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Ascender
Ascender, Vol. 4: Star Seed
The epic space fantasy saga from creators JEFF LEMIRE and DUSTIN NGUYEN that began in the pages of DESCENDER comes to a spectacular conclusion!
As Mother rallies her forces to wipe out the resistance, our heroes meet an old friend who reveals the untold secrets of the universe. With the fate of all things handing in the balance, who will remain standing when the forces of magic and technology collide?
Collects ASCENDER #15-18
As Mother rallies her forces to wipe out the resistance, our heroes meet an old friend who reveals the untold secrets of the universe. With the fate of all things handing in the balance, who will remain standing when the forces of magic and technology collide?
Collects ASCENDER #15-18
104 pages, Paperback
First published October 5, 2021
6 people are currently reading
344 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Lemire
1,409 books3,877 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
November 8, 2021
Ascender is such a good story that I can't give it less than 4 stars, even if the ending felt a bit rushed.
I really enjoyed Descender and wasn't sure how I would feel about seeing the world flip from sci-fi to fantasy, but it worked out beautifully.
I really have loved every bit of the time I spent with these characters, and thankfully, the ending didn't do anything to change that.
I don't want to give any spoilers but it all comes full circle in a lovely way and left me with a smile on my face. So, this is definitely one of those graphic novels that I'll feel very comfortable recommending to friends.
Read it!
I really enjoyed Descender and wasn't sure how I would feel about seeing the world flip from sci-fi to fantasy, but it worked out beautifully.
I really have loved every bit of the time I spent with these characters, and thankfully, the ending didn't do anything to change that.
I don't want to give any spoilers but it all comes full circle in a lovely way and left me with a smile on my face. So, this is definitely one of those graphic novels that I'll feel very comfortable recommending to friends.
Read it!
November 12, 2021
4.5 Stars
The end felt a little rushed but was still good and I’m going to get the graphic novel to go with my collection!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
The end felt a little rushed but was still good and I’m going to get the graphic novel to go with my collection!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
October 30, 2021
"So much pain. So much hatred. So much injustice. There should be balance.”
“It’s too late for that.”
“It’s never too late, Tesla. As long as we have each other.”--Tim-21
Tim-21 is a boy robot, essentially just data, computer memory. AI. And yet he feels things, he misses his friends. He would seem to actually love them, not a data term, exactly. So he gathers all of his friends together to take on Mother, who has twisted Magic into something Evil.
The first series, Descender, was more sci-fi, and Ascender is more fantasy, and magic. This volume is an ending for both linked series. It has the personal feel of something like ET or Star Wars, with feel good characters and a fairly predictable plot, great art, and an okay conclusion. Maybe it is 3 stars, but you have to give it over all 4 stars for the art alone.
So, yeah the artwork of Dustin Nguyen remains spectacular, the highlight of the series. In the early, reflective account of Tim-21, there’s more white space, there’s spareness and watercolor pastels. The feel of it is warm, and when he rejoins with Driller and all the others in his family we want to see in this fight against Mother, well, there is a kind of swirling warmth you get from the illustration.
The story is unsurprising, that we need to work together to defeat evil, which is of course true, the theme of maybe the literature of hope everywhere, but what new thing do I learn about that process? Not much, but it’s still a good theme. And it's as with most if not all Lemiore stories, about the importance of family. Pretty satisfying, finally. You get to like these characters, and characterization is more important than plot in this series. Feels. With a feel good ending. 2 stars for the plot, 5 stars for the art, 3.5 for characterization. But you just have to see it.
“It’s too late for that.”
“It’s never too late, Tesla. As long as we have each other.”--Tim-21
Tim-21 is a boy robot, essentially just data, computer memory. AI. And yet he feels things, he misses his friends. He would seem to actually love them, not a data term, exactly. So he gathers all of his friends together to take on Mother, who has twisted Magic into something Evil.
The first series, Descender, was more sci-fi, and Ascender is more fantasy, and magic. This volume is an ending for both linked series. It has the personal feel of something like ET or Star Wars, with feel good characters and a fairly predictable plot, great art, and an okay conclusion. Maybe it is 3 stars, but you have to give it over all 4 stars for the art alone.
So, yeah the artwork of Dustin Nguyen remains spectacular, the highlight of the series. In the early, reflective account of Tim-21, there’s more white space, there’s spareness and watercolor pastels. The feel of it is warm, and when he rejoins with Driller and all the others in his family we want to see in this fight against Mother, well, there is a kind of swirling warmth you get from the illustration.
The story is unsurprising, that we need to work together to defeat evil, which is of course true, the theme of maybe the literature of hope everywhere, but what new thing do I learn about that process? Not much, but it’s still a good theme. And it's as with most if not all Lemiore stories, about the importance of family. Pretty satisfying, finally. You get to like these characters, and characterization is more important than plot in this series. Feels. With a feel good ending. 2 stars for the plot, 5 stars for the art, 3.5 for characterization. But you just have to see it.
August 7, 2024
A rousing, crowd-pleasing finale with many explosions and much excitement.
The series maybe didn't hang together due to rushing the climactic events, and the whole thing was cheapened by the frequent death fake-outs, but it got the job done.
And, hey, I got the job done too! Eight years after reading Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars and six years after setting aside Descender, Vol. 5: Rise of the Robots to wait for the conclusion to see print, I've finally read them all.
The series maybe didn't hang together due to rushing the climactic events, and the whole thing was cheapened by the frequent death fake-outs, but it got the job done.
And, hey, I got the job done too! Eight years after reading Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars and six years after setting aside Descender, Vol. 5: Rise of the Robots to wait for the conclusion to see print, I've finally read them all.
October 1, 2021
The return of Tim-21 spells doom for the universe as Mother rushes to destroy him and claim all of magic for herself once and for all. But Tim's family are all on their way as well, spread across myriad planets though they are, and they're not about to go down without a fight.
For a conclusion, this wasn't bad at all. We get all the plot points tied up, we get to see all our favourite characters again, and there's a fairly happy ending for everyone involved. But it felt like there was so much more to this story to tell, and I'm not sure why it came to an end so quickly. Then again, if this was always going to be the conclusion, meandering around it for longer only to arrive at the same place would have been pointless as well, so I'm kind of torn.
The art's still fabulous, because Dustin Nguyen uses white space like no other artist in comics, and even when things get big and bombastic and a little abstract, it's still easy to tell who's who and what's going on.
Ascender didn't always reach the heights that Descender did (now that's a confusing sentence to write), but this final collection brings it all to a satisfying close, even if it doesn't feel like it needed to do so just yet.
For a conclusion, this wasn't bad at all. We get all the plot points tied up, we get to see all our favourite characters again, and there's a fairly happy ending for everyone involved. But it felt like there was so much more to this story to tell, and I'm not sure why it came to an end so quickly. Then again, if this was always going to be the conclusion, meandering around it for longer only to arrive at the same place would have been pointless as well, so I'm kind of torn.
The art's still fabulous, because Dustin Nguyen uses white space like no other artist in comics, and even when things get big and bombastic and a little abstract, it's still easy to tell who's who and what's going on.
Ascender didn't always reach the heights that Descender did (now that's a confusing sentence to write), but this final collection brings it all to a satisfying close, even if it doesn't feel like it needed to do so just yet.
February 25, 2022
Star Seed offers a rushed conclusion to an increasingly rushed series. Tim-21 is back and he's been communing with the machine and magic gods in who-knows-where. Mother(s) want to destroy him and our big gang of Descender heroes want to find him and help him save the universe. Which way do you think it goes?
There's at least one awesome moment in Star Seed, but this volume is otherwise an uninspiring conclusion to a sequel series that grew increasingly unnecessary as it attempted to explain why magic exists in the universe. With a few more volumes, Ascender probably could have been a good deal better. As it stands, it's an adequate, potentially skippable follow-up to the much-better Descender series.
There's at least one awesome moment in Star Seed, but this volume is otherwise an uninspiring conclusion to a sequel series that grew increasingly unnecessary as it attempted to explain why magic exists in the universe. With a few more volumes, Ascender probably could have been a good deal better. As it stands, it's an adequate, potentially skippable follow-up to the much-better Descender series.
October 31, 2022
And so yet another majestic cycle ends here. I liked this ending and found it most satisfying. I am a little sad that this is most likely the end of the stories from both the Descender and Ascender universes, but I do feel like I got my money's worth storywise as well as with the character arcs. Thanks Jeff Lemire for such a fun ride.
April 2, 2022
Don't know why this was so rushed. After innumerable issues of "getting the band back together," everything goes down in a couple issues over-stuffed with incident, none of which really has a chance to land. I really enjoyed Descender and was ever hopeful that Ascender might rise to the same level, but despite some hints of promise, it really never did.
August 18, 2021
Ascender’s final volume is also the end cap to everything built up from Descender. A lot happens in a very short span of time, and even though this final volume was delayed it still felt rushed. I’m pretty happy with it overall, but it did not leave the same large impact Descender had on me.
August 17, 2025
I’m seriously impressed by this whole universe and the characters that are a part of it. The storylines and just everything are amazing from both Descender to Ascender, I couldn’t be happier about the ending! Incredible work, I’m so glad I found this series I’m so sad to see it end but at the same time I’m so happy to see it end like this! Absolutely recommend!
October 29, 2021
Wanted to like this more, but as the conclusion of both Ascender and Descender, this felt--rushed.
I wanted to feel more of that tension and give us a real emotional release, but everything was rather plot-driven over character initiated.
The art of course is all gorgeous, but all in all, this left me more unsatisfied than anything else.
I wanted to feel more of that tension and give us a real emotional release, but everything was rather plot-driven over character initiated.
The art of course is all gorgeous, but all in all, this left me more unsatisfied than anything else.
December 25, 2022
Bullet Review:
The End of All Things!
Or is it?
This entire series felt ridiculously short. I almost wish it had gone on a wee bit longer - a surprise, because I feel far too many series I’ve read (Nailbiter, Black Science, Irredeemable, The Boys) just drag on and on, milking that cash cow for all its worth. I would have loved a bit more time to delve into the Descenders, learn more about the two worlds and see a bit more of the final conflict (Telsa and Helda fight almost entirely off camera with their new army).
But for what I got, I had a great time. The art continues to be stunning, and for me, it’s unheard of to finish a series this fast.
Hilariously, I could manage to finish these 4 volumes in 3 days, when I’ve had them on loan from the library since September. I guess I turned into that kid who writes all their essays the night before its due.
The End of All Things!
Or is it?
This entire series felt ridiculously short. I almost wish it had gone on a wee bit longer - a surprise, because I feel far too many series I’ve read (Nailbiter, Black Science, Irredeemable, The Boys) just drag on and on, milking that cash cow for all its worth. I would have loved a bit more time to delve into the Descenders, learn more about the two worlds and see a bit more of the final conflict (Telsa and Helda fight almost entirely off camera with their new army).
But for what I got, I had a great time. The art continues to be stunning, and for me, it’s unheard of to finish a series this fast.
Hilariously, I could manage to finish these 4 volumes in 3 days, when I’ve had them on loan from the library since September. I guess I turned into that kid who writes all their essays the night before its due.
November 14, 2021
Fast paced finale to a quality follow up series. I still think I favour Descender over Ascender even though there is a little more polish this time around.
Nguyen takes his art to another level in this volume. Absolutely gorgeous front to back.
Nguyen takes his art to another level in this volume. Absolutely gorgeous front to back.
May 13, 2022
Overall rating: 3.5 stars
Style/writing: 3 stars
Themes: 3.5 stars
Characters: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
Worldbuilding: 4 stars
Art: 4 stars
Style/writing: 3 stars
Themes: 3.5 stars
Characters: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
Worldbuilding: 4 stars
Art: 4 stars
November 3, 2021
Ending feels a little rushed, but there's still all the likable characters and the amazing art of Nguyen which never fails to blow my mind. Looking forward to eventually re-reading the whole series in one sitting.
June 20, 2022
3.5 stars
January 30, 2023
I didn't realise how long ago I've read the previous volumes. Because of that I was a bit confused in the beginning but surprisingly I could follow it with ease. The story rushed to its conclusion and for my taste The art was beautiful as ever.
September 30, 2022
This concludes the majestic Descender/Ascender saga. Well, at least for now.
Funny thing is that reading the first three books of the Ascender, I was thinking, “well, this is good but not as good as the Descender, I might be mainly liking it because I loved Descender so much…”, but then I read book four and dear reader let me tell you I was wrong. Ascender is a terrific adventure all of its own, well, at least as far as continuations of adventures go.
Something about volume four (let’s be honest, it’s Tim-21, the best of both worlds in one boy, although now a much more mature one) just worked perfectly, elevating the entire production.
Something about the way it all came together.
There was an undeniable epic quality here. Epicosity? It was just so very good. And so exciting, so thrilling. SO gorgeous. For my money, one of the best drawn graphic novels I’ve ever had the pleasure to read and that isn’t an inconsiderable sample size, either.
It hit all the right notes emotionally and intellectually, too. Just a wow, all around wow.
Great read. Awesome read. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
Funny thing is that reading the first three books of the Ascender, I was thinking, “well, this is good but not as good as the Descender, I might be mainly liking it because I loved Descender so much…”, but then I read book four and dear reader let me tell you I was wrong. Ascender is a terrific adventure all of its own, well, at least as far as continuations of adventures go.
Something about volume four (let’s be honest, it’s Tim-21, the best of both worlds in one boy, although now a much more mature one) just worked perfectly, elevating the entire production.
Something about the way it all came together.
There was an undeniable epic quality here. Epicosity? It was just so very good. And so exciting, so thrilling. SO gorgeous. For my money, one of the best drawn graphic novels I’ve ever had the pleasure to read and that isn’t an inconsiderable sample size, either.
It hit all the right notes emotionally and intellectually, too. Just a wow, all around wow.
Great read. Awesome read. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
January 22, 2022
A disappointing ending - how could a story that was so full of passion and daring fall so flat? The only thing I give stars for is the art.
April 19, 2022
The final chapter of the story that started in Descender, ends in this volume of Ascender.
I think it would always be tough to end this book for Jeff Lemire. It's such a massive story full of metaphor and allegory, but also just the scope of the story and it's setting is so far reaching, that the possibilities were virtually endless. But it has to end somehow, and Jeff Lemire did it in a way that was satisfactory - to an extent.
Don't get me wrong, I liked the ending. And the entire comic book is so well done. Descender was one of my favorite newer comics to read in a while. But the problem with Ascender is the pacing. I don't know why, but overall, Ascender felt rushed. Where Descender took it's time to slowly let the plot points unfold, Ascender rushes through some of the "in between" moments to get to the major beats of the plot. And I don't think that is conducive to the way that Lemire writes. He often does his best in the in between. Those quiet moments of reflection, self introspection, and touching interpersonal moments is where he shines. So for him to kind of strip that away, leaving only the more "adventure-y" parts of the story left me wanting, if I'm being honest.
But after all, the book is damn good. And the ending melds the world of machine and magic to let the good guys win in the end. I think the moral has to do with not leaning too far to either side, but instead living in a balance to benefit all kinds. And again, these themes could have been meditated over a bit more, but the message does still get through. And wanting more of something isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Highly recommended for fans of sci fi.
I think it would always be tough to end this book for Jeff Lemire. It's such a massive story full of metaphor and allegory, but also just the scope of the story and it's setting is so far reaching, that the possibilities were virtually endless. But it has to end somehow, and Jeff Lemire did it in a way that was satisfactory - to an extent.
Don't get me wrong, I liked the ending. And the entire comic book is so well done. Descender was one of my favorite newer comics to read in a while. But the problem with Ascender is the pacing. I don't know why, but overall, Ascender felt rushed. Where Descender took it's time to slowly let the plot points unfold, Ascender rushes through some of the "in between" moments to get to the major beats of the plot. And I don't think that is conducive to the way that Lemire writes. He often does his best in the in between. Those quiet moments of reflection, self introspection, and touching interpersonal moments is where he shines. So for him to kind of strip that away, leaving only the more "adventure-y" parts of the story left me wanting, if I'm being honest.
But after all, the book is damn good. And the ending melds the world of machine and magic to let the good guys win in the end. I think the moral has to do with not leaning too far to either side, but instead living in a balance to benefit all kinds. And again, these themes could have been meditated over a bit more, but the message does still get through. And wanting more of something isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Highly recommended for fans of sci fi.
March 8, 2022
Very rushed. Too forced and you can tell where Lemire wanted the story bits to trigger without much success on his part. Needed many more volumes, maybe even an entire novel worth of dialogue, but at the end?
It's a cute ending. At least it didn't pull off a Marvel I guess. Guess this exists though to make up for how utterly devastating the ending of the original series was, but you know what? I liked it like that. This series was not needed.
But still, I enjoyed it so I'll leave it on something positive while I still can, lol.
It's a cute ending. At least it didn't pull off a Marvel I guess. Guess this exists though to make up for how utterly devastating the ending of the original series was, but you know what? I liked it like that. This series was not needed.
But still, I enjoyed it so I'll leave it on something positive while I still can, lol.
October 2, 2021
Wow. What a ride this has been. I’m so sad to see this series come to an end, but I’m happy to have known these characters. I found Descender #1 in 2015 by chance as I ran into the nearest shop to escape a random rain storm. I had no idea what that issue would inspire in me. I dove deep into comics because of it. It made me want to pursue a career in the comic world and now I have one. I don’t think I could speak highly enough about the way this story as a whole makes me feel. Don’t sleep on this amazing watercolor space opera that starts with a little boy android named Tim-21 trying to find his child companion after a cataclysmic event, and ends somewhere I never even fathomed. I hope you find many friends to root for in Tim-21, Bandit, Telsa, Driller, Andy, and Effie, just as I did.
January 3, 2023
It's an ending.
August 16, 2023
A good end to a great series.
Highly recommend if you like science fiction mixed with fantasy.
Fabulous art.
Amazing story telling by Jeff Lemire.
Highly recommend if you like science fiction mixed with fantasy.
Fabulous art.
Amazing story telling by Jeff Lemire.
April 6, 2024
Probably more like 3.5 stars here. I should mention I went several years between reading volumes 3 and this final volume of Ascender so some of the emotional beats were probably more muted.
The whole Descender/Ascender experiment with the same story based first in technology and then in magic was somewhat interesting but I do think I liked the Descender portion of the story more. There's a more serious mixing of the two in this final volume as Lemire and Nguyen bring the narrative across both series to a close. I'm not sure it ever fully worked for me. And the mixture here feels a bit rushed. It does tie up the stories for most of the plot threads but it felt like it did so much too quickly. I like Nguyen's art but in the context of this story it felt like I had trouble following the action at points.
It's a mostly satisfying end to Ascender and a somewhat rushed ending to the story across both books.
The whole Descender/Ascender experiment with the same story based first in technology and then in magic was somewhat interesting but I do think I liked the Descender portion of the story more. There's a more serious mixing of the two in this final volume as Lemire and Nguyen bring the narrative across both series to a close. I'm not sure it ever fully worked for me. And the mixture here feels a bit rushed. It does tie up the stories for most of the plot threads but it felt like it did so much too quickly. I like Nguyen's art but in the context of this story it felt like I had trouble following the action at points.
It's a mostly satisfying end to Ascender and a somewhat rushed ending to the story across both books.
September 11, 2023
Kopumā ļoti interesantu pasauli, kas ilustrēta ārkārtīgi skaistiem akvareļiem, nokauj ārkārtīgi amerikāniski banālas beigas par "mīlestības un labo" absolūto uzvaru, kas ir it sevišķi neizprotami, ņemot vērā, ka pat vienkāršajam lasītājam ir skaidrs, ka sižeta līnijas bija iespējams savērpt vai atrisināt vismaz pusduci dažādos citos veidos.
May 3, 2025
Even though this felt a bit rushed it was immensely satisfying. These characters are so enjoyable and I am happy to have spent time with them. It was great seeing each character get an ending that was fitting and enjoyable. The action sequences were well done and the art was gorgeous. I remember when reading the first Descender volume feeling like I wouldn't like the art but boy did it grow on me.
October 12, 2021
Shame it had to end but all things must. Felt a little rushed but was a good ending nonetheless
October 13, 2021
Termina la saga de Ascender con un final esperado, pero muy bien desarrollado por Lemire, quien coloca todas las piezas en el tablero y a casi todas las da un final feliz o coherente con su evolución como personajes. Me gusta mucho cómo terminan Tim, Mila y Tesla y cómo se soluciona la guerra entre la magia y la tecnología. Gran saga.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews