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⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ 4/5
Should you spend 25 hours 5 minutes with The Ascended audiobook?
If you like deadly trials, revenge plots and a mentor with a sharp tongue, probably yes.
It's big. It's twisty. It's very, very romantasy.
It also leans on beats you may have met before. Both things can be true.
Listen to it if you want simmering romance with real stakes and a long, immersive ride. Skip it if you want a story that's fully wrapped up in one go.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | The Ascended |
| Author | Bree Grenwich and Parker Lennox |
| Narrator(s) (audiobook) | Mary Jane Wells, Maxim Reston, Phillip Freeman |
| Series | The Aesymarean Duet, Book 1 |
| Genre | Romantasy / Epic Fantasy |
| Subgenre | Dark fantasy romance with deadly trials |
| Audiobook length | 25 hours 5 minutes |
| Audiobook release date | September 24, 2026 |
| First published | 2025 (audiobook edition: 2026) |
| Publisher | Penguin Audio (audiobook) |
The Ascended by Bree Grenwich and Parker Lennox starts with a woman who's very good at hiding.
Thais Morvaren keeps one big secret. She can forge weapons out of starlight.
Secrets like that don't stay secret forever.
Once her powers are exposed, she's dragged into the Trials of Ascension. People with divine powers get a choice there. Ascend, or die trying.
Her twin brother gets pulled in alongside her.
She never wanted any of this. But fear turns into purpose pretty fast, and her purpose is simple: kill Olinthar, the King of the Gods.
The catch is that to take down a god, she has to become one.
Along the way she's bound to a mentor, Xül, a dark prince with blood on his hands and secrets of his own.
That's all I'll say. The rest is yours to find out.
Let's start with the setup, because it matters.
Thais isn't a chosen one who's thrilled about it. She's stuck in a competition she didn't ask for, and she's not pretending otherwise. I like a heroine who's angry first and brave second.
Then there's Xül.
The official description gives him a sharp tongue and a dangerous reputation, and that's a fun combination. A mentor who has to spend time with the person he's training is built-in friction.
The setup has the friction and slow-burn chemistry that enemies-to-lovers readers tend to look for.
The twin bond is the other big emotional anchor. Thais and her brother Thatcher are in this together, and you can feel how much that loyalty drives her.
A quick heads-up on heat. The romance is clearly steamy, and the official description emphasizes the heat between Thais and Xül. If that's not your thing, know it going in.
The starlight thing is a good hook.
Forging weapons out of starlight is a more original power than the usual "she has fire magic." It gives Thais her own identity in a genre with a lot of similar heroines.
The story also isn't only about surviving the trials. The revenge angle, aimed straight at a king of the gods, gives it a bigger target.
The book is also part of the authors' wider Sundered Realms Extended Universe, which gives the world a bigger feel.
Now the honest part.
If you read a lot of romantasy, you may spot familiar patterns. Some reviewers say the book overlaps with other popular titles in the genre, and that some twists are easy for experienced readers to see coming.
A few also mention pacing lulls between the bigger challenges. With a runtime this long, that can be noticeable.
And it's the first book in a duet. Expect a story that continues, not one that closes every door.
Here's what I can tell you for sure about the audio side.
It's published by Penguin Audio and runs 25 hours 5 minutes. That's a big time commitment, so plan for a long haul.
The listing describes the production as narrated in duet style, with Mary Jane Wells, Maxim Reston and Phillip Freeman credited as narrators.
I'm not going to hand out a verdict on the performances. Voices are personal, and it's the one part of an audiobook you really do have to judge for yourself.
One practical tip. With a long, lore-heavy story like this, a steady listening routine helps. It's easier to keep track of names and powers if you're not leaving big gaps.
Pros
Cons
Good fit:
Not a good fit:
It may be possible, depending on the platform and your location. Some audiobook services offer a free trial or introductory credit to new members, so check what's currently available where you live. You can also see whether your local library has it through apps like Libby or Hoopla.
So, is The Ascended worth your time?
For the right listener, I think so.
It has a memorable heroine, a good central hook, and a romance readers clearly get invested in. It also has a few things that keep me from calling it a slam dunk: some familiar patterns, some slower stretches, and a story that isn't finished yet.
That's why I landed on 4/5. It's very good and easy to recommend to the right reader, but it isn't flawless.
If the premise has you curious, give it a try. Many audiobook platforms offer a free trial or an introductory credit for new members, depending on where you live, so it may not cost you anything to see if it clicks.
Who narrates The Ascended audiobook?
Mary Jane Wells, Maxim Reston and Phillip Freeman are credited as narrators.
How long is The Ascended audiobook?
The runtime is 25 hours 5 minutes.
Is The Ascended a standalone or part of a series?
It's Book 1 of the Aesymarean Duet, so the story continues in a second book.
Do I need to read other books first?
The Ascended is Book 1 of the Aesymarean Duet, so it can serve as the starting point for this series. It's also connected to the authors' wider Sundered Realms Extended Universe.
Is The Ascended spicy?
The romance is clearly steamy, and the official description emphasizes the heat between Thais and Xül.
