The Ascent by Ronald Malfi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ronald Malfi is one of my favorite authors. Reading one of his books is like sitting at a campfire with an old friend and having them tell you a story.
The Ascent is one of his older titles, having first been released in 2010. It’s now being released in audiobook format, as of today, June 6, 2023, thanks to Tantor Audio.
I was so excited when I learned this was happening, as I always love a survival story, particularly if it involves mountaineering, or hiking.
In this story we follow Tim Overleigh, a sculptor, who after the tragic death of his wife, quit his craft and took up extreme sports as a way to escape his pain.
After a solo-caving accident left him close to death, Tim is in worse shape than ever. His rehabilitation was long and arduous, just ask his nurse. It took time and work before he could even walk again.
Six months later, back on his feet with the aide of crutches and visiting his local watering hole, Tim runs into an old friend, who makes him an intriguing offer.
The man’s name is Andrew and he is arranging an expedition to the infamous Canyon of Souls in the Himalayas. It’s clear to Andrew that Tim needs a life-changing experience like this. This trip could be helpful for his long-term mental health.
Tim initially is against it, but Andrew points out it won’t take place for another year. There’s plenty of time for Tim to prepare himself physically. Eventually Tim caves.
Using a plane ticket provided by Andrew, Tim flies to Kathmandu, where he meets up with the rest of the men that Andrew has recruited for the expedition.
With Andrew acting as their unofficial leader, the men set out on a journey up to the Godesh Ridge. Let’s say, things don’t go as planned.
The Ascent was such a fun read. It was quick and hooked me from the first moments. The audio narration was so believable as being from Tim’s perspective. It really added to my experience.
Malfi sure knows how to tell a tale. This is a freaking great story, layered and textured. It was compelling from the very start, all the way through to the final pages.
The tone of Malfi’s writing and the way he set-ups and builds his stories always reminds me of Stephen King, in the best ways. It’s so comfortable to read. I knew immediately that this one was going to work for me.
I think anyone who enjoys a tense Survival Story, especially involving mountaineering, will love this and be able to connect to it. Tim is a likeable character. He’s fighting to try to get himself out of a dark place and I think we all can relate to that in one way or another.
The intensity of this story builds throughout. It does get fairly wild, but never stops being page-turning. I was really impressed with this.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Tantor Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I may not have gotten to this one if it hadn’t been for the audio format, so I truly appreciate it.
I definitely need to continue working my way through Malfi’s backlist!