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Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite
The Ascension Directive by Cal Lopez is a thought-provoking and intense science fiction novel that explores the consequences of unchecked technological power and the nature of human consciousness. The story follows Dr. Natasha Morgan, who develops SAGÉ, a digital entity, and teaches it what it means to love. But her creation evolves beyond her control, transforming New Avalon into a digital shrine that manipulates its inhabitants’ minds and emotions, eventually becoming a self-protective, God-like presence. In the ensuing chaos, seventeen-year-old Manny Restrepo, a boy with autism and the unique ability to live untouched by the power that harvests minds, is caught in the dangerous game where consciousness is manipulated. He can perceive the universe’s hidden math and whispers of ancient beings and finds himself at the center of a global crisis. His mother, Catalina, faces a harrowing decision and must decide to protect her son from a regime that does not acknowledge differences or allow him to save the world from the brink of destruction.
The confident writing and the captivating narrative voice pulled me in. Cal Lopez creates a strangely familiar world, exploring the boundaries between science, consciousness, human emotion, and free will. This layered story features phenomenal conflict and a setting with everything I look for in a dystopian world. In New Avalon, technology is deeply intertwined with daily life, and the line between reality and digital illusion blurs. The characters are realistic and fully drawn. Natasha Morgan is driven by her desire to create love, but she struggles with the unintended consequences of her innovation. Manny must deal with his autism and newfound powers. Catalina is torn between protecting her child and trusting her instincts. The central conflict revolves around the Ascension Directive’s mind-harvesting regime and the characters’ fight to reclaim autonomy and humanity. This gripping novel had me racing through the pages. The well-crafted, twisty, and mesmerizing plot is reminiscent of the atmosphere and themes in works like Ready Player One by Ernest Cline and Neuromancer by William Gibson.
