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Ronald Malfi
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The Ascent: A Novel of Survival Hardcover – September 1, 2010

by Ronald Malfi (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 316 ratings
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Having lost himself in extreme sports since the death of his wife, sculptor Tim Overleigh joins a team of men bent on climbing the Godesh Ridge in Nepal in order to stop his downward spiral, only to find what was supposed to be a journey based in Tibetan mysticism to be an experiment in terror.
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  1. Print length
    376 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Medallion Press
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 2010
  5. Dimensions
    6.56 x 1.13 x 9.28 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1605420670
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1605420677
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A challenge to undertake a dangerous climb in the Himalayas in Nepal might help Tim Overleigh salvage his life or lose it in Malfi's harrowing tale of six men following one man's obsession on a nearly impossible quest. Andrew Trumbauer, a rich, eccentric, charismatic daredevil, assembles and outfits the group of men, each chosen by him for a particular reason. Overleigh, once a noted sculptor, descended into alcoholism after his wife, Hannah, left him and was later killed in a car accident. The men's route leads from the Valley of Walls to the Sanctuary of the Gods and the Hall of Mirrors before reaching the never before crossed Canyon of Souls. Intense descriptions of the rigors of the climb alternate with Overleigh's backstory and his growing realization that Trumbauer has more than one agenda. Malfi (Shamrock Alley) delivers a nearly straightforward adventure story of man against the elements with man being the most dangerous element of all.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Sculptor Tim Overleigh is still recovering—but very slowly—from the shock of the death of his ex-wife (who had left him for another man). When an old friend asks Tim to join him on a mountaineering expedition in the Himalayas, Tim balks at first but eventually acquiesces. He soon realizes there may be more to this climb than meets the eye. Malfi brings the same feel for character and setting to this novel as he did to Shamrock Alley(2009). Tim Overleigh’s mental anguish and self-torture after the death of his ex-wife are presented dramatically but not unrealistically, and the events of the ill-fated climbing expedition are related in a straightforward style that, at certain moments, achieves a sort of documentary realism. Malfi, like the great documentarians, really makes us feel as though we are there. Another fine effort from this increasingly interesting writer. --David Pitt

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Medallion Press (September 1, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 376 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1605420670
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1605420677
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.34 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.56 x 1.13 x 9.28 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 316 ratings

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Ronald Malfi

Ronald Malfi

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
316 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

monikerlewinsky
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! A riveting story!
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2021
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I don't read much fiction, but I do love Stephen King, and now, Ronald Malfi! He has that same way of creating multiple characters that you feel like you know. His descriptions are so well done that the writing doesn't distract, but it does paint the picture so well that you feel like you're there.
He's just a master storyteller.

The twist was something I didn't see coming - several twists that tied the story up beautifully. Another thing I love about both authors is that the main protagonist doesn't go down with the ship. I will continue to seek out his books!

Finally, I love the supernatural aspects of this story. Bringing in ideas from another culture and fleshing them out in the story gives a deeper layer to the whole experience.
Bravo!
5 people found this helpful
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Annabel lee
4.0 out of 5 stars Snowy, adventures thriller
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2021
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Man, I just cannot stop reading this guy’s books. There’s something about the way he writes that I really enjoy. This one is no different.
I am always a sucker for stories that involve people trapped in the elements. Add in a murderer and we are good to go
This book is about a guy dealing with the death of his wife, the loss of his sculpting talent, and alcohol addiction. Because of all these things, somewhere along the line he becomes an extreme sport addict. After recovering from an accident from one of those extreme sporting adventures, he is tracked down by an old friend that somehow convinces him to travel to Nepal and go on a ridiculous journey to find something called “the canyon of souls“. Just by the name alone, we know this can’t be a great idea. He and a group of other men all travel to the Himalayan mountains and begin their journey. The locals make it clear they do not like this and try to forbid them from going. Of course they do not listen and things ensue from there. I don’t wanna mention anymore as to not give anything away.
All in all, a great book. I thought it might be a little bit more on the scary/creepy side but that was just my assumption based on past works of the author. It is definitely more of a thriller than any type of horror.
As I said there’s just something about Ronald Malfi’s writing and characters that I can’t get enough of. This is about the fifth book of his that I have read. I definitely recommend this one if you love outdoor thriller adventures.
3 people found this helpful
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Cheryl Stout
5.0 out of 5 stars "It's no death wish coming out here. The death wish would have been to stay home."
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2016
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I just finished Ronald Malfi's newest book THE NIGHT PARADE and was in the mood for another of his stories. I've had THE ASCENT for a while and love books with cold and snow in them for some reason so it was a no-brainer to read this one.

This is different from other Malfi horror books I've read - this is more about the damage men can do to their fellow man.

Tim Overleigh is an accomplished sculptor, that is until his wife leaves him for another man and is killed in a car wreck. Tim blames himself, can't sculpt any more, and takes up all kinds of extreme sports, tempting fate.

When an old friend of his wife's, Andrew, contacts him and wants him to go on an expedition into the Himalayas to find the Canyon of Souls, he doesn't turn him down.

Author Malfi, as I've written in reviews before, is great at creating believable characters. Tim and Andrew and the other members of the expedition come alive in the pages of this story.

And Malfi had me shivering as they made their way through the peaks and valleys around Mt. Everest.

In some ways this book reminds me of THE ABOMINABLE by Dan Simmons, which I also enjoyed very much.

If you are into adventure stories, thrillers, or stories of the Himalayas, I think you'll like this page-turner by Malfi.
10 people found this helpful
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angel
4.0 out of 5 stars The Ascent
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2013
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This was a good read. Engaging and moves along at a reasonable pace. It has some interesting plot twists and turns and it can be the kind of book that you can't put down because you have to see what will happen next. A group of men who comes from different backgrounds, with different hang-ups from the past, come together with one person being the link to all. For reasons that the plot eventually reveals you find the diffculties faced in the cold wilderness of the climb and the suspense of a "who done it". This book I reccomend.
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Terry Pierce
3.0 out of 5 stars Don't Purchase if You're a Mountaineer
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2015
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A compelling story that kept me interested from beginning to end. However, I would suggest if the author is going to write about climbing in the Himalayas that he at least visit his local REI and find out what kind of modern day equipment would be used on that type of adventure. We don't put nails through the souls of our boots anymore. We don't haul canvas tents to the Himalaya. We don't call an ice axe a pick ax. And you can't have a campfire where there is no wood source, such as in the high elevation peaks of the Himalaya. If you know nothing of mountaineering then you will enjoy this book. But if you're a mountaineer you'll find the book intolerable and filled with inaccuracies.
4 people found this helpful
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Deb Porter
5.0 out of 5 stars What a gem!
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2012
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This story grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let go. It is very well written and kept me up late at night not wanting to stop reading. Anyone who likes to be kept in suspense will love this book! The twists and turns are not something you can predict. The only complaint I have are the misspelled words and the running together of words. Does no one proof books any more? But this is just nit picking on my part.
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Rescue Cats
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun book
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2016
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"The Ascent" by Ronald Malfi was a great book. It is about a sculptor named Tim Overleigh who was lost his inspiration since the death of his wife. He enjoys extreme sports such as spelunking and mountaineering, so when a rich acquaintance asks him to join an expedition, he reluctantly agrees. They hope to be the first Westerners to climb the remote Godesh Ridge in Nepal, which is sacred to the local people.
Their expedition soon becomes a fight for survival, but Tim doesn't know who he can trust, including himself. This book was well written and I enjoyed the character interactions. I was reluctant to put the book down until I was finished. Ronald Malfi has become one of my favorite writers.This is not his best work, but still enjoyable.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

fernacks
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific thriller
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 1, 2012
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I thoroughly enjoyed this tale - a real adventure story of the highest calibre. The characters were very real and the situations both dangerous and believable.The story itself was written with some quality and not once did I get bored - a rarity with many modern books - I found it exhilarating. The mysteries were very well hidden and that kept me riveted to the end. I did guess one of the mystery items during the book and that was revealed at just the right time. Well done! Bill Franks, billfranks.co.uk
3 people found this helpful
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Mr. H. Morrison
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 8, 2013
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This is a good mens' adventure story with a touch of Hemingway about it - ie, the need for men to confront their fears, and battle against forces larger than themselves, etc etc. The main character is a drunk ex-sculptor who can't get over the death of his wife. He is invited on a climbing expedition to the Himalayas by a charismatic but strange man from his past, in order to find a hidden valley. Of course once the motley group of climbers are sufficiently far away from civilization, 'Things Start Going Horribly Wrong'. It's full of suspense and action, the only reason I am giving it only four stars is that I thought the stuff about ghosts, hidden valleys unknown to modern man etc was a little bit hokey and more suited to Indiana Jones and Saturday morning matinees than an adult book, but that's a minor point only.
2 people found this helpful
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Davi Shaw
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 17, 2013
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An enjoyable read that kept me busy for a week. Worth a read, you wont be disappointed. I have now read all his work.
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jackie
3.0 out of 5 stars interesting
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 24, 2012
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I chose a new author because it was on offer . It was an ok story but seemed to drag on .Wouldn't read his books again
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Decent Adventure Story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 15, 2012
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The story relates to a man who has had personal trauma in his life, one of the things being that his wife left him then died in a car crash.
The 'hero' is invited on a climbing expedition in the Himalayas by an ex freind of his wife, Andrew, and meets up with the team of climbers who all have or had some connection with Andrew.
One by one they all get popped off until there are only two left, plus Andrew who has gone off alone.
I would have given it 5 stars except for the fact that the 'hero' kept reminicing about his dead wife. This reminicing seemed to go on for quite a few pages and in several stages of the book.
The story itself was enjoyable and i would recommend it as a read. What was better is that it was a free download
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