Customer Reviews

The Ascension Factor

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is not a story of empire, such as in his great classic series, "Dune; but rather, Herbert and Ransom tell the story of an ill-fated interstellar colonial expedition gone horribly wrong. I am looking for a hard copy of this work because I believe that the general theme of the mega-hit Strategy software game, "Alpha Centauri" is inspired by some of the vicious alien creatures described in Herbert's story of the adaptation of humanity to a brutal alien world. Characterization is a lot deeper than most sci-fi, and the "run around the fortress" scene is something I've remembered for more than two decades since I last read the book. In our world of animated feature films, this would make an incredible movie.

I really don't understand how this work could have been so poorly received. The entire Voidship series is one of the most provocative and deeply moving works of science fiction that I have ever read. I actually found this series far more provocative than the Dune series. I don't know how much is Herbert and how much is Ransom, but this is an incredible collaboration. It is a long inquiry into the nature of existence, consiousness, and humanity. It is also a great story. It a truly original, unique work.

Unlike Dune, this series has been out of print for some time. Shame! No one does it better than Herbert but Dune-Mania has left too much of his best work unread and unknown. Dune was a masterpiece, no question. But the series devolved into action novels - the work of creating his universe did not have to be re-done so the rest was just what happens next (and as Brian continues the series, what happened before). The Voidship series is different. Beginning with Destination: Void, which establishes the premise, each novel must reestablish the world in which it is set. Each set of characters has very new hurdles and new forms of intelligent life(? at least self-awareness) to deal with, each with their own world view. A good marketing bet would be to reintroduce these novels in paperback, capitalizing on the popularity of the Dune series. Let the new generation of sf readers discover the other worlds of Frank Herbert. This review refers to the series - Destination: Void, The Jesus Incident, The Lazarus Effect, and The Ascension Factor

The "Ascension Factor" was completed by Bill Ransom and said to be based on extensive notes between its two authors after Frank Herbert's death. I have always suspected this book was written by Bill Ransom alone with edited out pages from "Lazarus Effect" and has little to do with the great Frank Herbert. I suspect that Frank Herbert never started a fourth book in this series. Where "Destination: Void," "Jesus Incident", and "Lazarus Effect" are 3 separate and distinct, must read, science fiction master pieces--each with its own unique world and plot-- "Ascension Factor" is clearly a sequel to the "Lazarus Effect." There is no new world, just the one in the last book with a plot to match a bad sequel: The book negates the end of the last book, extends the pre established plot lines of the last book and tacks on a new ending. This is the only Frank Herbert book with zero new ideas and zero pushing the Sci-Fi envelope. Where are you Frank? Bill Ransom's Sci-Fi career went nowhere after his collaboration with Herbert ended, for lack of ideas. This book lacks new ideas. This book is a stinker and is not worthy of Frank Herbert's name. This book is Fake Frank.