This well beautifully drawn fantasy novel, dealing with themes of power, race and self determination pulled me right in. In a world where everyone is psychic, the "resistance" to the cruel ruling hierarchy is strong but fragmented. To protect the movement, members of the resistance only know their own team--a tactic that could prove unwise. ( )

The Ascendant picks up nearly where the first volume left off, with no room for cheats of "several months later" to give Jason and Liana time to grow up, gain super powers or have inexplicable armies at their disposal in the ultimate fight for who shall rule The Siovansin.

It might not have been a bad idea to have gone for that just a bit. Where the Doran's first volume worked because her age worked for her in forming a remarkable story that combined so many dissimilar plot elements, this second volume begins to strain against a young writer that is keenly aware that they've done something clever. Doran throws in so much backstory and mythology that the story is nearly lost - I'd almost forgotten all about Sir Galahad's presence until Liana was kind enough to announce how she'd drawn him into our world to protect her. Also problematic is a teen that considers herself mature writing about sex from the point of view of a people that are supremely advanced in their views regarding sexuality in an overly androgynous world. Rather than coming across in the exotic and cool fashion that I'm sure she envisioned, it's as forced and about as sexy as doing the dishes. It's not her fault, it's merely her experience and something that a more judicious editor may have been able to hold her hand through.

At the same time, the storyline itself shows some remarkable maturity in other aspects. For the simplicity of sex, the way Doran weaves story lines of trust, dependence on trust and a willingness to feign and break trust for the greater good blends together very well. I look forward to the remaining volumes. ( )