Sorcerer Ascendant

Written by Kyle Johnson

Narrated by Basil Sands

Aranos has done the impossible: he's freed the first Fallen Realm in mortal reckoning and returned victorious. He and his follower Geltheriel should be hailed as heroes and celebrated throughout the Stronghold of Eredain.

Instead, Aranos finds himself surrounded by elves that are both secretly and openly hostile. He and his new party descend nightly into the corrupted Blightlands to battle the Darkness and to try and reclaim more lands for the Light, but each day the elves place more obstacles in his path, from attempts at treachery to outright attacks. His enemies are numerous, his allies are few . . . and he can't even be sure that they're all allies in truth.

Geltheriel is given a choice: complete a quest that's utterly impossible or die, and Aranos has promised to see her complete the quest. He'll need help, though, and the only way for him to contact his best friend Phil is incredibly dangerous.

The attacks of his enemies have spread to the entire city, and now all of Eredain is on the edge of Falling to the Darkness.

To survive all this is one thing; to overcome it, Aranos must become more than a Sorcerer.

He must be Ascendant!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: May 11, 2021
• ISBN: 9781666108705

Reviews for Sorcerer Ascendant

[Madhav Deshpande · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Singularity Online #2 is a disappointing continuation of the lackluster LitRPG series. Despite the potential for improvement after the lackluster first installment, this sequel fails to address the issues that plagued its predecessor and falls short in multiple areas, leaving readers with a sense of frustration and disappointment.

One of the most significant flaws of Sorcerer Ascendant is its continued reliance on tired and overused tropes. The story once again follows the protagonist, who has now become an all-powerful sorcerer, as he embarks on a new set of quests and battles in the virtual reality game. However, the plot is nothing more than a repetitive and predictable rehash of the first book, with the protagonist easily overcoming challenges and foes without any real stakes or consequences. The lack of originality and innovation in the plot leaves readers feeling bored and unengaged, as they are subjected to a formulaic narrative that offers no surprises or excitement.

The characters in Sorcerer Ascendant are also a major disappointment. The protagonist, despite his newfound powers, continues to be a one-dimensional and unrelatable character. He lacks depth, emotional complexity, and realistic motivations, making it difficult for readers to connect with him on any meaningful level. The supporting characters are equally forgettable, with shallow personalities and minimal character development. The interactions between the characters are often contrived and lack authenticity, further hindering the reader's ability to become emotionally invested in the story. The lack of compelling and well-rounded characters is a missed opportunity to elevate the story and create a memorable reading experience.

The world-building in Sorcerer Ascendant is another area that fails to deliver. While the virtual reality setting has potential, it remains underdeveloped and inconsistent. The game mechanics are poorly explained and lack coherence, with arbitrary rules and limitations that are introduced and discarded at the author's convenience. The magic system, which was initially intriguing, lacks depth and complexity, and feels like a missed opportunity to create a unique and immersive gaming world. The real-world setting outside of the game is also poorly explored, with little attention given to the societal impact of virtual reality technology. The lack of a well-crafted and coherent world-building leaves readers feeling disconnected and disoriented, unable to fully immerse themselves in the story.

The writing style in Sorcerer Ascendant is a continuation of the mediocrity that plagued the first book. The prose remains simplistic and lacks descriptive language, failing to create a vivid and immersive reading experience. The dialogue continues to be stilted and lacks authenticity, with characters often speaking in cliches and unrealistic ways. There are still occasional inconsistencies and errors, such as continuity issues and awkward phrasing, which could have been addressed with better editing and proofreading. The overall writing quality feels rushed and uninspired, detracting from the reader's ability to fully engage with the story.

Furthermore, Sorcerer Ascendant suffers from pacing issues. The story drags on with repetitive and monotonous questing, battles, and leveling up, without offering any meaningful progression or character growth. The lack of pacing variation and the absence of a compelling narrative arc make the reading experience tedious and monotonous. The story fails to build suspense or tension, as the protagonist easily overcomes any challenges thrown his way, without facing any real consequences or setbacks. The lack of stakes and tension in the story further detracts from its ability to captivate readers and keep them engaged.

Another significant flaw in Sorcerer Ascendant is its treatment of female characters. Female characters are relegated to secondary roles, often serving as love interests or damsels in distress. They lack agency, depth, and meaningful contributions to the story. The representation of women in the novel is regressive and reinforces harmful gender stereotypes, which is unacceptable in today's literary landscape. The dialogue and interactions between male and female characters are often awkward and forced, with little consideration for realistic portrayals of gender dynamics. Female characters are frequently reduced to objects of male desire, lacking their own agency and independent storylines. This regressive treatment of female characters is disappointing and perpetuates harmful tropes, further detracting from the overall quality of the story.

Additionally, Sorcerer Ascendant suffers from inconsistent and illogical plot developments. The story often relies on convenient and contrived plot devices to move the narrative forward, without proper explanations or justifications. Key plot points lack coherence and are poorly executed, leaving readers scratching their heads in confusion. The lack of logical consistency and believability in the story undermines its credibility and makes it difficult for readers to fully invest in the plot.

The pacing issues of the first book are carried over into Sorcerer Ascendant, with the story feeling disjointed and poorly structured. There is a lack of a clear narrative arc and a sense of direction, making it challenging to stay engaged in the story. The pacing drags in some parts, while rushing through others, resulting in an uneven and unsatisfying reading experience. The lack of a well-crafted plot structure and pacing further highlights the overall weaknesses of the story.

Furthermore, the prose in Sorcerer Ascendant continues to be lackluster, failing to create a vivid and immersive reading experience. The writing style remains simplistic and lacks depth, with minimal descriptive language to bring the virtual reality world to life. The dialogues between characters lack nuance and authenticity, often coming across as forced and unconvincing. The writing lacks finesse and polish, making it difficult for readers to fully connect with the story and its characters.

Another issue with Sorcerer Ascendant is the missed potential for deeper exploration of the ethical implications of virtual reality technology. The story briefly touches on the idea of the blurred lines between reality and the virtual world, but fails to fully explore the moral and philosophical questions that arise from this concept. The ethical dilemmas and consequences of a virtual reality world, such as the impact on identity, humanity, and morality, are left largely unexplored, resulting in a shallow and superficial treatment of a potentially rich and thought-provoking concept.

In addition, Sorcerer Ascendant lacks emotional resonance. The story fails to evoke genuine emotions in readers, as the characters lack depth and development. The protagonist's emotional journey is poorly depicted, with minimal growth and evolution throughout the story. The lack of emotional stakes and investment in the characters make it difficult for readers to fully connect with the story and care about its outcome.

Furthermore, the resolution of conflicts in Sorcerer Ascendant is often abrupt and unsatisfying. The challenges faced by the protagonist are easily overcome without much effort or consequences, robbing the story of any tension or excitement. The lack of meaningful and impactful conflicts and resolutions diminishes the impact of the story, leaving readers feeling unfulfilled and dissatisfied.

In conclusion, Sorcerer Ascendant, the second installment in the Singularity Online series by Kyle Johnson, falls short in multiple areas and fails to deliver on its potential. The repetitive and predictable plot, one-dimensional characters, underdeveloped world-building, lackluster writing, pacing issues, regressive treatment of female characters, inconsistent and illogical plot developments, missed opportunities for ethical exploration, and lack of emotional resonance all contribute to a disappointing and unsatisfactory reading experience. As a cynical and critical reviewer, I cannot recommend this book to readers who are looking for a compelling and immersive LitRPG story with well-crafted characters, original plot, and thought-provoking themes.