Truth Through Fantasy.
“A powerful female protagonist fights for equality in a vivid, multifaceted fantasy world.” — Kirkus Reviews
THE ASCENDITURE: Book One, Daughter of the Summit and Sea. Out now!
Klarke Ascher, the strongest climber of her generation in a patriarchal kingdom that forbids women from climbing, fights to become an Ascenditure and uncovers a dangerous conspiracy that threatens not only her ascent but also her life.
“Dabney’s rich storytelling layers lyrical prose, feminist themes, and touches of magic against Ectair’s deepening political unrest and Klarke’s ambiguous origins, building to a gripping, open-ended conclusion.”
—Publishers Weekly
Praise for THE ASCENDITURE
-
"This captivating tale will mesmerize both teen and adult readers, drawing them into a world where they will root for the heroine through all her trials and challenges." — Author's Reading
-
"The Ascenditure is a gripping feminist mountaineering tale wrapped in a compelling mystery." —Natalie Wright, Author of SEASON OF THE DRAGON
-
"A captivating thriller written in beautiful prose, providing an insightful, unflinching portrayal of institutionalized sexism and oppression of women and other marginalized people.” —Stephanie Scott, Author of COME BACK ALIVE
-
“Exquisitely written with characters to die for and a plot that is both intriguing and inspiring. I LOVED THIS BOOK!” —Darynda Jones, New York Times Bestselling author of The Darklight Trilogy
-
"Klarke Ascher is the next Katniss Everdeen, with a climbing rope instead of a bow." —Dr. Samantha Schinder, Ph.D, Author of The Deliverance Series
-
“This gripping tale of determination and grit is a celebration of female resilience.” —Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers’ Favorite (5-star review)
-
"Dabney’s worldbuilding in The Ascenditure is something to behold. Elements of Ectair may feel familiar to those who regularly read fantasy, but Dabney’s creation is one of a kind. To layer so much history with detailed culture, language, and religious practices in just over 300 pages is a quite a feat." — Independent Book Review
The Ascenditure receives a 5-star book review from Readers' Favorite!
The Ascenditure receives two 5-star reviews from LitPick Reviews!
The League of Utah Writers honors The Ascenditure as a "Recommended Read."
The Ascenditure receives the bronze medal in the 2024 International Book Awards YA — Action category from Readers' Favorite!
Welcome readers, writers, outdoor enthusiasts, podcast aficionados, and those who stumbled upon this page by accident.
My name is Robyn Dabney, and I aim to write books that explore good and evil and what it means to be human. I am currently working on two separate series, The Soul Mender Trilogy and The Daughter of the Summit and Sea Series. I also enjoy the challenge of spinning creepy short horror stories (it can’t all be about saving the world!).
My motto is Truth through Fantasy. What does that mean?
I grew up reading Tolkien, Lewis, L'Engle, Le Guin, Atwood... You know, the greats.
Fantasy has always been a vessel to tell truths, and that's what I'm all about.
Our world is filled with many issues to explore, shine a light on, bring to the forefront of conversation, expose, and make people think. I want everything I write to be a fun, exciting adventure, but I also want it to mean something. I write to explore my own feelings. To sort out my own frustrations with the world. I write as a piece of the puzzle of authors past and present, from all curves of the globe, who are trying to sort out this crazy world we live in through words.
My books are about tolerance, empathy, and the world being a solid shade of gray vs. black and white. I put my characters through a lot of hell because the struggle for empathy and love for self and others is often a steep mountain to climb. I hope this doesn’t make it sound like I’m a pessimist. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I like to think I’m a realistic optimist who understands that a glorious, happy ending and real change can only come about through deep hardship and pain.
Plus, as a reader, I’m drawn much more to struggle and hardship than I am to an easy slide through life. Who isn’t?
And like most authors, I write what I like to read.