In Ascension is a truly breathtaking piece of work. It's one of the best things I've read for some time, and a novel which restores ones faith in the genre. It takes the reader on an unexpected and constantly surprising journey. Set in a near future, it tells the story of a young woman from the Netherlands who excels in marine biology - the reader learns a lot about algae and its potential as a food source - and her journeys on a research ship to the south Atlantic, and to the Mojave Desert and beyond. It's a propulsive literary thriller, profound in its examination of the natural world, human relationships, and the fundamental issues of our presence and existence on Earth. An absolutely brilliant book!