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Garrett Reilly #1
The Ascendant
Numbers don’t lie. Not according to Garrett Reilly who, just two weeks past his twenty-sixth birthday, thinks he’s probably the best bond analyst at his brokerage—maybe even the best in all of Manhattan. Garrett’s memory for numbers is photographic. But he doesn’t just memorize them; he sorts them, ranks them, senses patterns in them. As he watches buy and sell numbers float across his Bloomberg terminal, Garrett notices what nobody else can: that US Treasury bonds are being sold off at an alarming rate—two hundred billion dollars’ worth. It’s a discovery that he knows will make him incredibly rich.
Then the United States military arrives at his office, and Garrett’s life is blown to pieces. As Captain Alexis Truffant explains, Garrett has stumbled upon something much larger—and scarier—than he could have imagined: the first attack in a covert war of unthinkable proportions. His biggest problem? Numbers don’t lie…but governments can.
In this taut and cunning novel, Drew Chapman takes readers into a scenario that is eerily plausible and utterly terrifying—an unconventional war capable of bringing a superpower to its knees. The Ascendant is a brilliant new twist on the art of the white-knuckle thriller.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 2, 2014
50 people are currently reading
4262 people want to read
About the author
Drew Chapman
7 books56 followersDrew Chapman has written on numerous studio movies, including Pocahontas for Walt Disney Pictures and the original Iron Man for 20th Century Fox. He also directed the indie film Standoff. Currently, he creates and writes TV shows for network television, most recently having worked for ABC and Sony. Married with two children, he divides his time between Los Angeles and Seattle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 344 reviews
March 13, 2022
Drew Chapman The Ascendant is must read rolling coaster ride. Garret Reilly is working on wall street when he notices that treasury bonds are being sold. He is enlisted to help the government to fight a cyber war against unknown an enemy. The plot is realistic and action heats up. I really loved this audiobook
January 20, 2022
Please, let there be a sequel to this book as soon as possible. This is the author's first book, but it doesn't read like he is new at this. It is a really tight, intelligent and enthralling thriller about Garrett Reilly, a 26 year old bond analyst who is thrust into a huge international crisis when he notices that U. S. Treasury bonds are being sold off at an unprecedented rate as part of an attack on the country. Because he has a unique ability to recognize patterns that others miss, he is enlisted to help the government fight a war against an unknown enemy who, for unknown reasons, is stealthily attacking U.S. financial and real estate markets, mineral rights and the electricity grid. Reilly is reluctant to participate in this project due to his dislike of anything to do with the military. His dislike is well-founded and his paranoia justified, since no one can be trusted to be telling him the truth, least of all the people who hire Reilly.
The book handles convincingly details about, among other things, computer hacking, the military and Chinese dissidents in an exciting story that would make an excellent movie plot. Reilly is an interesting character who I liked, in spite of his being smug, arrogant and uncooperative much of the time. This was a very enjoyable book and I recommend it.
I received a free digital copy of an advance, uncorrected reader's proof of this book.
The book handles convincingly details about, among other things, computer hacking, the military and Chinese dissidents in an exciting story that would make an excellent movie plot. Reilly is an interesting character who I liked, in spite of his being smug, arrogant and uncooperative much of the time. This was a very enjoyable book and I recommend it.
I received a free digital copy of an advance, uncorrected reader's proof of this book.
January 26, 2014
A MUST read! “Cyber war? Psychological war? We’ve even heard that there’s a single source for all of this. One person at the center of events.” This novel is espionage at it’s finest in realistic fiction. In fact, this novel almost serves as a cautionary tale, one that is very possible to occur. Chapman deftly writes this military/business thriller so beautifully that the average person can ascertain complicated movements of both the military and business kind. Chapman doesn’t “dumb-down” the book; he skillfully describes the implications of events. The protagonist, Garrett Reilly is the least likely person our government would use in the Department of Defense. Reilly assembles a “ragtag army: geeks and misfits and semi-psychotic jarheads” for a project that the US Government wants him to lead. Yet, Garret finds “Contradiction layered upon contradiction, lie upon lie.” Garrett wants to do the right thing, but what is the right thing? What is the truth? This is a quick-paced page-turner that will have you glued to your couch/bed/chair. One of the best thriller books I’ve read in a long time.
February 8, 2014
I liked this novel. Well, that might be a bit of an understatement. I really, really liked this novel. Probably not loved it, but I’m as proud of it as if it had been my own story. But then I love finance and interest rate fluctuations and bond markets and stock markets and financial analysis and market analysis and fundamental and technical analysis and trading and investing and growth opportunities and domestic along with overseas investing. And it doesn’t matter if we’re talking stocks or bonds or mutual funds or index funds, as long as that fucker is growing faster than the inflation rate. So it’s probably safe to say I like the thought of making fuckloads of money in the financial markets. Will I get there? Probably not. But I’m going to have a whole hell of a lot of fun trying.
Sure, I may have to forgo even the most basic sense of morality, but any good analyst worth his salt has the moral code of a politician involved in the latest sex scandal who was then discovered to be funded by both North Korea and the Chinese. Analysts may be arrogant little pissants who put money before God and country and the almighty dollar, but if I were to have a lobotomy to go along with my serious injection of badass, I might wipe the floor with more than a few Yale and Harvard grads and then kick the crap out of a few Stanford grads to round out the equation.
One day I’d like to strive for some real intuitive investigative work of the financial persuasion where I call out some seriously bad dudes who like to twiddle their thumbs and play with numbers all day. Even if it means I get smacked around in a bar fight, tossed into the middle of a war game field exercise, shoved on a plane headed to Detroit in the middle of the mother of all power outages, and stared down by the SecDef, I might still consider it a good investment, or then again, I might not. It’s really hard to say at this point.
I even like the military with its rules and regulations and lack of creative thinkers and checks and double-checks and inside-the-box thinking and command directives and statuesque tendencies where the orders come down from above with a finger and a fist pump and smiles are rather hard to come by and the general wheels around in a Humvee and if I’m lucky, I might get to see another sunrise tomorrow.
THE ASCENDANT bounced between finance and the military with effortless ease, tossed in China and Las Vegas and Wall Street and the Midwest for good measure, and cut and recut as this brisk, relentless ride never let up. I might have passed a missile silo or two in my rearview mirror, and a nuclear reactor might have been ready to explode in my vicinity, but I didn’t care, because it was pedal to the metal, baby, all the way to the finish line.
I received this book for free through NetGalley.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
Sure, I may have to forgo even the most basic sense of morality, but any good analyst worth his salt has the moral code of a politician involved in the latest sex scandal who was then discovered to be funded by both North Korea and the Chinese. Analysts may be arrogant little pissants who put money before God and country and the almighty dollar, but if I were to have a lobotomy to go along with my serious injection of badass, I might wipe the floor with more than a few Yale and Harvard grads and then kick the crap out of a few Stanford grads to round out the equation.
One day I’d like to strive for some real intuitive investigative work of the financial persuasion where I call out some seriously bad dudes who like to twiddle their thumbs and play with numbers all day. Even if it means I get smacked around in a bar fight, tossed into the middle of a war game field exercise, shoved on a plane headed to Detroit in the middle of the mother of all power outages, and stared down by the SecDef, I might still consider it a good investment, or then again, I might not. It’s really hard to say at this point.
I even like the military with its rules and regulations and lack of creative thinkers and checks and double-checks and inside-the-box thinking and command directives and statuesque tendencies where the orders come down from above with a finger and a fist pump and smiles are rather hard to come by and the general wheels around in a Humvee and if I’m lucky, I might get to see another sunrise tomorrow.
THE ASCENDANT bounced between finance and the military with effortless ease, tossed in China and Las Vegas and Wall Street and the Midwest for good measure, and cut and recut as this brisk, relentless ride never let up. I might have passed a missile silo or two in my rearview mirror, and a nuclear reactor might have been ready to explode in my vicinity, but I didn’t care, because it was pedal to the metal, baby, all the way to the finish line.
I received this book for free through NetGalley.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
December 18, 2016
First off, I'd like to say this isn't a book that I'd typically gravitate to, but I entered the recent giveaway for it and wow..I honestly loved it. Maybe I should start reading out of my comfort zone more often!
I won this as an advance reader's copy and I fell in love with Chapman's style because it transforms when he's talking about different characters. It's really great what he did - you can see the personality of each character reflect in his writing. I fell in LOVE with Garrett, the main character.
This book really did not disappoint, when I saw that it was written by a man who had heavy duty in writing Iron Man for Fox I had high expectations. Those expectations were surpassed.
Great thriller. All I did for days was sit and read and make food when I had to. If you enjoy political thrillers and an out-of-the-box look on diplomacy and international finances, you'll really enjoy this book. I'm not even into that stuff and I loved it.
Cheers and happy reading when this comes out in January.
I won this as an advance reader's copy and I fell in love with Chapman's style because it transforms when he's talking about different characters. It's really great what he did - you can see the personality of each character reflect in his writing. I fell in LOVE with Garrett, the main character.
This book really did not disappoint, when I saw that it was written by a man who had heavy duty in writing Iron Man for Fox I had high expectations. Those expectations were surpassed.
Great thriller. All I did for days was sit and read and make food when I had to. If you enjoy political thrillers and an out-of-the-box look on diplomacy and international finances, you'll really enjoy this book. I'm not even into that stuff and I loved it.
Cheers and happy reading when this comes out in January.
July 5, 2019
This is a thriller about stocks and shares. Not my usual cup of tea, if I'm honest - but one I'm glad I tried.
Though The Patter of Fear is a debut novel, it doesn’t read as one: Chapman handles his characters and storyline with ease. Once a few awkward character introductions are out of the way the story takes off, and it’s no-holds-barred the entire time. Reilly is a compelling antihero, and most of the cast of characters that surround him are equally engaging. The plot itself is nail-bitingly tense, with a semi-fictional present setting allowing for interesting questions to be considered. How far would a government go to stop its own people rebelling? What happens when the line between “good” and “evil” is blurred? How could our reliance on technology be used to start – and win – a bloodless war?
I will admit to knowing absolutely nothing about stocks and shares and Wall Street, almost nothing about computers and hacking, and very little again about China or even America. None of this hindered my enjoyment in the slightest. More importantly, nothing rang false for me in terms of the written manipulations and interactions of all these elements. I really enjoyed reading this - far more than I expected to, in fact.
Full review here
*Received direct from the publisher through NZ Booklovers.
Though The Patter of Fear is a debut novel, it doesn’t read as one: Chapman handles his characters and storyline with ease. Once a few awkward character introductions are out of the way the story takes off, and it’s no-holds-barred the entire time. Reilly is a compelling antihero, and most of the cast of characters that surround him are equally engaging. The plot itself is nail-bitingly tense, with a semi-fictional present setting allowing for interesting questions to be considered. How far would a government go to stop its own people rebelling? What happens when the line between “good” and “evil” is blurred? How could our reliance on technology be used to start – and win – a bloodless war?
I will admit to knowing absolutely nothing about stocks and shares and Wall Street, almost nothing about computers and hacking, and very little again about China or even America. None of this hindered my enjoyment in the slightest. More importantly, nothing rang false for me in terms of the written manipulations and interactions of all these elements. I really enjoyed reading this - far more than I expected to, in fact.
Full review here
*Received direct from the publisher through NZ Booklovers.
January 11, 2014
Original debut thriller by a very talented author about a secret cyber attack on the United States and the government/military response. The who and the why of the phased attack was only recognized by an arrogant but gifted Wall Street bond trader named Garrett Reilly who gets "drafted" by the US Army to lead a team to identify and defeat the enemy by deploying web based asymmetrical warfare using his own unique ability to foresee trends. Unfortunately Garrett not only has a bad attitude but hates the military. While developing his cyber strategy and response, Garrett is thwarted by the Secretary of Defense, targeted by an unknown foreign player, beaten up by a bar roomful of Marines and tortured by Homeland Security agents. You might be thinking this sounds like a twenty first century version of "Enders Game" but this book is much more entertaining, thought provoking and action oriented with more engaging characters. I highly recommend it to my GR friends and sincerely hope it becomes book #1 in a long running series.
December 10, 2013
“The Ascendant” by Drew Chapman, published by Simon & Schuster.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – January 07, 2014
If you really want something different concerning spying, politics, and the possibility of Armageddon you need to treat yourself to this book.
Garrett Reilly is working on Wall Street in the bond market. He is exceptional in that he sees patterns in the market that lead him to make profitable decisions before anyone else is the wiser. Garrett hates the military, he lost his brother in war, and he has no particular feelings concerning the United States.
One morning Garrett notices that Treasury Bonds are being dumped on the market. The Government is informed and stop gaps are put in place to control the bond market. In quick succession several other attempts are made to upset the stability of the United States. The culprit seems to be China put no one can figure out why this is happening. China is our ally and out largest trading partner.
Garrett reluctantly, very reluctantly, joins forces with the United States to figure out what is going on. He joins, figuratively, the Army and is assigned to a group called “The Ascendants”. The group has everything possible at their disposal to keep tabs on world happenings and Garrett is given carte blance to do whatever he has to do and any monies he needs to do it. Garrett finds himself caught in a confrontation with the military, the President of the United States, and his own personal beliefs. He seems to find himself and brings together a group outside the establishment to combat the menace that is taking action that could plunge the world in am unwinnable war.
“The Ascendant” will keep you totally involved throughout the entire book with not only action but a battle of philosophies.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – January 07, 2014
If you really want something different concerning spying, politics, and the possibility of Armageddon you need to treat yourself to this book.
Garrett Reilly is working on Wall Street in the bond market. He is exceptional in that he sees patterns in the market that lead him to make profitable decisions before anyone else is the wiser. Garrett hates the military, he lost his brother in war, and he has no particular feelings concerning the United States.
One morning Garrett notices that Treasury Bonds are being dumped on the market. The Government is informed and stop gaps are put in place to control the bond market. In quick succession several other attempts are made to upset the stability of the United States. The culprit seems to be China put no one can figure out why this is happening. China is our ally and out largest trading partner.
Garrett reluctantly, very reluctantly, joins forces with the United States to figure out what is going on. He joins, figuratively, the Army and is assigned to a group called “The Ascendants”. The group has everything possible at their disposal to keep tabs on world happenings and Garrett is given carte blance to do whatever he has to do and any monies he needs to do it. Garrett finds himself caught in a confrontation with the military, the President of the United States, and his own personal beliefs. He seems to find himself and brings together a group outside the establishment to combat the menace that is taking action that could plunge the world in am unwinnable war.
“The Ascendant” will keep you totally involved throughout the entire book with not only action but a battle of philosophies.
September 20, 2013
I got this book from the Goodreads giveaway. Thanks Simon and Schuster Canada. It's not the usual type of book I go for, but I thought "Hey, now that I'm a responsible adult, I should read read non-fantasy adult fiction." And I'm glad I did. Because this book was Awesome (and the capital A is necessary.)
I have sticky notes all over the place so I apologize in advance if the flow is awkward.
This book is like... Sherlock dropped in Ender's Game, narrated by John Grisham. Mix in a Trojan Horse war game and then you're good. We have Garrett, who is, put mildly, an arrogant asshole. He doesn't think everyone is stupid, just that he's smarter than everyone else. But he's super observant and is an absolute genius at recognizing patterns, therefore being able to back up his claims of superiority. He's recruited into the government program Ascendent just before a stealth war with China is about to start.
Emphasis on stealth. It's not a war fought with bombs and missiles and soldiers killing. It's one with hacking and tanking the economy and dirty fighting. And it's very, very effective. Military generals have no idea what to do because there haven't been any overt attacks.
I had a few problems with the novel. There was just too much telling in the beginning. Everything was explained in such precise detail that it got to the point of sounding tedious. Like the CUSIP numbers. Chapman tells you what Garrett's special skill is, where as it would have been more engaging to give a demonstration or two. Or give the demonstration and then explain. It's supposed to be an action book right?
Another problem is the relationship between Alexis and Garrett. I felt like it took away from the book. Yes, Garrett can be downright childish and he loves women and Alexis is very pretty, but it moved too quickly to add to anything. I feel like it was a romantic subplot inserted in there for the sake of having a romantic subplot in the novel. And I know that Alexis was supposed to seduce Garrett and that she was necessary, but it felt very unnatural.
On a better note, I thought the plot and characters were wonderful. It's plot driven like any other action book but the characters all have separate and realistic personalities. Garrett is entertaining and amusing and unpredictable while Alexis is the epitome of a military woman trying to do the right thing for her country. Bingo is like everyone's little brother and Lefebvre is the loyal friend that goes "Guys, we need to go home, we have school tomorrow. Oh god, is that drugs, Garrett?" They clash, they fight, but the reader can tell that there is a bond there. That's hard to convey through writing, and it's pretty impressive that first- time novelist Chapman did it well.
I also loved that America wasn't portrayed as all righteous, and China wasn't all evil. There's good and bad on both sides.
Let's see... What else? Oh yes! The war game. Utterly brilliant. One of the best modern uses of the Trojan Horse tactic I've seen in a novel.
Despite what I mentioned as the problems, it's five stars because it was, overall, a very good book. It was well-rounded, very smartly written, good characters and plot, and it was absorbing and engaging. It made me laugh and giggle and yell "WHAT? OMG OMG OMG" and skip a meal. And it was absolutely worth it.
I have sticky notes all over the place so I apologize in advance if the flow is awkward.
This book is like... Sherlock dropped in Ender's Game, narrated by John Grisham. Mix in a Trojan Horse war game and then you're good. We have Garrett, who is, put mildly, an arrogant asshole. He doesn't think everyone is stupid, just that he's smarter than everyone else. But he's super observant and is an absolute genius at recognizing patterns, therefore being able to back up his claims of superiority. He's recruited into the government program Ascendent just before a stealth war with China is about to start.
Emphasis on stealth. It's not a war fought with bombs and missiles and soldiers killing. It's one with hacking and tanking the economy and dirty fighting. And it's very, very effective. Military generals have no idea what to do because there haven't been any overt attacks.
I had a few problems with the novel. There was just too much telling in the beginning. Everything was explained in such precise detail that it got to the point of sounding tedious. Like the CUSIP numbers. Chapman tells you what Garrett's special skill is, where as it would have been more engaging to give a demonstration or two. Or give the demonstration and then explain. It's supposed to be an action book right?
Another problem is the relationship between Alexis and Garrett. I felt like it took away from the book. Yes, Garrett can be downright childish and he loves women and Alexis is very pretty, but it moved too quickly to add to anything. I feel like it was a romantic subplot inserted in there for the sake of having a romantic subplot in the novel. And I know that Alexis was supposed to seduce Garrett and that she was necessary, but it felt very unnatural.
On a better note, I thought the plot and characters were wonderful. It's plot driven like any other action book but the characters all have separate and realistic personalities. Garrett is entertaining and amusing and unpredictable while Alexis is the epitome of a military woman trying to do the right thing for her country. Bingo is like everyone's little brother and Lefebvre is the loyal friend that goes "Guys, we need to go home, we have school tomorrow. Oh god, is that drugs, Garrett?" They clash, they fight, but the reader can tell that there is a bond there. That's hard to convey through writing, and it's pretty impressive that first- time novelist Chapman did it well.
I also loved that America wasn't portrayed as all righteous, and China wasn't all evil. There's good and bad on both sides.
Let's see... What else? Oh yes! The war game. Utterly brilliant. One of the best modern uses of the Trojan Horse tactic I've seen in a novel.
Despite what I mentioned as the problems, it's five stars because it was, overall, a very good book. It was well-rounded, very smartly written, good characters and plot, and it was absorbing and engaging. It made me laugh and giggle and yell "WHAT? OMG OMG OMG" and skip a meal. And it was absolutely worth it.
June 23, 2015
A new kind of war
This is a good thriller. Thought provoking, too. Almost believable. It takes place at the intersection of the real world and the virtual world in a simple, but fascinating way.
At the helm, reluctantly, is Garrett Reilly. He is a young man who sees patterns in information that others cannot. His outside the box thinking makes him valuable to government agencies who have an agenda. A special room is even created for him to make use of his ability on behalf of the government. Garrett is not particularly likeable; but his growing pains make him more palatable as time goes on—both for the reader and for other characters in the story.
This is a first novel for Drew Chapman, who writes for television. The narrative is a little thin in places, but what I truly do appreciate about "The Ascendant" is that this writer felt no need to impress (read: bombard) his reader with specialized knowledge. Amazingly, for a story that includes the stock market, sophisticated computer wizardry, multiple government agencies, plus, the Army, very few acronyms are employed. For that, this reader is very grateful. A commendable first novel.
February 17, 2014
What I said: “Political thriller? International thriller? Financial thriller? Whatever you call it, The Ascendant is smart, edgy, fast-paced storytelling at its best. Its unlikely hero, Garrett Reilly, reminded me of a young Jack Reacher as a tech-savvy bond analyst. Drew Chapman is a debut novelist to watch.”
June 28, 2014
I won The Ascendant a while ago through a Goodreads Giveaway and had been meaning to read it for so long. I have finished and loved every page of this novel. Drew Chapman is quite a writer and for The Ascendant to be a debut, not one page reads as one.
Garret Reilly is a numbers whiz. He sees patterns in numbers, people, life, everything. His ability to make sense of what seems totally random is the reason the government wants him on their team. Reilly, working as a bond analyst, notices that billions of dollars worth of U.S. Treasury bonds are being sold. The flooding of this money will cause economic ruin making the U.S. dollar virtually worthless.
After discovering this anomaly, Reilly's life is turned upside-down. He's whisked away by the government because they believe he may be able to win a silent war against China. No one is supposed to know about this war and it all seems to be happening underground. China is slowly chipping away at the U.S. economy and that is where Reilly steps in to head a secret group named Ascendant.
The Ascendant leaves no room for the reader to ever get bored. Sometimes with financial thrillers there's a tendency to become mundane while all the financial mumbo-jumbo gets dumbed down for people like me who can't make heads or tails of any of it. Chapman does not do that with this novel. He keeps The Ascendant moving forward at such an alarming rate, I can't even describe.
Although the novel moves forward well, Chapman does not allow character development to be sacrificed. Every character seems real and full of depth. Especially Garrett Reilly. From the beginning it's clear he has a chip on his shoulder. As the novel progresses, there is real growth and development on his part.
There is another storyline, which readers aren't quite sure how it's related to Reilly's story, that was just as paramount. Hu Mei is leading a revolt against the Chinese government, demanding rights for the people and a true reformation of China. Hu Mei is quite badass.
Above all, I don't think I have anything bad to say about The Ascendant. I loved it and I wish I'd read it sooner. Since it's clear Reilly's story isn't over, I look forward to the next installment featuring Garrett Reilly. Drew Chapman, I am officially a fan!
Copy provided by Simon & Schuster via a Goodreads Giveaway
Garret Reilly is a numbers whiz. He sees patterns in numbers, people, life, everything. His ability to make sense of what seems totally random is the reason the government wants him on their team. Reilly, working as a bond analyst, notices that billions of dollars worth of U.S. Treasury bonds are being sold. The flooding of this money will cause economic ruin making the U.S. dollar virtually worthless.
After discovering this anomaly, Reilly's life is turned upside-down. He's whisked away by the government because they believe he may be able to win a silent war against China. No one is supposed to know about this war and it all seems to be happening underground. China is slowly chipping away at the U.S. economy and that is where Reilly steps in to head a secret group named Ascendant.
The Ascendant leaves no room for the reader to ever get bored. Sometimes with financial thrillers there's a tendency to become mundane while all the financial mumbo-jumbo gets dumbed down for people like me who can't make heads or tails of any of it. Chapman does not do that with this novel. He keeps The Ascendant moving forward at such an alarming rate, I can't even describe.
Although the novel moves forward well, Chapman does not allow character development to be sacrificed. Every character seems real and full of depth. Especially Garrett Reilly. From the beginning it's clear he has a chip on his shoulder. As the novel progresses, there is real growth and development on his part.
There is another storyline, which readers aren't quite sure how it's related to Reilly's story, that was just as paramount. Hu Mei is leading a revolt against the Chinese government, demanding rights for the people and a true reformation of China. Hu Mei is quite badass.
Above all, I don't think I have anything bad to say about The Ascendant. I loved it and I wish I'd read it sooner. Since it's clear Reilly's story isn't over, I look forward to the next installment featuring Garrett Reilly. Drew Chapman, I am officially a fan!
Copy provided by Simon & Schuster via a Goodreads Giveaway
January 25, 2014
As I always do after reading a book, I read other Goodreaders' reviews which always leave me amazed. The reviews, expect for two that I read raved about this book. My opinion is vastly different.
There are times that I feel who am I to criticize a published writer. I have never written a book but I have read many. That in itself is no qualification, but I believe I have insights into what makes a good book. Let's start with advance praise and passing out books to cadres of readers. Doing this has a purpose and publishing companies know this all too well. There is little doubt this writer has special skills. His premise is unique and clever and for about a third of the book there is genuine intrigue created. The two negative reviews I read stated that the last two thirds of the book were muddled. I couldn't agree more. What was interesting in the first third of the book was totally missing in the remaining part. The plot became so confusing and muddled that the author seemed to just throw everything but the kitchen sink into the mix. The remaining two thirds of the book calls for a total suspension of disbelief. Skimming is absolutely necessary and when the end is reached we find that there is world wide panic and that many questions have not been answered and then the inevitable occurs- the words that lead to a sequel.
There are times that I feel who am I to criticize a published writer. I have never written a book but I have read many. That in itself is no qualification, but I believe I have insights into what makes a good book. Let's start with advance praise and passing out books to cadres of readers. Doing this has a purpose and publishing companies know this all too well. There is little doubt this writer has special skills. His premise is unique and clever and for about a third of the book there is genuine intrigue created. The two negative reviews I read stated that the last two thirds of the book were muddled. I couldn't agree more. What was interesting in the first third of the book was totally missing in the remaining part. The plot became so confusing and muddled that the author seemed to just throw everything but the kitchen sink into the mix. The remaining two thirds of the book calls for a total suspension of disbelief. Skimming is absolutely necessary and when the end is reached we find that there is world wide panic and that many questions have not been answered and then the inevitable occurs- the words that lead to a sequel.
May 18, 2018
Reminded me at first of Daniel Suarez, but it's more about geo-political and moral dilemmas than about gadgets. Not great writing, but overall I liked it much better than some other best-selling thrillers I read recently.
April 27, 2014
To enjoy this book, you need to understand one thing: it's not really a book. It's an action movie. Once you accept that, you can ignore the occasionally awkward writing and stereotyped characters and revel in the fistfights and high-stakes computer hacking.
I wasn't exactly expecting highbrow literature when I picked this book up, but it's been a while since I read action-packed popular fiction of this variety, and I was unprepared for the blunt force of Chapman's prose. If literary fiction authors carve their stories with a razor blade, etching out fine details in artful scrolls, Chapman crafts his with a machete.
His bio on the book jacket proclaims in the first sentence that Chapman is a screenwriter. This explains why he is so oddly clumsy at working in physical descriptions of his characters (at one point, a female character blinks “her brown, thirty-two-year-old eyes”). He also keeps his characters firmly within established cinematic roles: the young, brilliant male lead is so arrogant that everyone agrees he's a complete ass, yet somehow the sole attractive female character can't resist his nonexistent charms.
Chapman's day job does provide him with a few advantages, however. He is a master of pacing, slingshotting from one scene to the next, never giving us a chance to get bored. He's clearly done enough research into economics and technology to give scenes authenticity. And the premise is edgy enough: someone, perhaps a foreign power, is anonymously attacking US infrastructure—treasury bonds, real estate, nuclear power plants. A young bonds trader named Garrett is recruited by the military for a new program called Ascendant. He's chosen because he has a vast memory and an uncanny ability to recognize patterns. Garrett's task is to find the culprits, learn their patterns, and help the US avoid further disruptions. At least, that's what he believes at first—the deeper he gets into the program, the more suspicious he becomes of the situation and his handlers. He needs to figure out who he can trust and save the world at the same time.
Bottom line: If you enjoy movies like The Bourne Identity or The Net, you'll like this movie-in-book-form too. (Have you seen The Net? It's a classic, featuring baby Sandra Bullock and a bunch of forgettable men.)
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
I wasn't exactly expecting highbrow literature when I picked this book up, but it's been a while since I read action-packed popular fiction of this variety, and I was unprepared for the blunt force of Chapman's prose. If literary fiction authors carve their stories with a razor blade, etching out fine details in artful scrolls, Chapman crafts his with a machete.
His bio on the book jacket proclaims in the first sentence that Chapman is a screenwriter. This explains why he is so oddly clumsy at working in physical descriptions of his characters (at one point, a female character blinks “her brown, thirty-two-year-old eyes”). He also keeps his characters firmly within established cinematic roles: the young, brilliant male lead is so arrogant that everyone agrees he's a complete ass, yet somehow the sole attractive female character can't resist his nonexistent charms.
Chapman's day job does provide him with a few advantages, however. He is a master of pacing, slingshotting from one scene to the next, never giving us a chance to get bored. He's clearly done enough research into economics and technology to give scenes authenticity. And the premise is edgy enough: someone, perhaps a foreign power, is anonymously attacking US infrastructure—treasury bonds, real estate, nuclear power plants. A young bonds trader named Garrett is recruited by the military for a new program called Ascendant. He's chosen because he has a vast memory and an uncanny ability to recognize patterns. Garrett's task is to find the culprits, learn their patterns, and help the US avoid further disruptions. At least, that's what he believes at first—the deeper he gets into the program, the more suspicious he becomes of the situation and his handlers. He needs to figure out who he can trust and save the world at the same time.
Bottom line: If you enjoy movies like The Bourne Identity or The Net, you'll like this movie-in-book-form too. (Have you seen The Net? It's a classic, featuring baby Sandra Bullock and a bunch of forgettable men.)
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
November 10, 2013
I received an advance copy of this book from goodreads and I I would like to thank them. This was one of the best books I have read this year. I cannot believe that this is the first novel for Drew Chapman who is definitely someone
to watch in the years to come. I cannot wait for his second novel and I am hoping it is a sequel because I look forward to reading about the further exploits of his engaging character Garrett Reilly.
I found the Ascendant to be one of those books I did not want to put down. A political thriller for the modern age, it grabbed me from the first paragraph and would not let me go until the last sentence. A fast-paced adventure with so many interesting characters! I am impressed Drew Chapman!
to watch in the years to come. I cannot wait for his second novel and I am hoping it is a sequel because I look forward to reading about the further exploits of his engaging character Garrett Reilly.
I found the Ascendant to be one of those books I did not want to put down. A political thriller for the modern age, it grabbed me from the first paragraph and would not let me go until the last sentence. A fast-paced adventure with so many interesting characters! I am impressed Drew Chapman!
February 20, 2015
Bir çeviri daha bitti! The Ascendant'ı dört gözle bekleyin:) <3
October 19, 2015
At the beginning it seemed to be a good and promising book, but as soon as I was through 40% of it, it seemed as if the author Drew Chapman, decided to let his 13 year old son to continue the writing. I mean the plot became so dumb and childish, to the point that I felt insulted. Our main character - Garrett Reilly meet the president, just because he is smart? That was so out on context. You get a War room at the Pentagon, and for days you make your team play computer games? And there is a lot of theses kind of stupid and most ridicules stuff like that later on. You see, everyone knows the deepest secrete of everyone else, I guess that our dear author, was the one to tell them that.
I decided to leaf through the next 10% hoping that Drew Chapman will tell that kid of his to quit writing and to continue himself with a reasonable story. Nothing.
Same dumb plot.
Waste of time to try and finish that one to the end.
I decided to leaf through the next 10% hoping that Drew Chapman will tell that kid of his to quit writing and to continue himself with a reasonable story. Nothing.
Same dumb plot.
Waste of time to try and finish that one to the end.
December 13, 2013
It had been a long time since I had read such an exciting book. The story was so engaging that I could have read this entire story in one evening. I actually started to read slower as I approached the end because I didn't want it to end. The Ascendant has all the elements of a great thriller: international politics, new methods of technological warfare, and a perfectly crafted team of flawed geniuses to turn the tables and save the world. It was fantastic and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller. I was definitely sad to see the story end and I hope the story will be continued someday....
Until then, my thanks to the Goodreads FirstReads program and Simon and Schuster for introducing me to this talented writer and allowing me to review this book.
Until then, my thanks to the Goodreads FirstReads program and Simon and Schuster for introducing me to this talented writer and allowing me to review this book.
December 23, 2013
Before reading The Ascendant, I read Baldacci’s King and Maxwell, Grisham’s Sycamore Row, and Brown’s Inferno - all great bestsellers. The Ascendant ranks with Sycamore Row and, above the others. Yes, it was that good and Drew Chapman’s name belongs on the bestsellers list. Everything about the story was excellent - the unique characters, the pace, the storyline, and the development of all with great skill. Plus, his electronic war of the future is both thought-provoking and scary to the bone. We should all be thankful that Mr. Chapman put down his “tv/movie pens” and, decided to write a great novel.
I received a complimentary copy of The Ascendant through Goodreads FirstReads.
I received a complimentary copy of The Ascendant through Goodreads FirstReads.
September 9, 2016
I received this book for free through Goodreads First reads.
The Ascendant caught my attention quickly and kept me guessing the whole time I was reading. I overall enjoyed the book; however, the last 100 pages or so I found difficult to read. I found those last pages to jump around a fair bit. I think this book would make an excellent motion picture. The book definitely has the potential for a sequel I would definitely not hesitate to read it!
The Ascendant caught my attention quickly and kept me guessing the whole time I was reading. I overall enjoyed the book; however, the last 100 pages or so I found difficult to read. I found those last pages to jump around a fair bit. I think this book would make an excellent motion picture. The book definitely has the potential for a sequel I would definitely not hesitate to read it!
September 12, 2016
This is a failed, wannabe tv script turned book. The plot is painfully trite and the characters are pathetically flat. I am not sure what troubles me more, the idea that this book was obviously written to try and one day be a tv show/movie or the idea that it is set up for a series.
Garbage, skip.
Garbage, skip.
March 27, 2017
Was a random pick, and I was pleasantly surprised.
Of course I like this sort of story, where the relation to real life and how it 'could' happen, is seemingly possible. Even if at times it may be a bit on the conspiracy theorist side of things.
But all things together, I liked the characters, I hated a few not because they were done poorly, but because they were well done assholes. And the story kept me reading to see what was next.
Of course I like this sort of story, where the relation to real life and how it 'could' happen, is seemingly possible. Even if at times it may be a bit on the conspiracy theorist side of things.
But all things together, I liked the characters, I hated a few not because they were done poorly, but because they were well done assholes. And the story kept me reading to see what was next.
January 9, 2023
Disclaimer: I received this book, free of charge, in exchange for an honest review.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.
The lines between right and wrong, good and evil blur, as mean and nasty military men try to force a young computer geek into giving up secrets that could not only throw the U.S. into WW3 but could cost his friends their lives.
I really can't say anymore without spoiling the plot.
You really should read this book!
This book kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.
The lines between right and wrong, good and evil blur, as mean and nasty military men try to force a young computer geek into giving up secrets that could not only throw the U.S. into WW3 but could cost his friends their lives.
I really can't say anymore without spoiling the plot.
You really should read this book!
August 31, 2018
Love
Super fast paced, smart, and topical. Can’t wait to read the next. I’ll be doing that right NOW. Quite the ride.
Super fast paced, smart, and topical. Can’t wait to read the next. I’ll be doing that right NOW. Quite the ride.
February 21, 2019
I liked this book. The story line is very topical and an unconventional computer savant bent on saving the world struck a cord. Sure, there were some parts that din't quite ring real but not as bad as many.
Designed for a sequel.
Designed for a sequel.
March 9, 2015
Drew Chapman's "The Ascendant" purports to be the first in a series of thrillers focusing on the arrogant, brilliant bond trader Garrett Reilly. While Reilly shows plenty of potential as an anti-hero, "The Ascendant" offers pedestrian thrills and a paint-by-numbers plot that fails to get the pulse racing.
That's a fairly harsh critique, and I freely confess that Mr. Chapman has proven he can earn a living as a writer, which is something I cannot claim. So if you want to stop there with this review, then fine.
But "The Ascendant" does little with an intriguing premise. What works is the broad outline of Reilly's character. He's a brilliant jerk working in the perfect industry for brilliant jerks - Wall Street. A literal genius when it comes to identifying patterns in the tidal wave of financial data, Reilly seems content making good money, drinking, smoking pot, and getting into bar fights. But once the time comes for the details of the book need to get filled in, "The Ascendant" relies on cliches and leaps in logic that just don't hold up. Mild spoiler alert below.
Reilly identifies a nefarious plot by the Chinese government to undermine the American economy. This turns out to be the first in a series of attacks the sinister Chinese launch against the United States . . . but why? Reilly is offered the chance to lead a super-secret team to fight the Chinese without fighting them - beat the Chinese without launching World War III.
As Reilly fights his unusual war, "The Ascendant" veers wildly as Reilly's unorthodox methods cause his own government to turn on him (but not everyone), a poorly-explained "movement" catches fire in China, and a truly odd subplot emerges involving an evil journalist/spy/alien going by the name of Hans Metternich. Reilly's lifelong hatred for the military, thanks to a family tragedy, flames out early on and is never revisited. His conflict with his mother occupies some pages, but never goes anywhere. A revolutionary figure in China meets up with a key U.S. operative - in China!! - without explanation or apparent tactics but with some twenty-something cheerful bonding. Characters are seduced, shot, neutralized, or betrayed without coherence or effect, including a self-sacrificial take-one-for-the-team dive that comes entirely out of left field. Truly, "The Ascendant" reads like the screenplay for the kind of political/action thriller Hollywoood dumps on audiences in late February, in this case likely starring Taylor Lautner as Reilly and Jessica Biel as his love interest.
We even get a literal count-down to global war.
What bothers me is that "The Ascendant" has the bones of a great thriller, but it glosses over the fascinating stuff. Secret wars are awesome! I'd love a book on how to start a revolution in modern-day China. A book about an obnoxious Wall Street genius fighting against the U.S. military bureaucracy could be incredible. But "The Ascendant" is pedestrian, at best, darn it.
That's a fairly harsh critique, and I freely confess that Mr. Chapman has proven he can earn a living as a writer, which is something I cannot claim. So if you want to stop there with this review, then fine.
But "The Ascendant" does little with an intriguing premise. What works is the broad outline of Reilly's character. He's a brilliant jerk working in the perfect industry for brilliant jerks - Wall Street. A literal genius when it comes to identifying patterns in the tidal wave of financial data, Reilly seems content making good money, drinking, smoking pot, and getting into bar fights. But once the time comes for the details of the book need to get filled in, "The Ascendant" relies on cliches and leaps in logic that just don't hold up. Mild spoiler alert below.
Reilly identifies a nefarious plot by the Chinese government to undermine the American economy. This turns out to be the first in a series of attacks the sinister Chinese launch against the United States . . . but why? Reilly is offered the chance to lead a super-secret team to fight the Chinese without fighting them - beat the Chinese without launching World War III.
As Reilly fights his unusual war, "The Ascendant" veers wildly as Reilly's unorthodox methods cause his own government to turn on him (but not everyone), a poorly-explained "movement" catches fire in China, and a truly odd subplot emerges involving an evil journalist/spy/alien going by the name of Hans Metternich. Reilly's lifelong hatred for the military, thanks to a family tragedy, flames out early on and is never revisited. His conflict with his mother occupies some pages, but never goes anywhere. A revolutionary figure in China meets up with a key U.S. operative - in China!! - without explanation or apparent tactics but with some twenty-something cheerful bonding. Characters are seduced, shot, neutralized, or betrayed without coherence or effect, including a self-sacrificial take-one-for-the-team dive that comes entirely out of left field. Truly, "The Ascendant" reads like the screenplay for the kind of political/action thriller Hollywoood dumps on audiences in late February, in this case likely starring Taylor Lautner as Reilly and Jessica Biel as his love interest.
We even get a literal count-down to global war.
What bothers me is that "The Ascendant" has the bones of a great thriller, but it glosses over the fascinating stuff. Secret wars are awesome! I'd love a book on how to start a revolution in modern-day China. A book about an obnoxious Wall Street genius fighting against the U.S. military bureaucracy could be incredible. But "The Ascendant" is pedestrian, at best, darn it.
February 3, 2014
I almost never listen to thrillers. This is not because I don't love exciting page turners, but because they inevitably glorify sexism, materialism, and blind patriotism. Not so The Ascendant. In Drew Chapman’s debut novel, hero Garret Reilly, deftly subverts the thriller genre and saves the world all at once.
The undercurrent of fear in the book involves not the usual foreign terrorists or Nazi officers, but more contemporary concerns. It deals with the sorts of things that can happen when civil rights are set aside in the name of national security, the havoc a hacker could wreak on our economy through manipulation of our banking and energy systems, and the desperate lives led by factory workers in developing nations who make our modern day life in America so comfortable
Like all fine thrillers, The Ascendant is fast paced, keeps you on the edge of your seat, makes you laugh in a few places, and treats you to a touch of romance. But, with its surprising new hero, it manages to do more. It breaths new life and vitality into what had become, despite lots of car chases, shoot-outs, and bombings, a stodgy and predictable genre.
The undercurrent of fear in the book involves not the usual foreign terrorists or Nazi officers, but more contemporary concerns. It deals with the sorts of things that can happen when civil rights are set aside in the name of national security, the havoc a hacker could wreak on our economy through manipulation of our banking and energy systems, and the desperate lives led by factory workers in developing nations who make our modern day life in America so comfortable
Like all fine thrillers, The Ascendant is fast paced, keeps you on the edge of your seat, makes you laugh in a few places, and treats you to a touch of romance. But, with its surprising new hero, it manages to do more. It breaths new life and vitality into what had become, despite lots of car chases, shoot-outs, and bombings, a stodgy and predictable genre.
March 7, 2014
A pretty fun, easy fast paced techno-finance-political thriller, with a young, snarky, complicated hero, Garrett Reilly.
I needed a quick, mind numbing read and this was almost the perfect read that. I say almost because it wasn't exactly mind numbing. This was a pretty sharp book using a numbers genius who carries a whole lot of negative baggage. He's handsome, smart, young and has buckets full of attitude and anger when one day he's recruited by the government to help them in an experimental program called the ascendant.
How do you fight wars without shedding any blood? a war of outwitting your enemy at every turning loose tech savvy media and finance geeks loose on the unsuspecting world of political games. A pretty exciting roller coater ride for what it is. Not a lot of depth, but good fun.
I needed a quick, mind numbing read and this was almost the perfect read that. I say almost because it wasn't exactly mind numbing. This was a pretty sharp book using a numbers genius who carries a whole lot of negative baggage. He's handsome, smart, young and has buckets full of attitude and anger when one day he's recruited by the government to help them in an experimental program called the ascendant.
How do you fight wars without shedding any blood? a war of outwitting your enemy at every turning loose tech savvy media and finance geeks loose on the unsuspecting world of political games. A pretty exciting roller coater ride for what it is. Not a lot of depth, but good fun.
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