a team ready to storm the Migrant Fleet and retake Gillian.
Eventually, the quarian guards bring Kahlee, Hendel, and Gillian to Captain Ysin'Mal vas Idenna--Leem's already there--and Ysin'Mal tells them that the Admiralty (note: Karpyshyn refuses to use any of their established names) is coming to visit and invites the gang to meet them. Between them, they recap Revelation and Mass Effect, focusing on how Saren and Sovereign were able to control the geth. Grayson and Golo prepare to leave Omega on Cyniad to help the Cerberus agents attack. They arrive, dock, and let Cerberus through. A fight breaks out. A team of Cerberus agents finds Gillian and she kills them; she runs into Paul and he tries to get her to leave, but she refuses. Kahlee attempts to rescue Gillian, but Golo captures her. Grayson kills Golo and surrenders. Together, Paul and Hendel manage to shut down a bomb on Cyniad that Cerberus had prepared to wipe out the Idenna. After the battle Lemm'Shal vas Idenna, Kahlee, and Paul leave; Hendel and Gillian stay behind. During the trip to the Alliance colony on Cuevro Paul knocks Leem and Kahlee out, then lands on the volus world of Daleon and escapes. In the end, Paul calls the Illusive Man, tells him he quits, tells him to leave Kahlee alone or he'll go public to the Alliance with everything he knows about Cerberus; the Illusive Man threatens to find and kill him.
All in all, a prose-heavy book that has information from the games pasted in just to add pages and really doesn't serve a purpose. A sham, Drew Karpyshyn takes what could be a fantastic idea and kills it.
Next time: Mass Effect: Retribution by Drew Karpyshyn.
