The first book in the stunning and strange debut fantasy series that's receiving major praise from some of fantasy's biggest authors such as Mark Lawrence and Django Wexler.
The Tower of Babel is the greatest marvel in the world. Immense as a mountain, the ancient Tower holds unnumbered ringdoms, warring and peaceful, stacked one on the other like the layers of a cake. It is a world of geniuses and tyrants, of airships and steam engines, of unusual animals and mysterious machines. Soon after arriving for his honeymoon at the Tower, the mild-mannered headmaster of a small village school, Thomas Senlin, gets separated from his wife, Marya, in the overwhelming swarm of tourists, residents, and miscreants.
Senlin is determined to find Marya, but to do so he'll have to navigate madhouses, ballrooms, and burlesque theaters. He must survive betrayal, assassins, and the long guns of a flying fortress. But if he hopes to find his wife, he will have to do more than just endure.
This quiet man of letters must become a man of action.
The Books of BabelSenlin AscendsArm of the Sphinx
Industry Reviews
"Like a blend of Kafka's The Castle and Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast, Josiah Bancroft's ambitious first chapter in his The Books of Babel series is an impressive display of imagination and humor."--SciFiNow "It's rare to find a modern book that feels like a timeless classic. I'm wildly in love with this book."--Pierce Brown, author of Red Rising and Iron Gold "What is remarkable about this novel, quite apart from its rich, allusive prose, is Bancroft's portrayal of Senlin, a good man in a desperate situation, and the way he changes in response to his experiences in his ascent."--The Guardian "With deceptive simplicity Bancroft brings this gothic place and its denizens to a colourful life...I loved it!"--Adrian Selby, author of Snakewood "More than deserving of advance buzz and initial self-published success, Josiah Bancroft's Senlin Ascends is an early contender for year-end best lists, and a towering achievement in weird fantasy."--B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog "This is fantasy storytelling of a high order."--The Toronto Star "Senlin is a man worth rooting for, and his strengthening resolve and character is as marvelous and sprawling as the tower he climbs."--The Washington Post "An early contender for 2018 best-of-the-year lists"--B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog "Brilliant debut fantasy . . . This novel goes off like a firework and suggests even greater things in the author's future."--Publishers Weekly, starred review "Senlin Ascends is an adventure rife with character, voice and beauty-a well-polished knife drawn out slowly."--Sam Sykes, author of The City Stained Red "Ticks along with the tight precision and artistry of a well-wound watch."--Kirkus "This is an exceedingly rich book. A depth of imagination married with a poetic turn of phrase and an engaging cast of characters conspire to deliver an epic story soaring high above the clouds."--Fantasy Faction "A great fantasy!"--Portland Book Review "Senlin Ascends starts off with a bang, and it never slows down. With its breathtaking pace, this book will appeal to a wide variety of readers."--San Francisco Book Review "Bancroft succeeds amazingly in creating a baffling world that offers little tenderness or hope, but in which the pursuit of instinct and love, dedication and shared sacrifice can overcome barriers. If he sustains the tone of quirky menace in his planned sequel, the reader will find much to applaud."--Publishers Weekly, starred review "Senlin Ascends is a unique masterpiece. A brilliant debut. Highly recommended!"--Michael R. Fletcher, author of Beyond Redemption "Senlin Ascends crosses the everyday strangeness and lyrical prose of Borges and Gogol with all the action and adventure of high fantasy. I loved it, and grabbed the next one as soon as I turned the last page."--Django Wexler, author of The Thousand Names "Senlin Ascends is one of the best reads I've had in ages . . . I was dragged in and didn't escape until I'd finished two or three days later."--Mark Lawrence, author of Prince of Thorns
