Martin MacInnes, In Ascension (London: Atlantic Books, 2023), Second Floor 823.92/MAC 

I picked this book up under the incorrect assumption that sci-fi offers escape from the stresses of daily life. Instead, I was sucked into an engaging 500-page novel full of big themes: the climate crisis, childhood trauma, and the origins of life itself. There’s space travel, yes, but only to underscore our attachment to Mother Earth.  

These themes unfound subtly as we follow the life of Leigh Hasenbosch, a Dutch biologist who specialises in algae (stay with me). Throughout we catch glimpses of a near-future adjusting to new interstellar technology and eco-militancy. If you enjoyed the film Arrival (2016), you might find this novel’s unknowable extra-terrestrial antagonists and its disruptions of linear time appealing. 

Despite its cosmic events, I found the human relationships particularly well observed. Above all, Leigh’s attempts to escape the memory of her abusive father bubble underneath the surface – even if much is left unsaid.  

You don’t need to know about cellular biology (I don’t) or rocket science (I don’t) or even conventions within the sci-fi genre (ditto) to enjoy this book. I give it 5 Vulcan salutes out of 5 🖖🖖🖖🖖🖖  

By Tim, Library and Learning Adviser at York St John