Book Review: Ascendant (Songs of Chaos, #1) by Michael R. Miller
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Ascendant
Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Cover art illustrated by Yigit Koroglu
Ascendant by Michael R. Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: Songs of Chaos (Book #1 of 5)
Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Progression Fantasy
Pages: 532 pages (Hardcover edition)
Published: 1st September 2020 by Monolith Books (Self-published)
Filled with familiar tropes and fun to read, Ascendant is a dragon rider epic fantasy with heart and a hard magic system.
“If you love with your eyes, death is forever. If you love with your heart, there is no such thing as parting.”
This review has been a long time coming; let me give you a bit of background about this first. Back in December 2020, I read Dragon Mage by M.L. Spencer, and I absolutely loved that book. I believe Dragon Mage has sparked my passion for consuming Dragon Rider fantasy again, something I thought I was over already. Michael Miller messaged me in early 2021 asking whether I would be interested in reading and reviewing his Songs of Chaos series that began with Ascendant as its first volume because he knew how much I enjoyed Dragon Mage. Yes, that is more than two years ago! If you’re an author reading this, this should give you an idea of just how long it can take before I get around to reading your review request due to my hectic schedule and fluctuating reading mood. Sometimes sooner, sometimes even longer than that. But anyway, of course, I accepted the review request. Since I got my copy of Ascendant, I knew I’d find my way to reading it at the right time. Since then, I proceeded to read a few other highly-praised dragon rider epic fantasy series like The Echoes Saga by Philip C. Quaintrell and The Bound and the Broken by Ryan Cahill. And finally, I believe the time is now. With two more books in the Songs of Chaos series available now, yay to me, I have finally read Ascendant. And as expected, I highly enjoyed this one.
“The Fire Elder poured forth his rage.
The Frost Elder used her cunning.
The Storm Elder summoned his might.
The Mystic Elder whispered arcane secrets.
The Life Elder bid it grow.
And the world forever changed.”
The story in Ascendant revolves around Holt Cook. Holt Cook was never meant to be a dragon rider. He has always served the Order Hall of the Crag dutifully, keeping their kitchen pots clean.
Until he discovers a dark secret: dragons do not tolerate weakness among their kin, killing the young they deem flawed. Moved by pity, Holt defies the Order, rescues a doomed egg and vows to protect the blind dragon within.
But the Scourge is rising. Undead hordes roam the land, spreading the blight and leaving destruction in their wake. The dragon riders are being slaughtered and betrayal lurks in the shadows.
Holt has one chance to survive. He must cultivate the mysterious power of his dragon’s magical core. A unique energy which may tip the balance in the battles to come, and prove to the world that a servant is worthy after all.
Picture: Songs of Chaos Map by Soraya Corcoran
With the exception of the hard magic system, there isn’t anything that Michael Miller revolutionizes here. All the popular tropes you can find in other popular dragon rider fantasy novels like Eragon by Christopher Paolini, to mention one, are all evident. Some of you might know that I did not like reading Eragon. Eragon felt like it was a book written with kids and teenagers as its targeted demographic audience, and reading it as an adult for the first time, I can tell I was the wrong audience for it. There is nothing wrong with that. Even though I still do get a lot of heat for voicing that opinion, actually. But I am truly happy for the existence of Eragon as it has sparked many readers’ passions for reading fantasy. At the same time, this book has led many authors to write their own dragon rider fantasy novels. Ascendant is one of those examples, but thankfully unlike Eragon, Ascendant is book that clicked with me. Ascendant is a YA fantasy novel done right, and it is suitable for adults who want to experience the goodness of dragon rider fantasy again but with a more modern narrative. The fast-paced narration, likable bonds between human and dragon, and the exciting well-balanced actions interspersed throughout the book made Ascendant an engaging read.
“My eyes for your eyes.”
“Your skin for my skin.”
“My world for your world,” they said together.
But the familiar classic fantasy tropes don’t mean there wasn’t anything refreshing to encounter in Ascendant. For one, just like the name Holt Cook, it was intriguing to read how important cooking and food are in this world and series. This is not only for survival or necessity purposes. Obviously, we all need food to survive. But in Ascendant, the correct recipe and meat can assess or enhance the power and abilities of the dragon. It’s like how in some roleplaying games, like the Tales Of JRPG series (the first one that came to my mind), cooking recipes and eating food prior to battles can give the characters power-up; this undoubtedly is something you can expect in Ascendant. And speaking of video games, although not a LitRPG novel, Miller implemented a hard magic system and a ranking class that functioned as a stable addition to the charming tropes, in my opinion. Without giving any spoilers, Miller made it clear that human is not the only one dependent on dragons, but it works the other way around, too. Both dragon rider and their dragon are dependent on each other. And I liked having these as a powerful foundation for the rest of the series. Because if someone asks me what is my favorite aspect of Ascendant, the answer is simple: the bonds between Holt Cook and Ash, the blind dragon.
“Never worry about my eyes – I’m glad to experience the world as I do rather than not at all. And as for others of my kind, they can accept me or not as they choose. I will not allow my own worth to be determined by them.”
I know, I know. It IS a dragon rider fantasy. It goes without saying that the relationship between the dragon rider and the dragon will have to be prioritized. And it must be well-written. But still, I can’t help it. Both Holt and Ash are underdogs, and they are both likable characters. This kind of genuine friendship is one of the main reasons I love reading dragon rider epic fantasy. And I believe it is why many readers flocked to Eragon so tightly in the first place. It is the core of the genre. And in the case of Ascendant, I think by making Ash blind, Miller successfully deepened the relationship between Holt and Ash. Holt dominated the first half of Ascendant as the only POV character, and Talia became one of the two POV characters in the second half. But although there were other interesting supporting characters like Talia, Pyra, Brode, Silas, and Rake, as far as the first book goes, Holt and Ash are definitely the driving force of the narrative. It is hard not to root for them. Holt and Ash tried to survive against all odds and overcome their disadvantages, and I found their journey inspiring.
“Whatever happens, I’m glad you’re my dragon.”
“I’m glad you’re my boy.”
Overall, I strongly recommend Ascendant for newcomers to fantasy, and on the plus side, similar to Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson, I think this is the kind of fantasy novel that can be highly enjoyed by both young adult and adult readers. It’s as if Michael Miller wrote Ascendant with the primary intention for it to be fun and entertaining. And if that is really the mission, then Miller has accomplished them. Ascendant is a great dragon rider fantasy guaranteed to attract newbie and veteran readers with its immersion, fast-paced, and nostalgia factor. To make things even better, my instinct claims this is the weakest of the series, and Unbound and Defiant will be even better. I look forward to reading both of them before the year ends.
“You have given me hope that humans and dragons may share this world in harmony. As true friends.”
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