Ascension, by Marc R. Micciola, is the first book in the Age of Shadow Saga. This story follows the leaders of Midstad as they fight to gain control of the empire.

The novel begins with Otti and The Black Light. Otti is determined to get her beloved, Kemryr, back from imprisonment. She works with Iver to bring people to their forces, The Black Light, and gain control of the kingdom. Einar, Prince of Hestferd, and Elouera, the Queen of Skedia, work together to protect the kingdom from The Black Light. When Karina, Queen Eloueras’s daughter, is targeted by an assassin, the Hestferd rulers help the family hide with elves. Her family’s safety is instrumental in maintaining control of the kingdom and preventing The Black Light from taking over.

The writing style in this book is excellent throughout. Multiple POVs give depth to the story. Each character has its own development and storyline. Having numerous POVs allows the reader to understand the overall plot. The development behind Einar’s character was the most interesting to read and essential for the story to move forward.

This captivating book had a lot of varying elements for the first installment in an upcoming series. I wish there was more background information and world-building given to the reader so there is a better understanding of the world the author has built. There were bits and pieces of background given with each character’s POV, but it’s like putting together a puzzle.

Ascension is a riveting adventure and dark fantasy novel that gives readers a sense of nostalgia for similar worlds that are seen in Lord of the Rings or Wheel of Time. As the first book in the Age of Shadow Saga, it pulls the reader into the world created by Micciola, and they will be waiting for the next installment to see where the action leads next.

Pages: 303 | ASIN : B08BTMF46Z