Ascension

by Marc R. Micciola

Overview

When the longstanding peace is unexpectedly disrupted by a murderous cult, a young hero must rise up and lead the good people of Midstad against a threatening darkness that craves its long-awaited freedom.

Ascension follows the young heir of Hestferd, Einar, on his journey of discovery and growth. This journey is started when a cult known as The Black Light announces via a grand assassination that their leader is the newest King of Frosum, the richest kingdom in Midstad. During their announcement, they mention an old, powerful being named Kemryr, whose name is usually only spoken of to scare children into obeying their parents. Bryntyr, King of Hestferd and Einar's father, sees Kemryr as a greater threat than others do. His worry encourages him to go in search of more information on Kemryr from a mysterious old friend. Einar tags along, which begins a whole whirlwind of events that sees a generally quiet young man get pushed into the forefront of a war that has much greater implications than he could have ever imagined.

Ascension is a story full of raw emotion, action, and intrigue that will take you on an adventure that feels similar but also truly one of a kind at the same time. With multiple points of view, you will be engrossed in the story, able to see what transpires between both allies and enemies. Inspired by his great love and appreciation of the Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien, Marc R. Micciola tries to capture that same incredible wonder and scale of epic fantasy in this first installment in his trilogy, the Age of Shadow Saga.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781738748938
Publisher:	Centaury Lilium Publishing
Publication date:	12/05/2022
Series:	Age of Shadow Saga , #1
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	300
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.67(d)

About the Author

Marc R. Micciola is a Reader Views Literary Award-winning writer of dark, epic, and paranormal fantasies for new adult audiences. Marc creates intricate and believable fantasy worlds for readers to escape into. He also blends realistic psychology into his intense plots, reminding readers that people with mental health struggles like anxiety and trauma can be just as strong and heroic as anyone else. His goal as an author is to help readers recognize their potential, courage, and ability to make the world a kinder and more compassionate place.

Marc’s love for fantasy started in early adolescence and bloomed into a lifelong passion for authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, Mark Lawrence, George R.R. Martin, Christopher Paolini, and more. He owns an impressive collection of Lord of the Rings books, figurines, and swords. When he’s not off battling evil foes in his novels, Marc likes playing with his dogs, hanging out with friends, and watching hockey.

Editorial Reviews

Marc R. Micciola has accomplished much in his first book of his Age of Shadow saga, "Ascension", creating a vividly described world of darkness and magic, as you would expect of the genre. All of the voices of his created characters were distinctive and the fact that each chapter was named after the character from whose perspective we followed the action meant that there was never any confusion.

Reader Views - Rachel Deeming

Ascension was a novel that captured my attention from the very beginning. It had a strong introduction and the events of the first few chapters, which are the drive of the story, were riveting to read. The world-building in this story is magnificent [and] by the end of the novel, I was truly invested in the plot and the characters and wanted to keep on reading. If you like the fantasy genre, this is one novel that I would recommend picking up.

Reedsy - Evelyn Hadley

Ascension by Marc R. Micciola is a well-written fantasy with an eye-catching cover image. The description and cover caught my attention right from the start, but it was the characters that kept me pushing forward, page after page, to learn the fate of Midstad and Einar. The book reminded me of the Lord of the Rings series with the author's beautiful world-building and the different races, yet while there were some similarities, this book is original.

Readers' Favorite - Safina Hawke