See What People Say About John
“A New Age remake of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’, The Ascendancy takes America’s post-September 11 angst, and wraps it up in a fairytale with characters worthy of Lewis Carroll. Throw in an Inca prophecy and the imminent turn of the Mayan epoch in 2012 and you get a metaphysical fantasy whose flights of imagination leave you clinging to the green leafy twists of the beanstalk arising from the ruins of New York’s Ground Zero.”
—Carlos Aranaga, SciFiDimensions.com
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“Like C.S. Lewis and J.R.Tolkien, John Weiskopf puts us in a fantasy world which intertwines astronomical science, historical experience and Native indigenous spirituality. With the challenge of choice directed toward his characters, the author challenges us to live in reality rather than the fantasy of our present world which offers us such an illusion of security. The Ascendancy speaks of hope and possibility. The illusion of security only leads to destruction.”
—Rev. John S. Wintermyer, ret. Chaplain, Washington Hospital Center & Physician Assistant, Unity Health Care, WDC
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“Normally I don’t care for novels or movies in the “sci-fi fantasy adventure” genre. And there have been numerous candidates for my displeasure in both mediums since Stanley Kubrick/Arthur C. Clarke’s landmark film, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, was released in 1968. Except for the occasional exception, like Kubrick’s film, I rarely find the ‘science’ convincing or ‘fiction’ compelling in such works. But John Weiskopf’s ambitious and intriguing novel may be one such exception. Unlike so many fantasy works today, the storytelling grounds its exhilarating flights of pure imagination in a bedrock of cultural/scientific understanding. That combination makes for some very interesting reading, particularly in the various ways the book carefully develops a contemporary parable about extinction and survival, one that seamlessly weaves together a central fictional metaphor (the Jack and Beanstalk myth) and an historically-based ecological/cultural agenda. The result is a very pleasing tapestry, a novelistic rendering of a tale that often reads as if it had been co-authored by Joseph Campbell and Jared Diamond.
—Thomas Allen Nelson, author of Kubrick: Inside a Film Artist’s Maze
“Since the 9-11 tragedy there has been a great need for healing of sadness, anxiety and anger; this ‘historical myth’ The Ascendancy truly helps to fill this need. John Weiskopf’s magical mixing of history and legends could only come about from an author with the creative genius of a filmmaker, cinematographer, English teacher, religious seminarian and a participant first hand in shamanic rituals, who has experienced nights in the mountains of Machu Picchu. This novel will captivate you and assist you in working through our national trauma in ways that only the power of a myth can do.”
—Michael M. Lydon, MSW, ACSW, CGP, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
“I loved this book! John Weiskopf has created a story that is part Lord of the Rings and part Harry Potter, with a little bit of Alice in Wonderland for good measure. From the first page I was hooked! The story of Jack and Caitlin and their exciting adventures in a fantastic world at the top of the magical beanstalk towering over New York is a great read, with vivid description and intriguing characters that pull the reader along with them. The story has elements of modern science and ancient Incan mysticism, and it is grounded in both the 21st Century and ancient times. The lessons to be learned are timeless, and through the eyes of wonderful characters (my favorite is the giant mosquito, Potter Sims) we begin to see the ways in which we can all be more connected to each other and to our world.”
—Joann Davis, Teacher, Los Angeles, CA
“John Weiskopf is the master storyteller of the ‘information age’. Let go and climb ‘The Beanstalk’ with him. Like a laser beam, through an amazing mixture of cultures, times, and dimensions, he reveals the essence of humanity in The Ascendancy. Life won’t be the same after encountering Potter Sims!!”
—Sandra Secunda, International artist & cultural promoter, Teacher of French and Latin at Basis Scottsdale
“With diverse influences including The Brothers Grimm, L. Frank Baum, Lewis Carroll and Jared Diamond, John Weiskopf deftly weaves a fascinating tale of courage, compassion and hope. Interlacing current events with South American mysticism and history, The Ascendancy proves to be an electrifying page-turner, driving humanity toward a plausible future. I’ll follow Jack, Caitlin, Gandor and Potter Sims up the Beanstalk anytime they choose to venture.”
—Jake Hamilton, Writer/Musician
“The Ascendancy blends fairy tale, history, fantasy, and science fiction. Join Jack, a gifted musician & Caitlin, an astronomer-scientist on a modern day Jack in the Beanstalk adventure as they travel through time and space. A page turner, this powerful book will educate and intrigue you until the very end!”
—Nancy Varljen, Principal, Mountain View Elementary