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First Ascent

Ascending Carbon Series, Book 1

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First Ascent

Written by: Douglas Phillips
Narrated by: Anna Caputo
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Orbits in ruin. A tether into space. But how much is a lie?

When an unauthorized oil rig appears offshore of Ecuador, a military team is sent to investigate. The deep-water platform has no markings, no drilling rig, and no workers—but it's surrounded by a curious bank of fog. When their helicopter closes in, it's swallowed without a trace.

Sahalie Spark is the host of a popular TV show, Don't Believe It! Each week, she debunks another baseless conspiracy theory or takes a lighthearted poke at misinformation infecting unfiltered media. Like most, she dismisses the story out of Ecuador as nonsense, but when a Korean billionaire offers exclusive access, Sahalie connects the dots. It's not an oil platform, it's a tether into space, and it could be the solution to the debris catastrophe that has crippled spaceflight for years.

Questions remain, answers are elusive, and danger lurks along this vertical railway. With the world watching, Sahalie will need to climb ever higher to discover the truth or die trying.

From the author of the Quantum series comes an exciting new novel framed in real science that takes listeners on a journey of discovery through the back doors of reality.

©2025 Douglas Phillips (P)2025 Tantor Media Adventure Hard Science Fiction Science Fiction
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Since the Quantum series, I've periodically checked in to check progress on the first book of the stories. The book met my (read 'heightened') expectations. Good one Douglas!
Founded in science, a bit of drama, a wonderful tinge of alien theme that changed things, great character and world building, and all the works. Waiting eagerly to see what happens next. If you liked the Quantum series , the Expanse world (different authors though), or would like to be open to the world of possibilities, just go ahead.

Intriguing concept, wonderful story

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