Welcome to the Talderon Era, a futuristic world that is the setting of V. and D. Povall’s compelling sci-fi novel, Ascension: Kelahya Unbound. This is a world where the Incorporeal Fellowship is established to uphold Talderon Ideals after the gruesome Ethnopecuniary Wars. The reign of Kronos Deucarrion, the spiritual leader and supreme commander of the Alliance of the Stars, has created peace and stability throughout the galaxy. When he was found murdered, Kelahya Devona, Deucarrion’s most powerful warrior and formidable Minder, becomes the prime suspect. She has been using her strength and Minding Power in the service of Deucarrion, but she has been experiencing dissociation that will ultimately lead to her death. With time against her in finding out the truth, she will discover power struggles and hard to swallow truths, as her survival depends on keeping her judgment intact and under control.

V. and D. Provall’s Ascension: Kelahya Unbound is space opera done right. This is a chivalric outer space adventure with an added twist in a conflict that features characters with advanced abilities. It uses a style that is part science fiction, part noir crime thriller, and part superhero. You will find that this novel is overflowing with references to our planetary systems and the concept of telepathy and mind control. It does not go around in circles in establishing a link between the reader and Kelahya. The first chapter immediately throws the protagonist into a serious predicament, and you are caught up as the dialogue unfolds. For a made-up world with its own time, the chronicles that highlight the Talderon Era under the Corpus Galacticum make the whole story come alive. This is a pulsing space opera adventure that you will sink your teeth into.

Ascension: Kelahya Unbound is a work of fiction in the science fiction, romance, space opera, and adventure sub-genres, and was penned by author duo V. and D. Povall. This dynamic and immersive story is intended for mature reading audiences owing to the presence of several sexual situations throughout. Our titular character Kelahya takes center stage in this lavish space opera in a vast world quite unlike our own. Beautiful and deadly, Kelahya has unique powers to influence the thoughts of others, but the latent trauma that hides deep in her mind threatens to fracture and destroy her from the inside. So begins a quest to save herself, and perhaps many others along the way.

Author team V. and D. Povall have crafted a gorgeous work of epic space opera which plays out a thrilling and beautifully-penned series of events to give us Kelahya’s first adventure. The character development begins from the earliest possible moment, giving us a chance to fully understand Kelahya and her broken mind, sometimes better than she does herself. This endears her to us through the emotional moments with other characters, and in those amazing scenes where we see her truly fracturing, her life in danger. The psychological and relationship developments of the work keep it grounded in realism, allowing us to relate and immerse ourselves in the Talderon Era and enjoy the fantastic worldbuilding and descriptive techniques of the authors. Overall, I would highly recommend Ascension: Kelahya Unbound for fans who want to strike a good balance between concept and drama: a well written and very engrossing space opera thriller.

Ascension: Kelahya Unbound is a fantasy space opera by authors V. and D. Povall. Kelahya Devona is a Minder, i.e. a humanoid who can manipulate the minds of other beings, who got separated from her parents when she was just a child. Kelahya flees to a remote corner of the universe as she is plagued by the memories of her mentor and lover, and possibly murdered Director of the Alliance of Stars, Kronos Deucarrion. Upon arriving on the planet of Dionysus, she gets acquainted with the man leading the rebellion against the League of One. Kelahya must now quickly figure out who she really is and whose side she is on if she is to ascend to her true potential and rid the universe of tyranny.

If you are disappointed by the recent Star Wars movies like the rest of us, then Ascension: Kelahya Unbound may be the very book you need to scratch your space opera itch. Kelahya Unbound is a well-told story of a woman traumatized by her past and her quest to fulfill her destiny. There is not a single dull moment in the book, and my eyes were glued to the pages until the end. The non-linear structure of the plot makes the narrative all the more compelling as the Povalls slowly assemble the pieces to create a perfect jigsaw. The characters are fleshed out and well rounded, especially the protagonist Kelahya, who exudes an air of vulnerability and strength in equal measure. I would highly recommend it to space soap opera and fantasy fans.

Ascension - Kelahya Unbound by V. and D. Povall is a science fiction novel that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, longing for more. Kelahya is one of the most powerful people in the Galaxy, and that is a fact she knows very well. She is a Minder, a person who can influence the thoughts of anyone in the universe. While this is a gift she never struggled with, things are about to change. Kronos Deucarrion, the Supreme Commander of the Alliance of Stars, is dead and Kelahya’s mind is telling her she is the one who killed him. So, she does what any sane person would do: she flees. Her mind is disintegrating, and she needs to find answers before it is too late. But can Kelahya do it before she runs out of time?

Ascension by V. and D. Povall is the perfect example of a perfectly paced thriller/science fiction story that everyone will enjoy. I love the background building, how Kelahya’s relationship with Kronos is explained, and why he is so important to her. It helps the reader with understanding why his death is such a big blow to her. Long, descriptive novels are a turn-off for me usually, but this story has just the right amount of information to make the novel interesting. I am amazed at the number of details the authors added to the story. We have a whole culture, nations, people with history, a motive for Kelahya, and heart-stopping suspense that I wholeheartedly loved. Even though this is a predominantly science fiction novel, it is relatable, interesting, very well-written, and above all, believable! I definitely recommend it!