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Killer Unicorns #2
Ascendant
Astrid Llewelyn is now a fully trained unicorn hunter, but she can't solve all her problems with just a bow and arrow. Her boyfriend, Giovanni, has decided to leave Rome, the Cloisters is in dire financial straits, her best friend's powers seem to be mysteriously disintegrating, and Astrid can't help but feel that school, home, and her hopes of becoming a scientist are nothing but impossible dreams.
So when she's given the opportunity to leave the Cloisters and put her skills to use as part of a scientific quest to discover the Remedy, Astrid leaps at the chance. Finally, she can have exactly what she want--or can she? At Gordian headquarters, deep in the French countryside, Astrid begins to question everything she thought she believed: her love for Giovanni, her loyalty to the Cloisters, and most of all her duty as a hunter. Should Astrid be saving the world from killer unicorns, or saving the unicorns from the world?
So when she's given the opportunity to leave the Cloisters and put her skills to use as part of a scientific quest to discover the Remedy, Astrid leaps at the chance. Finally, she can have exactly what she want--or can she? At Gordian headquarters, deep in the French countryside, Astrid begins to question everything she thought she believed: her love for Giovanni, her loyalty to the Cloisters, and most of all her duty as a hunter. Should Astrid be saving the world from killer unicorns, or saving the unicorns from the world?
392 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
26 people are currently reading
2700 people want to read
About the author
Diana Peterfreund
53 books2,054 followersDiana Peterfreund has been a costume designer, a cover model, and a food critic. Her travels have taken her from the cloud forests of Costa Rica to the underground caverns of New Zealand (and as far as she’s concerned, she’s just getting started). Diana graduated from Yale University in 2001 with dual degrees in Literature and Geology, which her family claimed would only come in handy if she wrote books about rocks. Now, this Florida girl lives with her husband and their puppy in Washington D.C., and writes books that rock
Her first novel, Secret Society Girl (2006), was described as “witty and endearing” by The New York Observer and was placed on the New York Public LIbrary’s 2007 Books for the Teen Age list. The follow-up, Under the Rose (2007) was deemed “impossible to put down” by Publisher’s Weekly, and Booklist called the third book, Rites of Spring (Break) (2008), “an ideal summer read.” The final book in the series, Tap & Gown, will be released in 2009. All titles are available from Bantam Dell.
She also contributed to the non-fiction anthologies, Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume, edited by Jennifer O’Connell (Pocket Books, 2007), The World of the Golden Compass, edited by Scott Westerfeld (BenBella Books, 2007), and Through the Wardrobe, edited by Herbie Brennan (BenBella Books, 2008).
Her first young adult novel, Rampant, an adventure fantasy about killer unicorns and the virgin descendents of Alexander the Great who hunt them, will be released by Harper Collins in 2009. When she’s not writing, Diana volunteers at the National Zoo, adds movies she has no intention of watching to her Netflix queue, and plays with her puppy, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever named Rio.
Her first novel, Secret Society Girl (2006), was described as “witty and endearing” by The New York Observer and was placed on the New York Public LIbrary’s 2007 Books for the Teen Age list. The follow-up, Under the Rose (2007) was deemed “impossible to put down” by Publisher’s Weekly, and Booklist called the third book, Rites of Spring (Break) (2008), “an ideal summer read.” The final book in the series, Tap & Gown, will be released in 2009. All titles are available from Bantam Dell.
She also contributed to the non-fiction anthologies, Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume, edited by Jennifer O’Connell (Pocket Books, 2007), The World of the Golden Compass, edited by Scott Westerfeld (BenBella Books, 2007), and Through the Wardrobe, edited by Herbie Brennan (BenBella Books, 2008).
Her first young adult novel, Rampant, an adventure fantasy about killer unicorns and the virgin descendents of Alexander the Great who hunt them, will be released by Harper Collins in 2009. When she’s not writing, Diana volunteers at the National Zoo, adds movies she has no intention of watching to her Netflix queue, and plays with her puppy, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever named Rio.
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October 5, 2010
Beware of the Killer Unicorns! 4.5 stars!
There I was, dancing with glee. I won a book about killer unicorns! Killer Unicorns, of all things, in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
When you think of unicorns, what do you think of? Do you think of majestic beasts, full of magic, sparkles, and rainbows? Or do you think of blood-thirsty, fanged, poisonous creatures that enjoy killing? If you chose the latter, well, those are the unicorns you’ll find in Ascendant.
Ascendant takes place in our world, except there is an infestation of killer unicorns terrorizing humanity and other smaller creatures. A small dedicated group of unicorn hunters are dispatched to deal with this menace. Theirs is a dangerous job, a thankless job, a job that requires virginity.
Ascendant is the second book of Diana Peterfreund’s Killer Unicorn series. It continues the story of Astrid and her band of virginal unicorn hunters. The girls are known as the Order of the Lioness and they live in Rome in the Cloisters. The hunters share a special magical and telepathic connection with the beasts. They are able to sense the unicorns, their thoughts, and feelings. Astrid is able to calm unicorns. The magic lasts as long as the girls remain virgins.
Astrid has hopes and dreams of her own. She wants to have an education. She wants to study science and become a doctor. When Astrid is offered a chance to do just that by Isabeau at the Gordian Company, she jumps at the chance. Astrid’s duty was to tend to a herd of unicorns.
As this is a young adult book, there is one overriding theme – the absence of a parent. Yes, Astrid’s mother is mentioned, but all she does is long distance parent. Astrid’s mother seems to be a talent agent rather than a mother, seeking ways to make money from her daughter’s skill. When Astrid goes to work for Isabeau, Isabeau becomes a surrogate mother. But again, Isabeau was using Astrid for her unicorn wrangling skills.
I have read many young adult books this year, but this book was by far one of the best. First of all, the story – Killer Unicorns – How original is that? If you go to the author’s website http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/books... she has a whole section on unicorn research. Absolutely fascinating! Second, there are some interesting themes involved in this book – environmentalism and animal testing. Is it OK to kill off an entire species? Can we kill a few animals in order to create an antidote to their venom?
If you are tired of reading about vampires, werewolves and zombies, then why not try a book about killer unicorns? I’m going to find book 1 – Rampant and immerse myself in the world of killer unicorns.
There I was, dancing with glee. I won a book about killer unicorns! Killer Unicorns, of all things, in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
When you think of unicorns, what do you think of? Do you think of majestic beasts, full of magic, sparkles, and rainbows? Or do you think of blood-thirsty, fanged, poisonous creatures that enjoy killing? If you chose the latter, well, those are the unicorns you’ll find in Ascendant.
Ascendant takes place in our world, except there is an infestation of killer unicorns terrorizing humanity and other smaller creatures. A small dedicated group of unicorn hunters are dispatched to deal with this menace. Theirs is a dangerous job, a thankless job, a job that requires virginity.
Ascendant is the second book of Diana Peterfreund’s Killer Unicorn series. It continues the story of Astrid and her band of virginal unicorn hunters. The girls are known as the Order of the Lioness and they live in Rome in the Cloisters. The hunters share a special magical and telepathic connection with the beasts. They are able to sense the unicorns, their thoughts, and feelings. Astrid is able to calm unicorns. The magic lasts as long as the girls remain virgins.
Astrid has hopes and dreams of her own. She wants to have an education. She wants to study science and become a doctor. When Astrid is offered a chance to do just that by Isabeau at the Gordian Company, she jumps at the chance. Astrid’s duty was to tend to a herd of unicorns.
As this is a young adult book, there is one overriding theme – the absence of a parent. Yes, Astrid’s mother is mentioned, but all she does is long distance parent. Astrid’s mother seems to be a talent agent rather than a mother, seeking ways to make money from her daughter’s skill. When Astrid goes to work for Isabeau, Isabeau becomes a surrogate mother. But again, Isabeau was using Astrid for her unicorn wrangling skills.
I have read many young adult books this year, but this book was by far one of the best. First of all, the story – Killer Unicorns – How original is that? If you go to the author’s website http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/books... she has a whole section on unicorn research. Absolutely fascinating! Second, there are some interesting themes involved in this book – environmentalism and animal testing. Is it OK to kill off an entire species? Can we kill a few animals in order to create an antidote to their venom?
If you are tired of reading about vampires, werewolves and zombies, then why not try a book about killer unicorns? I’m going to find book 1 – Rampant and immerse myself in the world of killer unicorns.
Read
January 4, 2016I love the warrior side of Astrid. She's so brave. The answer to where the remedy comes from was such a surprise. Didn't see that coming at all. My favorite thing about this book was Angel. Hope there is a book three coming.
February 23, 2011
There is good news and bad news about Ascendant, the second in Peterfreund's YA series about unicorn hunters. The bad news is that this appears to be the second book in a trilogy, but as of yet, the third book has not been picked up for publication. This is a sad thing because I've really been enjoying this series, and there are definitely questions raised in Ascendant that need a third book to answer. The good news is that, while Ascendant was clearly written and succeeds much better as the second book in a trilogy, it still works without the third book (though I hope it eventually happens). I enjoyed spending time with Astrid again, and was fascinated by the questions raised by this novel; aside from some serious pacing problems in the last third of this book, I really enjoyed it.
The other piece of good news is that there are further unicorn stories in the anthologies Kiss Me Deadly and Zombies vs. Unicorns, which originated in a debate sparked by Peterfreund's bloodthirsty unicorns. How cool is that?!
At the beginning of Ascendant, Astrid Llewelyn is a fully trained unicorn hunter at the Cloisters in Rome. The world has become aware of the the new presence and bloodthirsty nature of the unicorns, and the hunters have become celebrities of a sort. Unfortunately, that doesn't change the fact that the Cloisters are in dire financial straits, and that the numbers of hunters are declining. Astrid herself is becoming increasingly ambivalent about the ethics of hunting unicorns, particularly with the end goal extinction, so when the opportunity arises to exchange slaying unicorns with helping to find an antidote for unicorn poison, she leaps at the chance. Astrid moves to the Gordian headquarters in the French countryside, where she comes face to face with a new breed of unicorns and her ex-boyfriend. Can Astrid stay true to her current boyfriend, loyal to the Cloisters, and retain her virginity/hunting abilities, and does she even want to anymore?
What I really like about this series, apart from the novelty of the bloodthirsty unicorns, the kickass heroine (and her similarly kickass colleagues), and the deeply researched mythology, is the fact that Peterfreund isn't afraid to raise complicated questions for which there are no easy answers. In Rampant, the unicorns are established as a clear menace to humanity. They have a poison for which there is only one, extremely rare cure; they eat human flesh; and only the presence of the magically gifted hunters pacifies them enough for humans to be safe. But is their dangerous nature reason enough to hunt the unicorns to extinction? Astrid's cousin and best friend Phil doesn't think so, despite having seen the destruction the unicorns cause. If the Remedy can be isolated and reproduced, the damage caused by the unicorns might be minimized, so Astrid joins her former enemies to help with this process. Of course, while aspects of her life in France seem idyllic, helping Gordian Pharmaceuticals is not the easy out Astrid expected.
Something else Peterfreund does here that I really like is giving her heroine magical powers that she doesn't really want. That might not seem like much, given how many characters there are with special powers who just want to be normal. But Astrid doesn't want normalcy for its own sake; she has actual ambitions, specifically to be a doctor, and her unicorn hunting gets in the way. Being sent to the Cloisters made her into a high school dropout, as well as dooming her to a life of virginity, though I appreciated that the former was what really got Astrid's goat. I've had enough of YA novels where the heroine spends her time moping over her romantic potential (though Astrid would have more reason to do this than most); I like characters who have their own interests, tastes, and ambitions. And though there are a lot of characters to develop, Peterfreund does this with many of the other hunters as well.
Ascendant is really about a 3.5 for me; if its sequel is forthcoming, that will probably bump me up to a 4. What I didn't like about the novel was its huge shift in pacing towards the end. The beginning and middle of the novel didn't really strike me as slow-going, more introspective, with its emphasis on what was going on inside Astrid's head rather than outside it. I wasn't bored at all, drama was developing, but rather slowly. Then, about 100 pages from the end, wham bang! There was game-changing crisis after crisis, and I felt like I was getting whiplash from all the excitement. Having gotten used to the slower pace, this section felt very rushed. It seemed like Peterfreund had a page limit she had to get under, used too much of it up in the beginning of the novel, and had to squeeze in everything at the end. Which somehow wouldn't have bothered me as much if the third book were in fact forthcoming; this rushed part at the end had a lot of plot development, but very few answers about the questions plaguing me throughout the novel. The last third of the book was so dense I felt that surely Peterfreund could have squeezed in an answer or two while she was at it.
Despite its flaws, and the fact that it may remain an unfinished trilogy, I highly recommend the Rampant series to lovers of YA fantasy. The first novel is action packed, the second more thought-provoking, and the series as a whole stands out for its determined heroine and its original take on fantasy tropes.
The other piece of good news is that there are further unicorn stories in the anthologies Kiss Me Deadly and Zombies vs. Unicorns, which originated in a debate sparked by Peterfreund's bloodthirsty unicorns. How cool is that?!
At the beginning of Ascendant, Astrid Llewelyn is a fully trained unicorn hunter at the Cloisters in Rome. The world has become aware of the the new presence and bloodthirsty nature of the unicorns, and the hunters have become celebrities of a sort. Unfortunately, that doesn't change the fact that the Cloisters are in dire financial straits, and that the numbers of hunters are declining. Astrid herself is becoming increasingly ambivalent about the ethics of hunting unicorns, particularly with the end goal extinction, so when the opportunity arises to exchange slaying unicorns with helping to find an antidote for unicorn poison, she leaps at the chance. Astrid moves to the Gordian headquarters in the French countryside, where she comes face to face with a new breed of unicorns and her ex-boyfriend. Can Astrid stay true to her current boyfriend, loyal to the Cloisters, and retain her virginity/hunting abilities, and does she even want to anymore?
What I really like about this series, apart from the novelty of the bloodthirsty unicorns, the kickass heroine (and her similarly kickass colleagues), and the deeply researched mythology, is the fact that Peterfreund isn't afraid to raise complicated questions for which there are no easy answers. In Rampant, the unicorns are established as a clear menace to humanity. They have a poison for which there is only one, extremely rare cure; they eat human flesh; and only the presence of the magically gifted hunters pacifies them enough for humans to be safe. But is their dangerous nature reason enough to hunt the unicorns to extinction? Astrid's cousin and best friend Phil doesn't think so, despite having seen the destruction the unicorns cause. If the Remedy can be isolated and reproduced, the damage caused by the unicorns might be minimized, so Astrid joins her former enemies to help with this process. Of course, while aspects of her life in France seem idyllic, helping Gordian Pharmaceuticals is not the easy out Astrid expected.
Something else Peterfreund does here that I really like is giving her heroine magical powers that she doesn't really want. That might not seem like much, given how many characters there are with special powers who just want to be normal. But Astrid doesn't want normalcy for its own sake; she has actual ambitions, specifically to be a doctor, and her unicorn hunting gets in the way. Being sent to the Cloisters made her into a high school dropout, as well as dooming her to a life of virginity, though I appreciated that the former was what really got Astrid's goat. I've had enough of YA novels where the heroine spends her time moping over her romantic potential (though Astrid would have more reason to do this than most); I like characters who have their own interests, tastes, and ambitions. And though there are a lot of characters to develop, Peterfreund does this with many of the other hunters as well.
Ascendant is really about a 3.5 for me; if its sequel is forthcoming, that will probably bump me up to a 4. What I didn't like about the novel was its huge shift in pacing towards the end. The beginning and middle of the novel didn't really strike me as slow-going, more introspective, with its emphasis on what was going on inside Astrid's head rather than outside it. I wasn't bored at all, drama was developing, but rather slowly. Then, about 100 pages from the end, wham bang! There was game-changing crisis after crisis, and I felt like I was getting whiplash from all the excitement. Having gotten used to the slower pace, this section felt very rushed. It seemed like Peterfreund had a page limit she had to get under, used too much of it up in the beginning of the novel, and had to squeeze in everything at the end. Which somehow wouldn't have bothered me as much if the third book were in fact forthcoming; this rushed part at the end had a lot of plot development, but very few answers about the questions plaguing me throughout the novel. The last third of the book was so dense I felt that surely Peterfreund could have squeezed in an answer or two while she was at it.
Despite its flaws, and the fact that it may remain an unfinished trilogy, I highly recommend the Rampant series to lovers of YA fantasy. The first novel is action packed, the second more thought-provoking, and the series as a whole stands out for its determined heroine and its original take on fantasy tropes.
November 27, 2011
I had mixed feelings when I read Rampant, where I teeter between loving the premise and disliking the execution. Ascendant turned out much the same way for me. It's difficult to articulate why I don't like this book more--there are unicorns! There are killer unicorns, which is something that never fails to make me happy (shush, this makes perfect sense to me). There are also a bunch of virgin girls running around killing unicorns, which sort of just made me shrug. There's also the push and pull of a society coming to terms with unicorns actually being real! And wanting to eat people! As well as typical troubled teenage feelings.
That said, there are a lot of times when I feel what could have been a truly awesome premise and book has been made into something less enjoyable. Astrid's an interesting character, but I don't think I like her very much. Or rather, I like her, but sometimes the decisions she makes just make me unhappy all around. The other characters are varied and have their own reasons and feelings, but they hold very little of my interest, which mainly involves unicorns and Astrid's interactions with unicorns.
I was rather unhappy with the entire Brandt angle, and I've never been all that pleased with Giovanni, so I just rather disliked any romantic aspects and the consequent feelings about said romantic entanglements. I did, however, like Astrid's confusion and uncertainty over her feelings about the unicorns, and her eventual self discovery and firming of her opinions about that subject--though that took up just about the entire book.
The Big Bad in this book wasn't really. Said villain did have several villainous aspects, but overall they weren't... terrible. Which just made me just the teensiest bit fonder of the book.
Overall, I'm uncertain how I feel about the series. I was a bit "eh" with Rampant, and I can't say that Ascendant is so much different. The beginning of this book took me forever to get through because I couldn't believe some of what was said or done, but from the middle onwards, it wasn't bad. It wasn't all that great either. So, overall, 2-3 stars for this book, rounding down to 2.
That said, there are a lot of times when I feel what could have been a truly awesome premise and book has been made into something less enjoyable. Astrid's an interesting character, but I don't think I like her very much. Or rather, I like her, but sometimes the decisions she makes just make me unhappy all around. The other characters are varied and have their own reasons and feelings, but they hold very little of my interest, which mainly involves unicorns and Astrid's interactions with unicorns.
I was rather unhappy with the entire Brandt angle, and I've never been all that pleased with Giovanni, so I just rather disliked any romantic aspects and the consequent feelings about said romantic entanglements. I did, however, like Astrid's confusion and uncertainty over her feelings about the unicorns, and her eventual self discovery and firming of her opinions about that subject--though that took up just about the entire book.
The Big Bad in this book wasn't really. Said villain did have several villainous aspects, but overall they weren't... terrible. Which just made me just the teensiest bit fonder of the book.
Overall, I'm uncertain how I feel about the series. I was a bit "eh" with Rampant, and I can't say that Ascendant is so much different. The beginning of this book took me forever to get through because I couldn't believe some of what was said or done, but from the middle onwards, it wasn't bad. It wasn't all that great either. So, overall, 2-3 stars for this book, rounding down to 2.
March 19, 2014
So, I have a lot of feelings about this book. I stayed up very late to finish it, because about 100 pages before the ending, $#!& got REAL and I could not put it down. But the middle was a bit laggy. And sad. I love Astrid with all my heart, she is one of the greatest heroines in YA right now, but I wanted to shake her. THEY'RE SICK, ASTRID, HELP THEM! Also in need of a shaking? Phil and Neil. Also Astrid's mom, but that's always been the case.
I really love, though, the direction that Peterfreund took her killer unicorns. I love that not everything is black and white, and that she went beyond the whole, Unicorns are real, we have to slay them. There's a lot of layers here, a lot of great characters. I almost thought it ended too abruptly, after all the crazy of the last few chapters. Also, there's a couple of people who I need to see fed to Bonegrinder, and a few things were left hanging.
I don't know if she's going to do more, but there is a short story that ties in with this in the ZOMBIES VS. UNICORNS anthology (which is great, by the way, Go Team Unicorn!). If she does do more, I'll be right there waiting to read them!
I really love, though, the direction that Peterfreund took her killer unicorns. I love that not everything is black and white, and that she went beyond the whole, Unicorns are real, we have to slay them. There's a lot of layers here, a lot of great characters. I almost thought it ended too abruptly, after all the crazy of the last few chapters. Also, there's a couple of people who I need to see fed to Bonegrinder, and a few things were left hanging.
I don't know if she's going to do more, but there is a short story that ties in with this in the ZOMBIES VS. UNICORNS anthology (which is great, by the way, Go Team Unicorn!). If she does do more, I'll be right there waiting to read them!
August 30, 2011
I didn’t write much for Rampant, but after finishing Ascendant I think this series deserves more than a one sentence review. I am so glad that when I first picked up Rampant that I had no idea it was about killer unicorns. I am sure I would have skipped it, and I’d be missing out if I had.
The series follows Astrid Llewellyn, a unicorn hunter descended from one of the most famous hunters of all time. In this world, unicorns are not friendly glorified ponies. They are intelligent predators that hunt and eat their prey. Women of the lineage, provided they stay virginal, draw power from the unicorns and can sense their presence. Astrid joins the Order of the Lioness, an ancient order dedicated to protecting humans from the unicorns.
It all sounds a little silly, but it works. The hunters feel like real people and their diversity of background and character is much appreciated. Peterfreund plays up the sexuality aspect of the story, which leads to some great honest conversations between the characters about sex and modern femininity. Astrid herself is a unique YA protagonist. She loves science and wants to be a physician someday, and she approaches all this magical lore with a logical and curious mind. Although she is descended from a line of famous hunters, she struggles with the role she must play. How can she be a healer if she is a hunter? How can she be a normal seventeen year old girl but also a trained killer in an ancient order?
Ascendant is a great sequel to Rampant. It doesn’t offer easy solutions to Astrid, only deeper complexities. I was really upset to see on the author’s website that she currently doesn’t have a contract to write anymore in the series. There are still so many unanswered questions! Come on HarperTeen! MAKE IT HAPPEN.
The series follows Astrid Llewellyn, a unicorn hunter descended from one of the most famous hunters of all time. In this world, unicorns are not friendly glorified ponies. They are intelligent predators that hunt and eat their prey. Women of the lineage, provided they stay virginal, draw power from the unicorns and can sense their presence. Astrid joins the Order of the Lioness, an ancient order dedicated to protecting humans from the unicorns.
It all sounds a little silly, but it works. The hunters feel like real people and their diversity of background and character is much appreciated. Peterfreund plays up the sexuality aspect of the story, which leads to some great honest conversations between the characters about sex and modern femininity. Astrid herself is a unique YA protagonist. She loves science and wants to be a physician someday, and she approaches all this magical lore with a logical and curious mind. Although she is descended from a line of famous hunters, she struggles with the role she must play. How can she be a healer if she is a hunter? How can she be a normal seventeen year old girl but also a trained killer in an ancient order?
Ascendant is a great sequel to Rampant. It doesn’t offer easy solutions to Astrid, only deeper complexities. I was really upset to see on the author’s website that she currently doesn’t have a contract to write anymore in the series. There are still so many unanswered questions! Come on HarperTeen! MAKE IT HAPPEN.
June 17, 2010
As much as I would love to write a full-review of Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund, there's still a lot of months until it is out, so I think it's more prudent to give a quick and dirty mini-review, and NO, not that kind of dirty.
Ascendant is a direct sequel to the super-awesome Rampant, which I actually really enjoyed. With Ascendant, the intros and exposition is pretty much out of the way so the book gets right on down to business. There is absolutely more sexual tension, more unicorns, more action, and a lot of moral dilemma. I loved it! What was so cool is how Peterfreund made her events grey areas. By this I mean things were taken out of a black and white context and given complexity and layers. I guess it's awesome how we get to see two sides of a coin.
I actually enjoyed Ascendant way more than Rampant. I thought Astrid really came into her own. Confession corner: After I finished I really had trouble finding a book to read. I mean, what'll measure up to that kind of awesome?
And this is the part where I frantically beg for another book in Astrid's world. Seriously, I have a jonesing for more killer unicorns.
Ascendant is a direct sequel to the super-awesome Rampant, which I actually really enjoyed. With Ascendant, the intros and exposition is pretty much out of the way so the book gets right on down to business. There is absolutely more sexual tension, more unicorns, more action, and a lot of moral dilemma. I loved it! What was so cool is how Peterfreund made her events grey areas. By this I mean things were taken out of a black and white context and given complexity and layers. I guess it's awesome how we get to see two sides of a coin.
I actually enjoyed Ascendant way more than Rampant. I thought Astrid really came into her own. Confession corner: After I finished I really had trouble finding a book to read. I mean, what'll measure up to that kind of awesome?
And this is the part where I frantically beg for another book in Astrid's world. Seriously, I have a jonesing for more killer unicorns.
November 29, 2012
Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com
In RAMPANT, Diana Peterfreund introduced us to the darker side of unicorns and Astrid, the unicorn hunter. In ASCENDANT, Astrid's adventures continue. Now a fully trained unicorn hunter, Astrid is given the opportunity to leave the Cloisters and go to France to help in discovering the Remedy.
Unfortunately, leaving Rome doesn't solve Astrid's problems.
She is put in charge of a herd of Einhorns and discovers there's more to the unicorns than she thought. This revelation makes her question many things in her life; her love for Giovanni, her loyalty to the Cloisters, and her duty as a hunter.
There weren't as many instances of sexual tension and passion as in the first book, and I liked ASCENDANT more because of this. The introduction of new characters and the further development of previously introduced characters added to the story and made for an enjoyable read.
I look forward to more from Peterfreund in the future.
In RAMPANT, Diana Peterfreund introduced us to the darker side of unicorns and Astrid, the unicorn hunter. In ASCENDANT, Astrid's adventures continue. Now a fully trained unicorn hunter, Astrid is given the opportunity to leave the Cloisters and go to France to help in discovering the Remedy.
Unfortunately, leaving Rome doesn't solve Astrid's problems.
She is put in charge of a herd of Einhorns and discovers there's more to the unicorns than she thought. This revelation makes her question many things in her life; her love for Giovanni, her loyalty to the Cloisters, and her duty as a hunter.
There weren't as many instances of sexual tension and passion as in the first book, and I liked ASCENDANT more because of this. The introduction of new characters and the further development of previously introduced characters added to the story and made for an enjoyable read.
I look forward to more from Peterfreund in the future.
September 27, 2013
4.5 stars
I'll never doubt the genius of books centered around killer unicorns ever again. Seriously. Diana Peterfreund has made me a believer, which is something I'm certain few authors, given the same task, could have accomplished.
Although Astrid and her fellow unicorn-hunters have successfully eradicated the killer kirin that were hiding out in Italy and stopped their collaboration with the biomedical company Gordian, their problems are far from over. Unicorn attacks are becoming more frequent and, thanks to her mother's publicity stints as a "unicorn expert," Astrid and her fellow hunters are inundated with work. Life inside the convent itself has become increasingly complicated as Astrid struggles with her legacy as a "Llewelyn" hunter, Cory's powers are fading, no new eligible girls are wiling to join their ranks, and Phil, donna of the unicorn hunters, advocates to protect the rights of the unicorns.
Rampant imagines an alternate world where killer unicorns exist and can only be controlled by female virgins of a certain lineage. Ascendant then focuses on the implications of their actions, and the role that unicorn hunters should have within their society. It is in many ways a quieter, more introspective novel. And it's far darker than its predecessor. The focus here isn't on Astrid becoming a unicorn hunter, but rather on the responsibility that Astrid should have to humans, to unicorns, and to herself.
On the whole, I found Ascendant to be an even stronger novel than Rampant. I think the main reason I feel this way is because, at its core, Ascendant isn't really about killer unicorns, virgin huntresses, or a world where the magical clashes with the mundane; rather it is an examination of choice, and how our choices define us much more so than our destinies ever can. Astrid and the other girls originally enter the convent out of curiosity, a knowledge that they're different, special, the only ones who can provide any sort of aid against the killer unicorns. By the end of Rampant, however, it's become abundantly clear that there's no quick fix to the conflict between humans and unicorns, and the girls choose to stay. It's their choice, and many struggle with that knowledge. Astrid certainly does.
Actually, the vast majority of this book can be summed up in two words: Astrid struggles. She struggles to find a balance between her wants and her duties. She struggles to accept that her current life as a unicorn hunter means that she's a high school dropout, that she cannot pursue her dream of becoming a doctor, that she cannot be fully intimate with her boyfriend, that every day she risks her life. That's a lot for anyone to process, and for the most part Astrid handles it all with remarkable aplomb. It is through her questions and small acts of rebellion, however, that Astrid is able to come into her own. Perhaps not all of her choices make sense to me as a reader, but they make sense within the context of Astrid's characterization and situation. Astrid may be blue-eyed, blonde, and reluctant to utilize her power at first, but over the course of these two novels she's grown into a heroine who is far from derivative.
Ascendant introduces new moral dilemmas for Astrid and her fellow hunters, specifically with in the form of how far their duties extend. Are they trying to simply prevent unicorn attacks on humans? Is there a way that humans and unicorns can coexist, or are the hunters meant to drive the unicorns into extinction? Astrid's unease at the systematic killing of unicorns, along with her desire to use the reemergence of unicorns for some good, causes her to leave the convent for a significant portion of the book. Being away from the Order of the Lioness and working with a new type of unicorn, einhorns, makes for a slower-moving plot, but one that is more compelling for all the questions of morality that surface.
The small issue I had with Ascendant was related to the romance. I actually enjoyed the romance between Astrid and Giovanni in the first book, and the questions and implications it brought forth were well done. Here, Giovanni and Astrid are forced into a long and drawn-out long-distance relationship. Not only that, but a love triangle forms. The relevant and important questions related to female agency, sexuality, duty, and more feel a bit rehashed in this book, and it just doesn't seem as important to Astrid's development here, certainly not for the length of time that the novel devotes to this love triangle.
One of the primary reasons I decided to give Peterfreund's Killer Unicorn series a try was because it was a duology, but I'd be very happy if another installment gets written at some point. The conclusion itself is very fitting, but a lot of subplots are left unresolved.
As should be clear from my reviews of Rampant and Ascendant, I was quite surprised by this duology. Surprised, but pleased. There are so many different ways in which this series could have turned cliched, campy, or flat-out terrible, and yet the story only got better as it progressed. Peterfreund skillfully weaves together history, mythology/folklore, and her own elements in a well-crafted and intelligent story. I'll do my best to make sure it gains the recognition it deserves, and I encourage you to do your part by giving this book a chance.
I'll never doubt the genius of books centered around killer unicorns ever again. Seriously. Diana Peterfreund has made me a believer, which is something I'm certain few authors, given the same task, could have accomplished.
Although Astrid and her fellow unicorn-hunters have successfully eradicated the killer kirin that were hiding out in Italy and stopped their collaboration with the biomedical company Gordian, their problems are far from over. Unicorn attacks are becoming more frequent and, thanks to her mother's publicity stints as a "unicorn expert," Astrid and her fellow hunters are inundated with work. Life inside the convent itself has become increasingly complicated as Astrid struggles with her legacy as a "Llewelyn" hunter, Cory's powers are fading, no new eligible girls are wiling to join their ranks, and Phil, donna of the unicorn hunters, advocates to protect the rights of the unicorns.
Rampant imagines an alternate world where killer unicorns exist and can only be controlled by female virgins of a certain lineage. Ascendant then focuses on the implications of their actions, and the role that unicorn hunters should have within their society. It is in many ways a quieter, more introspective novel. And it's far darker than its predecessor. The focus here isn't on Astrid becoming a unicorn hunter, but rather on the responsibility that Astrid should have to humans, to unicorns, and to herself.
On the whole, I found Ascendant to be an even stronger novel than Rampant. I think the main reason I feel this way is because, at its core, Ascendant isn't really about killer unicorns, virgin huntresses, or a world where the magical clashes with the mundane; rather it is an examination of choice, and how our choices define us much more so than our destinies ever can. Astrid and the other girls originally enter the convent out of curiosity, a knowledge that they're different, special, the only ones who can provide any sort of aid against the killer unicorns. By the end of Rampant, however, it's become abundantly clear that there's no quick fix to the conflict between humans and unicorns, and the girls choose to stay. It's their choice, and many struggle with that knowledge. Astrid certainly does.
Actually, the vast majority of this book can be summed up in two words: Astrid struggles. She struggles to find a balance between her wants and her duties. She struggles to accept that her current life as a unicorn hunter means that she's a high school dropout, that she cannot pursue her dream of becoming a doctor, that she cannot be fully intimate with her boyfriend, that every day she risks her life. That's a lot for anyone to process, and for the most part Astrid handles it all with remarkable aplomb. It is through her questions and small acts of rebellion, however, that Astrid is able to come into her own. Perhaps not all of her choices make sense to me as a reader, but they make sense within the context of Astrid's characterization and situation. Astrid may be blue-eyed, blonde, and reluctant to utilize her power at first, but over the course of these two novels she's grown into a heroine who is far from derivative.
Ascendant introduces new moral dilemmas for Astrid and her fellow hunters, specifically with in the form of how far their duties extend. Are they trying to simply prevent unicorn attacks on humans? Is there a way that humans and unicorns can coexist, or are the hunters meant to drive the unicorns into extinction? Astrid's unease at the systematic killing of unicorns, along with her desire to use the reemergence of unicorns for some good, causes her to leave the convent for a significant portion of the book. Being away from the Order of the Lioness and working with a new type of unicorn, einhorns, makes for a slower-moving plot, but one that is more compelling for all the questions of morality that surface.
The small issue I had with Ascendant was related to the romance. I actually enjoyed the romance between Astrid and Giovanni in the first book, and the questions and implications it brought forth were well done. Here, Giovanni and Astrid are forced into a long and drawn-out long-distance relationship. Not only that, but a love triangle forms. The relevant and important questions related to female agency, sexuality, duty, and more feel a bit rehashed in this book, and it just doesn't seem as important to Astrid's development here, certainly not for the length of time that the novel devotes to this love triangle.
One of the primary reasons I decided to give Peterfreund's Killer Unicorn series a try was because it was a duology, but I'd be very happy if another installment gets written at some point. The conclusion itself is very fitting, but a lot of subplots are left unresolved.
As should be clear from my reviews of Rampant and Ascendant, I was quite surprised by this duology. Surprised, but pleased. There are so many different ways in which this series could have turned cliched, campy, or flat-out terrible, and yet the story only got better as it progressed. Peterfreund skillfully weaves together history, mythology/folklore, and her own elements in a well-crafted and intelligent story. I'll do my best to make sure it gains the recognition it deserves, and I encourage you to do your part by giving this book a chance.
August 5, 2018
4.1 stars
This was a pretty good sequel to the first book, however it wasn't necessarily as good. There was some conflicts that were unnecessary, there was a subplot i didn't care for, and the big twist at the end i had mixed feelings about, and the ending, while pretty decent on it's own right i would've liked a little more closure for some things. Overall a quite enjoying urban fantasy duology i definitely recommend checking out
This was a pretty good sequel to the first book, however it wasn't necessarily as good. There was some conflicts that were unnecessary, there was a subplot i didn't care for, and the big twist at the end i had mixed feelings about, and the ending, while pretty decent on it's own right i would've liked a little more closure for some things. Overall a quite enjoying urban fantasy duology i definitely recommend checking out
June 10, 2011
People who know me know I sometimes--even often--read the ends of books first. I have been told variously that this is a tragedy, a blasphemy, and just plain inexplicable. Why do I want to spoil myself?
Because for me, the pleasure of reading a book isn't the final surprise; it's watching the pieces fit together. I like dramatic irony. I like the question being not "where are we going?" but "how are we going to get there?" In a good book--or at least, a certain kind of good book--the latter provides just as much tension as the former.
This is one of those books. I think I read the ending six or seven times as I went through the book, and each time it meant something different to me, and each time I found different aspects of it surprising. Even reading it when I was a mere 50 pages away, I couldn't quite figure out how the final piece of character motivation was going to fit in.
But it did, of course. And so I finished the book not with a sharp cry of "What?" but with a deeply satisfied, "Oh."
Part of the reason this book works so well for my style of reading is that it doesn't have much of a conventional structure. Rampant did--the protagonist learned she had powers, moved away from home, studied and mastered them, and then fought a triumphant final battle. But there's no clear enemies here in Ascendant.
Astrid is an interesting twist on the reluctant hero. It's not that she doesn't want her powers, or is scared of them; she thinks they're pretty nifty. But she's also acutely aware that being a warrior is a lifetime career only for those who die young, and in dropping out of high school to study combat skills she's put some unfortunate breaks on her ability to pursue more conventional paths--like science and medicine--later. Think Buffy--except she's not the only girl in the world, she's one of many, so there's not the same driving need to sacrifice herself. Instead, she has to decide how far she wants to push herself.
And meanwhile, there's the question of the unicorns. Yes, they're dangerous--but so are tigers and bears. The book makes it very clear that there's nothing intrinsically evil about the species. I liked Phil's determination to save the unicorns, and the tension that her endangered species quest put between her and the other girls, with more immediate "save this family from being eaten by unicorns" concerns.
This is a book of tensions, not open conflicts; of conflicting, but ultimately understandable goals, not battles. It opens up the universe immensely, leaving more untied threads than it started with, which in some ways is an odd choice for a book with no sequel forthcoming. But it works for me, because in the end, it's a book about Astrid finding her way outside the boxes that her friends and family and partners have placed her in. I like that it ends with her looking outward, with a whole universe of possibilities open and no obvious right choices. What's important is that she knows she gets to choose.
(I still don't like Astrid's mom, who seems a caricature, but I guess some people really are that awful. At least she doesn't get much screen time.)
Because for me, the pleasure of reading a book isn't the final surprise; it's watching the pieces fit together. I like dramatic irony. I like the question being not "where are we going?" but "how are we going to get there?" In a good book--or at least, a certain kind of good book--the latter provides just as much tension as the former.
This is one of those books. I think I read the ending six or seven times as I went through the book, and each time it meant something different to me, and each time I found different aspects of it surprising. Even reading it when I was a mere 50 pages away, I couldn't quite figure out how the final piece of character motivation was going to fit in.
But it did, of course. And so I finished the book not with a sharp cry of "What?" but with a deeply satisfied, "Oh."
Part of the reason this book works so well for my style of reading is that it doesn't have much of a conventional structure. Rampant did--the protagonist learned she had powers, moved away from home, studied and mastered them, and then fought a triumphant final battle. But there's no clear enemies here in Ascendant.
Astrid is an interesting twist on the reluctant hero. It's not that she doesn't want her powers, or is scared of them; she thinks they're pretty nifty. But she's also acutely aware that being a warrior is a lifetime career only for those who die young, and in dropping out of high school to study combat skills she's put some unfortunate breaks on her ability to pursue more conventional paths--like science and medicine--later. Think Buffy--except she's not the only girl in the world, she's one of many, so there's not the same driving need to sacrifice herself. Instead, she has to decide how far she wants to push herself.
And meanwhile, there's the question of the unicorns. Yes, they're dangerous--but so are tigers and bears. The book makes it very clear that there's nothing intrinsically evil about the species. I liked Phil's determination to save the unicorns, and the tension that her endangered species quest put between her and the other girls, with more immediate "save this family from being eaten by unicorns" concerns.
This is a book of tensions, not open conflicts; of conflicting, but ultimately understandable goals, not battles. It opens up the universe immensely, leaving more untied threads than it started with, which in some ways is an odd choice for a book with no sequel forthcoming. But it works for me, because in the end, it's a book about Astrid finding her way outside the boxes that her friends and family and partners have placed her in. I like that it ends with her looking outward, with a whole universe of possibilities open and no obvious right choices. What's important is that she knows she gets to choose.
(I still don't like Astrid's mom, who seems a caricature, but I guess some people really are that awful. At least she doesn't get much screen time.)
March 16, 2012
Astrid Llewellyn was raised by a mother obsessed with unicorns. But to hear her tell it, unicorns aren't the fluffy, innocent creatures of myth, but savage, blood-thirsty monsters. And to everyone's surprise, it turns out Astrid's mother was right. The unicorns' last hidden preserve has been lost, and now they're out into the world again. And they're hungry for fresh meat.
Luckily, it turns out that Astrid really has inherited unicorn hunting abilities. She and a small group of other young women band together. But their funds are low, public opinion on them is split (because despite their best efforts, the unicorn attack rate continues to rise) and none of them are completely committed to the painful and short life of a hunter.
Astrid wants to be a doctor someday, but she's also one of the few people who can defeat or even control unicorns. She feels a duty to postpone her education and personal ambitions in order to find a solution to the unicorn problem, but it's a struggle. I like Astrid--her interest in medicine feels genuine, not just a slapped-on bit of characterization, and her moral quandries were actually difficult decisions. The combat scenes are exciting but easy to understand, and the supporting cast is unique and interesting. But overall, the first half of the book is pretty pedestrian.
Then Astrid gets hurt. The last third of the book is shattering but excellent.
Luckily, it turns out that Astrid really has inherited unicorn hunting abilities. She and a small group of other young women band together. But their funds are low, public opinion on them is split (because despite their best efforts, the unicorn attack rate continues to rise) and none of them are completely committed to the painful and short life of a hunter.
Astrid wants to be a doctor someday, but she's also one of the few people who can defeat or even control unicorns. She feels a duty to postpone her education and personal ambitions in order to find a solution to the unicorn problem, but it's a struggle. I like Astrid--her interest in medicine feels genuine, not just a slapped-on bit of characterization, and her moral quandries were actually difficult decisions. The combat scenes are exciting but easy to understand, and the supporting cast is unique and interesting. But overall, the first half of the book is pretty pedestrian.
Then Astrid gets hurt. The last third of the book is shattering but excellent.
May 30, 2010
Won't reveal anything since this is not out till October (I read an ARC that I was lucky to receive at BEA) - but let me just say this was the perfect sequel to Rampant. Ascendant is full of action and suspense, and more than lives up to the high expectations that are held by fans of Rampant.
March 25, 2020
Book #3 of working at the Hotel Call Center-ifornia during a pandemic - you can (mentally) check out, but you can never leave!
So, I wish I'd known going into this series that it was not, in fact, intended to be a duology from the start, because I might not have read it at all. Or... maybe I would. Killer unicorns is a pretty interesting premise, you must admit. But regardless, for future readers: this is not a completed series, nor does it look likely that it ever will be at this point, given that it's been almost a full decade since this book came out. (Since we'll never know, anyone else got guesses as to what book 3's title was supposed to be? I'm thinking Triumphant.)
It's a real shame, particularly in my view because this book actually answered a decent number of worldbuilding questions that had been bothering me, and now I know we'll never get the rest. Also, there are a number of plot threads that never get tied up which were leading interesting places, and without a final resolution just feel sort of nonsensical. Not a problem which would exist if the third book did, so I can't really hold it against Peterfreund here.
I think part of the reason I didn't enjoy this book quite as much, even though it gave us more unicorn lore and biology, is that Astrid's motivations and desires are muddled throughout, and it leads her to making some fairly wishy-washy decisions. I know that her struggle to decide what she wants is the point, and I'm willing to make allowances for that, but I felt like she was very, very easily swayed here, especially in light of the betrayals and struggles of the first book. There was... a lack of caution and consideration which didn't quite click, especially since I read the two books back to back.
Also, Brandt is annoying. Which is kind of the point of him, but still, I was subjected to quite a bit of him and it was not enjoyable. And Astrid's mother, Lilith... I just wanted to chuck her through a window.
It really does stink that this series never got to be finished, but I am glad to have satisfied my curiosity after all these years! I'll have to take a look at what else Peterfreund has done since and pick up something completed of hers, I think.
So, I wish I'd known going into this series that it was not, in fact, intended to be a duology from the start, because I might not have read it at all. Or... maybe I would. Killer unicorns is a pretty interesting premise, you must admit. But regardless, for future readers: this is not a completed series, nor does it look likely that it ever will be at this point, given that it's been almost a full decade since this book came out. (Since we'll never know, anyone else got guesses as to what book 3's title was supposed to be? I'm thinking Triumphant.)
It's a real shame, particularly in my view because this book actually answered a decent number of worldbuilding questions that had been bothering me, and now I know we'll never get the rest. Also, there are a number of plot threads that never get tied up which were leading interesting places, and without a final resolution just feel sort of nonsensical. Not a problem which would exist if the third book did, so I can't really hold it against Peterfreund here.
I think part of the reason I didn't enjoy this book quite as much, even though it gave us more unicorn lore and biology, is that Astrid's motivations and desires are muddled throughout, and it leads her to making some fairly wishy-washy decisions. I know that her struggle to decide what she wants is the point, and I'm willing to make allowances for that, but I felt like she was very, very easily swayed here, especially in light of the betrayals and struggles of the first book. There was... a lack of caution and consideration which didn't quite click, especially since I read the two books back to back.
Also, Brandt is annoying. Which is kind of the point of him, but still, I was subjected to quite a bit of him and it was not enjoyable. And Astrid's mother, Lilith... I just wanted to chuck her through a window.
It really does stink that this series never got to be finished, but I am glad to have satisfied my curiosity after all these years! I'll have to take a look at what else Peterfreund has done since and pick up something completed of hers, I think.
September 30, 2010
I am reviewing an advance reading copy provided by the publisher.
After the incident at Cerveteri, the world knows all about real unicorns. Lilith Llewelyn is making the American television news circuits, spinning various yarns to influence how the media portrays the daughter and other girls she left behind in a French cloister. There, under the Order of the Lioness, their innate hunting abilities are honed with other useful skills such as archery and the quickest way to remove an alicorn (a unicorn’s signature horn). Astrid’s physical wounds may have healed, but unicorn hunting has hit all the young hunters hard. Some have left, some are still recovering from injuries, while Astrid is left confused and unsure of the choices she’s made. What does it mean exactly to be a unicorn hunter? And can she live with her decisions knowing how far-reaching they are?
From the first chapter, Ascendant is darker and far more serious than Rampant, which is saying a lot. For a book that delved into issues such as rape, self defense, and daily threats of death, it’s difficult to imagine how a series could get darker. The adventure, if it could ever be called that, is over. Unicorn hunting has become a trying job for Astrid and the other girls. Now that the world is aware that unicorns exist and aren’t as sweet as the popular media imagined them, Phil and Neil are being inundated with phone calls. The public wants protection and turns their pleas to the overwhelmed and understaffed cloister. There’s a difficult decision for the Order: accept Catholic sponsorship or find other means to fund their world-saving activities.
Peterfreund uses this opportunity to engage in a discussion about animal testing, when it’s clear what Astrid thinks of turning to the church for help. While she manages to spare readers some of the more gory details, what she does present is no less painful or difficult to read. It’s at this point the narrative turned long rather than suspenseful as Astrid begins to brood instead of hunt. Accepting a second offer from a pharmaceutical company provides more than financial security for the Order. It also provides a sedate and relatively worry-free environment for Astrid to recuperate her mental and emotional faculties. In her exhausted and morally troubled state of mind, it’s little wonder her preoccupations prevents her from closely scrutinizing Gordian’s new facilities. In fact, Astrid is persuaded fairly easily to join under new leadership, despite knowing there are dubious scientific practices involved and unicorns kept in captivity.
Astrid is clearly out of sorts. Her previous convictions are wavering under feelings of guilt and confusion. Whether it’s her huntress heritage, her relationship with Giovanni, or her lapsed education, Astrid is beginning to question who she is, who she was, and who she’s becoming. Reminders of her past serve to muddle her judgment in a cloud of nostalgia, but her surroundings—what she’s seeing—never quite measure up to what she’s being told and this only serves to confound her situation further. This is the book where the protagonist gets to finally stop and reassess everything that’s happened up to this point and it isn’t easy, but Astrid desperately wants it to be. Which is why it’s understandable when she makes big mistakes and misses glaringly obvious clues that even she should have caught. She even walks a dangerously thin line between hypocrite and heroine. Can a good deed still be a good deed if the only thing that separates it from the enemy is different rationalizations?
Ascendant deals eloquently with many slippery and complex ethical questions. As a result, there’s significantly less action and far fewer unicorn slayings, but the death toll continues to rise steadily. I was especially fascinated with how Astrid would resolve her misgivings and atone for deaths she was taking indirect responsibility for (not that she needs to atone, but she felt she had to). With so much gnawing on her conscience, it’s no wonder she begins to act out of character, even if some of the more trivial dilemmas she had to deal with were only interesting to me as indicative of how unsure she’d become. I was not, for example, particularly engaged in the love triangle between her, ex-boyfriend Brandt Ellison, and current boyfriend Giovanni. But I appreciated her struggle, considering how rushed her relationship with Giovanni had seemed in Rampant and how different Astrid has become by this point.
What I loved most of all from this series the extraordinary way Peterfreund manages to shock us all with plot twists that completely throw the rest of the narrative into a loop. She did it in Rampant with Phil getting raped and she’s done it again in Ascendant with a serious injury that surprised me in its abrupt realism. I don’t want to go any further to avoid spoiling anyone, but it’s done very well. Her structure at this point is incredibly more sophisticated than anything she did in Rampant, which, while sobering, was still straightforward. There was never any question of whether Phil was or was not raped. This time, the prose turns disconcerting, confusing, and eerily unnerving. Diana Peterfreund is not afraid to submit any of her characters to the harsh reality of the lives they’ve chosen to lead. She doesn’t sugarcoat their injuries or bestow upon them an indestructible layer of luck or an immortal ability to avoid danger.
Sequels often have the dubious distinction of being second. Battling novelty and attempting to maintain a sense of momentum is difficult. Not all sequels succeed at becoming more than a bridge between the previous and next installment. However, when they do succeed, we are momentarily suspended in the journey, not to forget that the protagonist has yet to finish, but rather to marvel at what they have done and to imagine how far yet they still have to go. Ascendant mostly does this, but to be honest, it was awkward moving beyond the action and conviction of Rampant to the slower introspection and multiple tangential plot runs that introduced, but did not resolve many new elements (Cory’s disease, the “science” of the Remedy) to the story. While I enjoyed the latter half of the novel, the first was enough to ensure this one didn’t quite measure up to Rampant.
After the incident at Cerveteri, the world knows all about real unicorns. Lilith Llewelyn is making the American television news circuits, spinning various yarns to influence how the media portrays the daughter and other girls she left behind in a French cloister. There, under the Order of the Lioness, their innate hunting abilities are honed with other useful skills such as archery and the quickest way to remove an alicorn (a unicorn’s signature horn). Astrid’s physical wounds may have healed, but unicorn hunting has hit all the young hunters hard. Some have left, some are still recovering from injuries, while Astrid is left confused and unsure of the choices she’s made. What does it mean exactly to be a unicorn hunter? And can she live with her decisions knowing how far-reaching they are?
From the first chapter, Ascendant is darker and far more serious than Rampant, which is saying a lot. For a book that delved into issues such as rape, self defense, and daily threats of death, it’s difficult to imagine how a series could get darker. The adventure, if it could ever be called that, is over. Unicorn hunting has become a trying job for Astrid and the other girls. Now that the world is aware that unicorns exist and aren’t as sweet as the popular media imagined them, Phil and Neil are being inundated with phone calls. The public wants protection and turns their pleas to the overwhelmed and understaffed cloister. There’s a difficult decision for the Order: accept Catholic sponsorship or find other means to fund their world-saving activities.
Peterfreund uses this opportunity to engage in a discussion about animal testing, when it’s clear what Astrid thinks of turning to the church for help. While she manages to spare readers some of the more gory details, what she does present is no less painful or difficult to read. It’s at this point the narrative turned long rather than suspenseful as Astrid begins to brood instead of hunt. Accepting a second offer from a pharmaceutical company provides more than financial security for the Order. It also provides a sedate and relatively worry-free environment for Astrid to recuperate her mental and emotional faculties. In her exhausted and morally troubled state of mind, it’s little wonder her preoccupations prevents her from closely scrutinizing Gordian’s new facilities. In fact, Astrid is persuaded fairly easily to join under new leadership, despite knowing there are dubious scientific practices involved and unicorns kept in captivity.
Astrid is clearly out of sorts. Her previous convictions are wavering under feelings of guilt and confusion. Whether it’s her huntress heritage, her relationship with Giovanni, or her lapsed education, Astrid is beginning to question who she is, who she was, and who she’s becoming. Reminders of her past serve to muddle her judgment in a cloud of nostalgia, but her surroundings—what she’s seeing—never quite measure up to what she’s being told and this only serves to confound her situation further. This is the book where the protagonist gets to finally stop and reassess everything that’s happened up to this point and it isn’t easy, but Astrid desperately wants it to be. Which is why it’s understandable when she makes big mistakes and misses glaringly obvious clues that even she should have caught. She even walks a dangerously thin line between hypocrite and heroine. Can a good deed still be a good deed if the only thing that separates it from the enemy is different rationalizations?
Ascendant deals eloquently with many slippery and complex ethical questions. As a result, there’s significantly less action and far fewer unicorn slayings, but the death toll continues to rise steadily. I was especially fascinated with how Astrid would resolve her misgivings and atone for deaths she was taking indirect responsibility for (not that she needs to atone, but she felt she had to). With so much gnawing on her conscience, it’s no wonder she begins to act out of character, even if some of the more trivial dilemmas she had to deal with were only interesting to me as indicative of how unsure she’d become. I was not, for example, particularly engaged in the love triangle between her, ex-boyfriend Brandt Ellison, and current boyfriend Giovanni. But I appreciated her struggle, considering how rushed her relationship with Giovanni had seemed in Rampant and how different Astrid has become by this point.
What I loved most of all from this series the extraordinary way Peterfreund manages to shock us all with plot twists that completely throw the rest of the narrative into a loop. She did it in Rampant with Phil getting raped and she’s done it again in Ascendant with a serious injury that surprised me in its abrupt realism. I don’t want to go any further to avoid spoiling anyone, but it’s done very well. Her structure at this point is incredibly more sophisticated than anything she did in Rampant, which, while sobering, was still straightforward. There was never any question of whether Phil was or was not raped. This time, the prose turns disconcerting, confusing, and eerily unnerving. Diana Peterfreund is not afraid to submit any of her characters to the harsh reality of the lives they’ve chosen to lead. She doesn’t sugarcoat their injuries or bestow upon them an indestructible layer of luck or an immortal ability to avoid danger.
Sequels often have the dubious distinction of being second. Battling novelty and attempting to maintain a sense of momentum is difficult. Not all sequels succeed at becoming more than a bridge between the previous and next installment. However, when they do succeed, we are momentarily suspended in the journey, not to forget that the protagonist has yet to finish, but rather to marvel at what they have done and to imagine how far yet they still have to go. Ascendant mostly does this, but to be honest, it was awkward moving beyond the action and conviction of Rampant to the slower introspection and multiple tangential plot runs that introduced, but did not resolve many new elements (Cory’s disease, the “science” of the Remedy) to the story. While I enjoyed the latter half of the novel, the first was enough to ensure this one didn’t quite measure up to Rampant.
December 4, 2010
Astrid Llewelyn is a reluctant unicorn hunter. There aren't very many due to the fact that only descendants of Alexander the Great that are virgins are eligible for the task. Recruitment has been slow since many potential hunters make themselves ineligible for the job to avoid the danger that is being advertised in the news, mostly by Astrid's attention seeking mother. Astrid lives in a nunnery in Italy with her fellow hunters. She would rather be in a lab, trying to find a way to replicate the Remedy, a powerful cure for poisons and sickness. An opportunity arrises for her to continue her education when Gordian Pharmaceuticals, now led by Isabeau Jaeger, offers her a position guarding a herd of einhorns as well as tutoring, new clothes, a room in a mansion, and a way out of putting her life in danger every day. She accepts the job, but it's not as easy as it seems. Her ex-boyfriend, Brandt, is around her all the time, distracting her from Giovanni, her boyfriend going to school in New York. She also finds that her work with the einhorns isn't so easy when experiments are done on them as she grows to know and like them. Should she walk away and not be involved with the torture of these animals? Is it any different from killing them like she's been doing?
I was afraid that Ascendant would be a lackluster sequel to Rampant because the first book was so dynamic and compelling that maybe it was too hard to follow up with something better. I was pleasantly surprised and proven to be wrong. Ascendant turned out to be almost as good as the first. It has much more moral complexity than the first book. On one hand, unicorns are violent, wild animals that attack and kill humans. Unicorn hunters are people's only protection. On the other hand, unicorns are an endangered species and, as with all animals, they are aggressive because they feel threatened. There is also the added issue of animal testing and at what point is it considered unnecessary torture.
The first book pretty much stayed in Italy and the cloister where Astrid lives. This book widens that view to other countries and gives a nice look at how killer unicorns are effecting the rest of the world. Instead of being mocked or ignored, the hunters are finally being taken seriously after people witness the devastation that can happen when the creatures go unchecked. I also like the change of scenery to France with Gordian Pharmaceuticals.
Astrid is an excellent, strong female protagonist. Even though she makes mistakes that sometimes end up hurting her friends, she is still a sympathetic and relatable character. Although she is physically strong, she is also intelligent and has ambitions beyond slaying unicorns. One of my favorite things about her is that even though she's a peaceful person, she feels that it's her obligation to stay a hunter and fight to save human lives. It's easy to choose the selfish route, but Astrid stays a hunter despite her doubts. After reading books like Hush, Hush, Fallen, and Nightshade, it's refreshing to read a book about a girl who isn't defined by her relationship with a man and doesn't let men overpower her.
The pacing of the first half is a bit slow, with a lot of Astrid's internal struggle to figure out who to trust and what is right and wrong. It was still enjoyable to read, but it went on a little bit too long for me. About three quarters through the book, a bombshell is dropped that really shocked me. After that I devoured the rest of the book quickly and I'm eager to read more. I've heard that a third book isn't planned at the moment, but I really really hope that another one gets written because I need to know what happens next. I highly recommend this series to anyone.
I was afraid that Ascendant would be a lackluster sequel to Rampant because the first book was so dynamic and compelling that maybe it was too hard to follow up with something better. I was pleasantly surprised and proven to be wrong. Ascendant turned out to be almost as good as the first. It has much more moral complexity than the first book. On one hand, unicorns are violent, wild animals that attack and kill humans. Unicorn hunters are people's only protection. On the other hand, unicorns are an endangered species and, as with all animals, they are aggressive because they feel threatened. There is also the added issue of animal testing and at what point is it considered unnecessary torture.
The first book pretty much stayed in Italy and the cloister where Astrid lives. This book widens that view to other countries and gives a nice look at how killer unicorns are effecting the rest of the world. Instead of being mocked or ignored, the hunters are finally being taken seriously after people witness the devastation that can happen when the creatures go unchecked. I also like the change of scenery to France with Gordian Pharmaceuticals.
Astrid is an excellent, strong female protagonist. Even though she makes mistakes that sometimes end up hurting her friends, she is still a sympathetic and relatable character. Although she is physically strong, she is also intelligent and has ambitions beyond slaying unicorns. One of my favorite things about her is that even though she's a peaceful person, she feels that it's her obligation to stay a hunter and fight to save human lives. It's easy to choose the selfish route, but Astrid stays a hunter despite her doubts. After reading books like Hush, Hush, Fallen, and Nightshade, it's refreshing to read a book about a girl who isn't defined by her relationship with a man and doesn't let men overpower her.
The pacing of the first half is a bit slow, with a lot of Astrid's internal struggle to figure out who to trust and what is right and wrong. It was still enjoyable to read, but it went on a little bit too long for me. About three quarters through the book, a bombshell is dropped that really shocked me. After that I devoured the rest of the book quickly and I'm eager to read more. I've heard that a third book isn't planned at the moment, but I really really hope that another one gets written because I need to know what happens next. I highly recommend this series to anyone.
November 2, 2010
In Ascendant, we return to the Cloisters in Rome, where Astrid Llewelyn and the other girls around her are fully trained unicorn hunters. Since the world has discovered the existence of the mysterious–and deadly–unicorns, the hunters have become celebrities, in a way. Astrid’s mother is at the forefront of this newfound popularity, but she really has no idea what the hunters are facing: possible death at every turn, no semblance of a life, a world that is falling apart around them, and being seen as freaks to everyone outside their safe haven.
When things begin to change all around Astrid–her best friend’s diminishing powers, her boyfriend’s departure, and new rules imposed on the unicorn hunters–she takes an unexpected opportunity to get away for a while. She becomes involved with the very company that was sabotaging the efforts of the unicorn hunters just a short while ago. The company is under new leadership (since the previous leader was killed by a giant unicorn), and Astrid thinks things are changing for the better. She takes a place guarding captive unicorns, she begins to study science, and she spends each night in a comfy bed instead of in a tree waiting to kill murderous unicorns.
Life is better for Astrid outside of the Cloisters, and she begins to question what she’s been doing for the past several months. As she grows closer to the unicorns she guards, she becomes convinced that is not strictly necessary to kill each unicorn she encounters. What if they can be controlled? What if not all of them are violent? What if they’re just doing what they must to survive?
As events unfold, and Astrid learns of several secrets being kept, both the unicorn hunters and the animals they hunt are in more danger than ever. Can Astrid save the unicorns, those she loves, and herself without losing who she truly is? Is it even possible? Read Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund to find out.
While Rampant added unicorns to the long list of things that scare me, Ascendant redeemed these creatures a bit. With Astrid’s help, I came to understand the beings a bit better, and I’m not quite so scared of them anymore. (Yes, I know this is a work of fiction, but some of us would rather live in a fantasy world than deal with the realities of life. Cut me some slack.) I hope to understand these unicorns a bit more in the future, but, according to Diana Peterfreund’s website, http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/, there are no current plans for a third book in this series. Hopefully, that will change soon. There are a lot of questions that need answers. Even without these answers, though, I think both Rampant and Ascendant are excellent books with strong female characters. My inner feminist is rejoicing.
When things begin to change all around Astrid–her best friend’s diminishing powers, her boyfriend’s departure, and new rules imposed on the unicorn hunters–she takes an unexpected opportunity to get away for a while. She becomes involved with the very company that was sabotaging the efforts of the unicorn hunters just a short while ago. The company is under new leadership (since the previous leader was killed by a giant unicorn), and Astrid thinks things are changing for the better. She takes a place guarding captive unicorns, she begins to study science, and she spends each night in a comfy bed instead of in a tree waiting to kill murderous unicorns.
Life is better for Astrid outside of the Cloisters, and she begins to question what she’s been doing for the past several months. As she grows closer to the unicorns she guards, she becomes convinced that is not strictly necessary to kill each unicorn she encounters. What if they can be controlled? What if not all of them are violent? What if they’re just doing what they must to survive?
As events unfold, and Astrid learns of several secrets being kept, both the unicorn hunters and the animals they hunt are in more danger than ever. Can Astrid save the unicorns, those she loves, and herself without losing who she truly is? Is it even possible? Read Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund to find out.
While Rampant added unicorns to the long list of things that scare me, Ascendant redeemed these creatures a bit. With Astrid’s help, I came to understand the beings a bit better, and I’m not quite so scared of them anymore. (Yes, I know this is a work of fiction, but some of us would rather live in a fantasy world than deal with the realities of life. Cut me some slack.) I hope to understand these unicorns a bit more in the future, but, according to Diana Peterfreund’s website, http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/, there are no current plans for a third book in this series. Hopefully, that will change soon. There are a lot of questions that need answers. Even without these answers, though, I think both Rampant and Ascendant are excellent books with strong female characters. My inner feminist is rejoicing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2011
Before I read the first book in this series, Rampant, I was one of those people who thought Unicorns were cute and pretty who had rainbows and sparkly things trailing after them. Now, whenever I see my little sister playing with her stuffed Unicorn toy, I'm tempted to tell her what that horn is really for.
Ascendant was EPIC. Even more than Rampant. Astrid goes to France to put her Unicorn hunting powers to use for other things besides killing. It was so cool how Astrid has this connection with them and be able to communicate. How many little girls wish to do that? We learn more about the Unicorns which confuses Astrid. Should she do what she was born to do and kill these monsters who were a threat to all humans? Or should she protect the innocent animals who are only doing what they do to survive? I was as torn as Astrid. Sometimes I'm afraid of them and am happy Unicorns aren't real (as of now) and other times I want to keep one as a pet. If only there was a way to know exactly which Unicorns were evil, than there may be a solution. But of course things aren't that simple. Another major part of the book was the whole virginity issue. While Astrid wishes she could just be a normal girl she also doesn't want to lose her connection to the Unicorns. Life ain't fair eh?
My heart broke for Astrid. That girl is brave. I mean, to be able to face these scary creatures and actually kill them? Wow. Yeah that's probably because of the powers in her that help her, but there is a way to leave all of this and go back to her life (if that's even possible now). But she doesn't do that. She doesn't take the easy way out. Even after what happens to her. We get to meet Isabeau Jaeger, wife of Marten Jaeger, but fear not! She is not like him. But I was always suspicious of her. We don't see much of the other hunters but a past friend makes a surprise appearance. Also, I was not happy with Giovanni. Astrid really needs to get herself someone waaaaaaay better.
It took me more than my average days to finish this book because it was longer than I'd have liked. But when I neared the end I could not put the book down! I ended up staying up at night. Which I don't like doing unless the book is epic. Which this book was. I know I already said that. Anyways, the ending is sort of a cliffhanger, I dunno, because some things are left unanswered (I really wanna know what's going on with Cory!) plus I don't think this is how the author would want the story to end. After researching I haven't found any news of book 3 yet but I'm hoping there is one!
If you haven't started this series yet, please do! It's awesome. Especially if you love Unicorns. However if you still like to think of them as those cute sparkly types, well, be prepared.
Ascendant was EPIC. Even more than Rampant. Astrid goes to France to put her Unicorn hunting powers to use for other things besides killing. It was so cool how Astrid has this connection with them and be able to communicate. How many little girls wish to do that? We learn more about the Unicorns which confuses Astrid. Should she do what she was born to do and kill these monsters who were a threat to all humans? Or should she protect the innocent animals who are only doing what they do to survive? I was as torn as Astrid. Sometimes I'm afraid of them and am happy Unicorns aren't real (as of now) and other times I want to keep one as a pet. If only there was a way to know exactly which Unicorns were evil, than there may be a solution. But of course things aren't that simple. Another major part of the book was the whole virginity issue. While Astrid wishes she could just be a normal girl she also doesn't want to lose her connection to the Unicorns. Life ain't fair eh?
My heart broke for Astrid. That girl is brave. I mean, to be able to face these scary creatures and actually kill them? Wow. Yeah that's probably because of the powers in her that help her, but there is a way to leave all of this and go back to her life (if that's even possible now). But she doesn't do that. She doesn't take the easy way out. Even after what happens to her. We get to meet Isabeau Jaeger, wife of Marten Jaeger, but fear not! She is not like him. But I was always suspicious of her. We don't see much of the other hunters but a past friend makes a surprise appearance. Also, I was not happy with Giovanni. Astrid really needs to get herself someone waaaaaaay better.
It took me more than my average days to finish this book because it was longer than I'd have liked. But when I neared the end I could not put the book down! I ended up staying up at night. Which I don't like doing unless the book is epic. Which this book was. I know I already said that. Anyways, the ending is sort of a cliffhanger, I dunno, because some things are left unanswered (I really wanna know what's going on with Cory!) plus I don't think this is how the author would want the story to end. After researching I haven't found any news of book 3 yet but I'm hoping there is one!
If you haven't started this series yet, please do! It's awesome. Especially if you love Unicorns. However if you still like to think of them as those cute sparkly types, well, be prepared.
June 12, 2011
This book was the second book of the Killer Unicorns series by Diana Peterfreund. I read the first book in eighth grade, I guessed, and totally loved the book. I didn't know that there was a second book until I accidentally found it in the library. I was eager to get started reading. but the book turned out pretty disappointing to me. Astrid's boyfriend (Giovanni) had moved back to New York, leaving Astrid behind. They wanted to have a long-distance relationship, but it turned out not going so well. Later, Astrid went to France to help out in the Gordian headquarter and she found out that the people in the headquarter had already found the cure to unicorn horn attack. But those cures were very rare and that her own ex-boyfriend was the one who had gathered that they had so far. Astrid was there to control the unicorns that they wanted to experiment on. But on finding out the truths and seeing how the unicorns suffer, she set them free and planned on returning all the cures that the Gordian people had "stole" from the other hunters. I didn't like this book as much as I liked the first one because in the book, Astrid and Giovanni broke up after the accident that caused Astrid to have the need to be close to the unicorns in order to function normally. I expected that those two would be together forever, overcoming hardships together. This little detail really made me dislike the book. It was like a dream that had turned into a nightmare. I couldn't relate to the book at all because in this world, unicorns were believed to be kind and nice. However in the book, unicorns were killers that could only be killed by female hunters that were descendants of Alexander the Great. This book was like a fairy tale gone bad, where unicorns were creatures that you don't wish to meet. I would recommend this book to people that liked to read about the side of unicorns where they were not what they seemed to be. Diana Peterfreund had created a great series connecting Alexander the Great, the Goddess Diana, and evil unicorns that would make little kids question about their love for unicorns.
July 28, 2010
Sincerely, I wasn't expecting much from this one, since Rampant ended very peacefully to me, and then I was surprised that I enjoyed this sequel a lot more, though happened to me the same thing about the beginning: I took pages and pages to really get into the story. But, in Ascendant, we come to face another historical, present aspect regarding the actaeon, the Llewelyn family and the Remedy—there are mysteries to be solved, lots of discoveries, and everything fits well.
What made me a little bit confused was the romance—I didn't get it... Did Astrid really love Giovanni and vice-versa, or she didn't and vice-versa? The last scenes between them two were pretty awkward, way too straight to the point of the conversations, and I was left without understanding why that hapenned, why it was the way it was. I felt like wanting a better explanation.
As the story is settled mostly in France, Astrid is surprised—as well as I was—by those discoveries, those people she met at the Gordian. Everything seems to mess her mind, and it all gets her confused, maybe afraid, especially because they the Cloisters get to lose a few guardians for many reasons you will see if you read it. Nonetheless, she finds peace when she's around the unicorns, and her connection with them grows better, like she's feeling exactly what they are, though the description in the book sounds particularly and honestly kind of boring to me.
Well, the whole story is basically written based on the surprises Astrid faces, therefore I can not tell much or I might (sorry about the language) screw it up for you—though I don't even think it's possible since I sincerely loved this sequel and now want more! Because the ending left me sad sitting on my bed, and wondering a LOT.
Overall, Ascendant is brilliant. I had no idea I was going to enjoy it so much as I did, nor find what I found. Astrid keeps being such a strong female protagonist, who grows on me by every chapter. I'm sincerely super looking forward to see what comes next in the series, how everything is going to be solved... or not.
What made me a little bit confused was the romance—I didn't get it... Did Astrid really love Giovanni and vice-versa, or she didn't and vice-versa? The last scenes between them two were pretty awkward, way too straight to the point of the conversations, and I was left without understanding why that hapenned, why it was the way it was. I felt like wanting a better explanation.
As the story is settled mostly in France, Astrid is surprised—as well as I was—by those discoveries, those people she met at the Gordian. Everything seems to mess her mind, and it all gets her confused, maybe afraid, especially because they the Cloisters get to lose a few guardians for many reasons you will see if you read it. Nonetheless, she finds peace when she's around the unicorns, and her connection with them grows better, like she's feeling exactly what they are, though the description in the book sounds particularly and honestly kind of boring to me.
Well, the whole story is basically written based on the surprises Astrid faces, therefore I can not tell much or I might (sorry about the language) screw it up for you—though I don't even think it's possible since I sincerely loved this sequel and now want more! Because the ending left me sad sitting on my bed, and wondering a LOT.
Overall, Ascendant is brilliant. I had no idea I was going to enjoy it so much as I did, nor find what I found. Astrid keeps being such a strong female protagonist, who grows on me by every chapter. I'm sincerely super looking forward to see what comes next in the series, how everything is going to be solved... or not.
December 30, 2015
I didn't adore Rampant, the first book, but I was very curious to see where Peterfreund would take Astrid and her fellow unicorn-hunters. This sequel was a bit darker than the first, but overall has many of the same preoccupations: the difficulties of committing yourself to a life of killing and celibacy when you're sixteen, the difficulties of being forced together with a bunch of girls you don't know and have little in common with, occasionally having to deal with a crazy mother. So while I didn't adore this one, either, I definitely don't regret reading it.
The main surprise for me with the first book was (what felt like) its overwhelming interest in Astrid's love life. By the end I could see why this was important - in terms of plot - and of course if Peterfreund was setting out to write a teen romance with killer unicorns then that's totally cool; it's just not what I had expected, which is my problem not hers. That continues into this book, naturally, with some neat (well, difficult actually) twists that meant it wasn't simply rehashing the initial plot. Peterfreund is certainly not interested in making life easy for her characters. The romance didn't work for me but I'm not a teenager, so maybe I'm too cynical.
I liked that Astrid got to experience life a bit outside of the Cloisters, and that she got to think through her difficulties with the whole idea of killing. There's a nice, if simplistic, balance between Cory on the one side, all in favour of killing the lot, and Phil wanting to set up some sort of genuine conservation - and Astrid fitting between them. It did relieve me that Kill The Beast! didn't become an overwhelming theme for the novel.
I'm surprised there's no third book. ... and I've just looked at Peeterfreund's website which says that she's hoping to write the third, Triumphant, "soon" (but I don't know when the site was updated). I'll probably end up reading it, although it's not a preorder-in-a-mad-rush kinda thing.
The main surprise for me with the first book was (what felt like) its overwhelming interest in Astrid's love life. By the end I could see why this was important - in terms of plot - and of course if Peterfreund was setting out to write a teen romance with killer unicorns then that's totally cool; it's just not what I had expected, which is my problem not hers. That continues into this book, naturally, with some neat (well, difficult actually) twists that meant it wasn't simply rehashing the initial plot. Peterfreund is certainly not interested in making life easy for her characters. The romance didn't work for me but I'm not a teenager, so maybe I'm too cynical.
I liked that Astrid got to experience life a bit outside of the Cloisters, and that she got to think through her difficulties with the whole idea of killing. There's a nice, if simplistic, balance between Cory on the one side, all in favour of killing the lot, and Phil wanting to set up some sort of genuine conservation - and Astrid fitting between them. It did relieve me that Kill The Beast! didn't become an overwhelming theme for the novel.
I'm surprised there's no third book. ... and I've just looked at Peeterfreund's website which says that she's hoping to write the third, Triumphant, "soon" (but I don't know when the site was updated). I'll probably end up reading it, although it's not a preorder-in-a-mad-rush kinda thing.
June 21, 2017
Ascendant was a pretty great sequel, although I didn't enjoy it quite as much as Rampant. It picks up about a month after the previous book, and actually spans quite a bit of time. Astrid is still juggling her feelings about being a unicorn hunter. She knows that they're dangerous and that she's one of very few people who can fight them. But on the other hand, is killing them just to be rid of them the right thing to do? When an opportunity arises for her to work with unicorns without killing them, Astrid has a lot more to consider about her place in this world.
Ascendant does take a darker turn. The unicorns are out and causing havoc. There's only the handful of girls in the Cloisters who are able to fight against them, but they can't be everywhere at once. Especially since at any given time one or more of them are gravely injured. There's also the matter of Cory not being able to hunt anymore, and Astrid simply not wanting to. Astrid also gets to see the mistreatment of unicorns up close which makes her decision to be a hunter even more confusing. Not to mention something major happens to her toward the end which will affect her for her entire life, most likely.
I don't want to spoil anything about Ascendant since a lot does happen. Astrid finally gets to see a lab in action, although it turns out not to be what she expected at all. And yes, we do learn the main ingredient of the Remedy. It seems so obvious now! I also liked how the romance was handled here. It's not all sunshine and rainbows, but it felt realistic. The ending has me a little torn though. While it could be a good, open ending place without being too open, I feel like there's a lot more than can be explored in future books. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to more!
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
Ascendant does take a darker turn. The unicorns are out and causing havoc. There's only the handful of girls in the Cloisters who are able to fight against them, but they can't be everywhere at once. Especially since at any given time one or more of them are gravely injured. There's also the matter of Cory not being able to hunt anymore, and Astrid simply not wanting to. Astrid also gets to see the mistreatment of unicorns up close which makes her decision to be a hunter even more confusing. Not to mention something major happens to her toward the end which will affect her for her entire life, most likely.
I don't want to spoil anything about Ascendant since a lot does happen. Astrid finally gets to see a lab in action, although it turns out not to be what she expected at all. And yes, we do learn the main ingredient of the Remedy. It seems so obvious now! I also liked how the romance was handled here. It's not all sunshine and rainbows, but it felt realistic. The ending has me a little torn though. While it could be a good, open ending place without being too open, I feel like there's a lot more than can be explored in future books. I certainly wouldn't be opposed to more!
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
June 26, 2025
i will wait forever for the 3rd book 🙂↕️🙂↕️🙂↕️
September 2, 2010
Ascendant blew me away. I didn’t think it could be any better than the first, but wow. Everything was heightened and way more intense- the sexual tension, the action, the emotion. I finished this book with a heavy breath.
As much as I absolutely loved Rampant, we didn’t get much of a change of scenery outside of the Cloisters. In Ascendant, Astrid steps away from Rome and finds new challenges with the unicorns in a completely new environment. We’re introduced to new characters and we learn more about another species of unicorn that makes Astrid question everything about who and what she is. The ass-kicking action is still very much present, but I appreciated more of the conflicted characters this time around.
One thing that puts me on the fence, that might make me question just how incredible this second book in the series really is, is the possibility of there not being a third book. From what I’ve heard, there are no plans for another book yet. Yet. (And this could also just be a rumor!) Which means that I could be freaking out over nothing. But leaving the series to end like this? That’s even more brutal than some of the gory scenes that Diana writes so magnificently. It was a perfect and intense ending, but it is no way satisfying as a conclusion to the series. Nothing resolved, no questions answered, issues left lingering between the pages. Diana, if you’re reading this, for the sake of our sanity, please write more!
But seriously, Ascendant is a mind-blowing sequel and I applaud Diana for hooking me so deeply. I devoured the entire book in only a few short hours because I literally could not put it down. If you’re a fan of the first, do not waste any time reading this when it comes out. I absolutely loved it!
As much as I absolutely loved Rampant, we didn’t get much of a change of scenery outside of the Cloisters. In Ascendant, Astrid steps away from Rome and finds new challenges with the unicorns in a completely new environment. We’re introduced to new characters and we learn more about another species of unicorn that makes Astrid question everything about who and what she is. The ass-kicking action is still very much present, but I appreciated more of the conflicted characters this time around.
One thing that puts me on the fence, that might make me question just how incredible this second book in the series really is, is the possibility of there not being a third book. From what I’ve heard, there are no plans for another book yet. Yet. (And this could also just be a rumor!) Which means that I could be freaking out over nothing. But leaving the series to end like this? That’s even more brutal than some of the gory scenes that Diana writes so magnificently. It was a perfect and intense ending, but it is no way satisfying as a conclusion to the series. Nothing resolved, no questions answered, issues left lingering between the pages. Diana, if you’re reading this, for the sake of our sanity, please write more!
But seriously, Ascendant is a mind-blowing sequel and I applaud Diana for hooking me so deeply. I devoured the entire book in only a few short hours because I literally could not put it down. If you’re a fan of the first, do not waste any time reading this when it comes out. I absolutely loved it!
August 17, 2011
It's hard for my to gather my thoughts on this book, because on one hand I really enjoyed it,but on the other hand,some(many)things about this book really infuriated me.
Pros:Loved Isabeau, she was a grate character and I loved her from the first scene she was in, when Astrid was with Isabeau and the einhorn's, were the bests parts of this book. The Cory and Val's relationship is so cute. The writing was beautiful and flowed really nicely. Phil, as always stole the show with every scene she was in.
Cons:Astrid.OH Astrid,Astrid,Astrid, she just got on my nerves all the time,it starred at when she abandoned Cory to work for Isabeau. Granted, Isabeau and Angel were my favorite parts of this novel, but she just dumped her bestfriend to work for a women she just met.And ended when she got her head smashed open. I still like Astrid she is a good character an all. But she need to be more into her hunting,then spending most of her time thinking,"does Giovanni love me or not",honey the world is counting on you,Astrid, to save them. I hated Lilith even more in this book then the last one. There needs to be more Phil and Neil,and Cory and Val. The plot itself was okay for me, but I do think it did dragged out in some places and was kind of boring,and the book could of bean shorted.Oh and Seth, when are their going to catch the asshole how raped my Phil. In Rampant there were way to many characters.It's a little better in Ascendant but their are a few characters that could have bean cut out. Most of my questions were answered, but I still have a few, mainly concerning the Remedy.
Diana Perefreund when are you going to write the third book, this book came out in 2010 and it's 2011.
Grade:B
Pros:Loved Isabeau, she was a grate character and I loved her from the first scene she was in, when Astrid was with Isabeau and the einhorn's, were the bests parts of this book. The Cory and Val's relationship is so cute. The writing was beautiful and flowed really nicely. Phil, as always stole the show with every scene she was in.
Cons:Astrid.OH Astrid,Astrid,Astrid, she just got on my nerves all the time,it starred at when she abandoned Cory to work for Isabeau. Granted, Isabeau and Angel were my favorite parts of this novel, but she just dumped her bestfriend to work for a women she just met.And ended when she got her head smashed open. I still like Astrid she is a good character an all. But she need to be more into her hunting,then spending most of her time thinking,"does Giovanni love me or not",honey the world is counting on you,Astrid, to save them. I hated Lilith even more in this book then the last one. There needs to be more Phil and Neil,and Cory and Val. The plot itself was okay for me, but I do think it did dragged out in some places and was kind of boring,and the book could of bean shorted.Oh and Seth, when are their going to catch the asshole how raped my Phil. In Rampant there were way to many characters.It's a little better in Ascendant but their are a few characters that could have bean cut out. Most of my questions were answered, but I still have a few, mainly concerning the Remedy.
Diana Perefreund when are you going to write the third book, this book came out in 2010 and it's 2011.
Grade:B
January 10, 2016
One of the major outcomes of reading
Zombies vs. Unicorns
was that it made me wonder why I still hadn't read Diana Peterfreund's sequel to
Rampant
,
Ascendant
. So, I got right on it. I enjoyed this second book even better than the first. Granted Rampant wasn't what I was expecting (whatever that was) and now I had a better idea of what this killer unicorn world was like.
In this second novel Astrid is really struggling to balance the opposing forces in her life--the magic and the mundane, guys, defending humanity and slaying an endangered (albeit dangerous) species. She doesn't have all the answers, and she makes some mistakes with serious consequences. I liked that our understanding of unicorn magic (and Astrid's too) grew so much in this novel. I liked that Diana Peterfreund made some tough decisions. Astrid gets pretty worked over, but I think the novel is better for it. I can see why so many people have asked if there is going to be a third novel. There are certainly a lot of unanswered questions. I, for one, would love to revisit Ms. Peterfreund's world of dangerous, yet noble, creatures.
In this second novel Astrid is really struggling to balance the opposing forces in her life--the magic and the mundane, guys, defending humanity and slaying an endangered (albeit dangerous) species. She doesn't have all the answers, and she makes some mistakes with serious consequences. I liked that our understanding of unicorn magic (and Astrid's too) grew so much in this novel. I liked that Diana Peterfreund made some tough decisions. Astrid gets pretty worked over, but I think the novel is better for it. I can see why so many people have asked if there is going to be a third novel. There are certainly a lot of unanswered questions. I, for one, would love to revisit Ms. Peterfreund's world of dangerous, yet noble, creatures.
August 3, 2011
After falling in love with Rampant, the first novel in the series, I just HAD to read the next novel. Ascendant early on has the same feeling as Rampant. Girl power, a little romance, and the always fabulous killer unicorns. But don't let that fool you... Ascendant has a darker side.
In a lot of ways, I think of this series (at least thus far) as two parts to a coin. Rampant is kick butt and takes names side. The "Yes, I am a unicorn hunter. Wanna make something of it?" type novel. In contrast, Ascendant is more the effects of Rampant's causes. This novel screams more "Yes, I am still a unicorn hunter, but what does that really mean?" The feelings I have for Ascendant are really hard to put into words. Amazing.. thought provoking.. killer unicorns.. I mean I really could be here all day. But what it all comes down to is that Ascendant is outstanding. There is definitely no sequel slump here.
Ascendant, in the end, really blew me away. There are twists and turns here that I never would have guessed in a millions years. And most importantly.. they make sense. As for Astrid, she changes a lot in this novel. Some are for the better and some.. are really up in the air. And as for her love life.. well, you will just have to read it to find out. It makes me sad to think that this might be the last novel in the series, but it ends on a pretty interesting note. Not really a cliffhanger.. but definitely has the promise for more. And with so many subplots still with unresolved issues, I am praying for more. Please.. Please.. Please..
In a lot of ways, I think of this series (at least thus far) as two parts to a coin. Rampant is kick butt and takes names side. The "Yes, I am a unicorn hunter. Wanna make something of it?" type novel. In contrast, Ascendant is more the effects of Rampant's causes. This novel screams more "Yes, I am still a unicorn hunter, but what does that really mean?" The feelings I have for Ascendant are really hard to put into words. Amazing.. thought provoking.. killer unicorns.. I mean I really could be here all day. But what it all comes down to is that Ascendant is outstanding. There is definitely no sequel slump here.
Ascendant, in the end, really blew me away. There are twists and turns here that I never would have guessed in a millions years. And most importantly.. they make sense. As for Astrid, she changes a lot in this novel. Some are for the better and some.. are really up in the air. And as for her love life.. well, you will just have to read it to find out. It makes me sad to think that this might be the last novel in the series, but it ends on a pretty interesting note. Not really a cliffhanger.. but definitely has the promise for more. And with so many subplots still with unresolved issues, I am praying for more. Please.. Please.. Please..
June 22, 2010
First I just want to rant a little about how there ISN'T GOING TO BE A THIRD BOOK! At least not anytime soon. Which really upset me 'cause I love me some Killer Unicorns! That also had to bring Ascendant down to a 4 star, because if this is how it ends...it just isn't enough. I think we need to start a petition so that we can get some more Killer Unicorns!
OK, on to the review! Loved it! Want to give it 5 stars, but really, if this is how it ends, NOTHING is resolved! (*frustrated growl*) Astrid is once again a kick-ass unicorn hunter living as a nun, and killing ravenous/poisonous/"wants to eat you" unicorns.
She has to deal with a lot in this book and at times it can be a little slow. And at times it can be a little frustrating. I found myself shaking the book like I could shake some sense into her. Without being spoilery, she has some tough choices ahead of her and she handles MOST of them very well. The last half of the book really threw me, but I liked it. I feel really bad for Astrid and hope everything works out.
Please, Please, PLEASE can we get another book? Just one more? I just want to know how it all ENDS!
If you loved Rampant, which I'm sure you did, then you will LOVE Ascendant. How could you not, it's freaking Killer Unicorns!
OK, on to the review! Loved it! Want to give it 5 stars, but really, if this is how it ends, NOTHING is resolved! (*frustrated growl*) Astrid is once again a kick-ass unicorn hunter living as a nun, and killing ravenous/poisonous/"wants to eat you" unicorns.
She has to deal with a lot in this book and at times it can be a little slow. And at times it can be a little frustrating. I found myself shaking the book like I could shake some sense into her. Without being spoilery, she has some tough choices ahead of her and she handles MOST of them very well. The last half of the book really threw me, but I liked it. I feel really bad for Astrid and hope everything works out.
Please, Please, PLEASE can we get another book? Just one more? I just want to know how it all ENDS!
If you loved Rampant, which I'm sure you did, then you will LOVE Ascendant. How could you not, it's freaking Killer Unicorns!
March 29, 2014
Last year I read Rampant by Diana Peterfreund and I quite liked it. Enough to recommend it to others, and enough to want to pick up Ascendant when it released this year. My initial knee jerk response to the sequel was one of disappointment. I didn't much like the beginning of this book. And then fifty pages in I got over that.
We pick up in Rome with Astrid living in the Cloisters, lamenting her fate, and wilting under the constraints of the gruesome task set upon her. The Cloisters has lost its funding with the withdrawal of support from Gordian Pharmaceuticals and is struggling to keep up. Enter the Vatican, and fatigue habits, and a new attitude, and a whole lot of things get weird about this book. At one point Astrid gets put in a position of sympathy towards the deadly beasts she has been killing, which adds a whole lot of confusion, and a great story.
These books are great to read. Not perfect, but compulsively readable. I'm glad I pushed through the initial blah of the beginning, which may have been me playing sequel catch-up until my memory was jogged anyways. That said, I enjoyed it very much.
4 out of 5 stars.
- review courtesy of www.bibliopunkkreads.com
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