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Senlin Ascends

(The Books of Babel #1)

Josiah Bancroft

4.15 · Rating details · 23,111 ratings · 3,502 reviews

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 i ...more

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Kindle Edition, 383 pages

Published August 22nd 2017 by Orbit (first published February 18th 2013)

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Sep 09, 2016 Emily May rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Emily May by: Mark Lawrence

Shelves: fantasy, 2016

We MUST talk about this hidden indie treasure.

Over the years, I have read a lot of books. I've picked my way through the so-called "Classics", got lost in Fantasy and Science-Fiction, been taken to other times by Historical Fiction, stayed up late to find out the answers in the latest Psychological Thriller, fallen in love with Romance, and rode the wave of every YA trend. And yet, I have never read a book like this one.

Requests for indie/self-pub reviews come to me all the time. I usually take ...more

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Aug 08, 2016 Mark Lawrence rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Wow. That was unexpected!

Senlin Ascends is one of the best reads I've had in ages. I decided to read it because one of the bloggers judging in my self-published fantasy contest had a very difficult time choosing between this title and another for the best of his bunch of 30 novels. In the end he went for the other book, which left me thinking that it was harsh luck to miss out by such a fine margin to a very different kind of story.

Anyway, I was dragged in and didn't escape until I'd finished t ...more

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Jun 26, 2017 Petrik rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Steampunk fantasy fans

Shelves: self-published-and-indie

Buddy read with my awesome friend: Melanie

4.5/5 Stars

If you need extra proof that a self-published fantasy can be on par/superior compared to traditionally published fantasy books, Senlin Ascends is it.

Relatively, not a lot of readers will spend their time reading self-published fantasy books. It’s the harsh truth; the stigma that existed in self-published fantasy—bad cover art, cliché stories, typos, and grammatical errors—were there for valid reasons. Even to this day, it’s still easy to find ...more

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Jun 20, 2017 Melanie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Melanie by: Mark Lawrence

Shelves: buddy-reads, read-in-2017, fantasy, favorites, steampunk

Buddy Read with Petrik ❤

This highly praised indie book series has recently been picked up by Orbit! After that news, and seeing the first two beautifully sitting on my shelf for far too long, I decided I wanted to experience this self published series before the year was over, but now I just want all the books immediately, because Senlin Ascends is a literary masterpiece.

“The Tower of Babel is most famous for the silk fineries and marvelous airships it produces, but visitors will discov

...more

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Jul 12, 2017 James Tivendale rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: freecopy, fantasy

Josiah Bancroft's debut novel is a huge deal in the world of fantasy fiction right now. I truly regret being late to the party but can safely say the hype is well deserved. Seeing only unanimously positive reviews from my blogging peers, I had to check out this 2016 #SPFBO's entrant as soon as I could.

Thomas Senlin planned a seemingly perfect honeymoon at the magnificent, and world renowned Tower of Babel. Each level of the tower is a Ringdom- cities with different characteristics and unique a Josiah Bancroft's debut novel is a huge deal in the world of fantasy fiction right now. I truly regret being late to the party but can safely say the hype is well deserved. Seeing only unanimously positive reviews from my blogging peers, I had to check out this 2016 #SPFBO's entrant as soon as I could.

Thomas Senlin planned a seemingly perfect honeymoon at the magnificent, and world renowned Tower of Babel. Each level of the tower is a Ringdom- cities with different characteristics and unique aspects. Rumour has it that each stage is more beautiful than the previous. What better way to spend a honeymoon than to ascend the tower with his savings, guidebook and beautiful wife? Unfortunately, Senlin loses his partner amongst the massive crowds at the start of the narrative. He aims to find her by entering the tower and rising through the levels. He soon realises that the tower isn't exactly the same place which he adored from afar and which his trusty Everyman's Guide to the Tower of Babel had led him to believe it would be.

This story has a lot of great things going for it. Most notable from the offset is that it is beautifully written. It felt like I was reading a classic rather than a modern self-published fantasy book. (Although Orbit has picked up the rights and this will be re-released next year by the home of Brent Weeks, RJ Barker and Nicholas Eames.) Although not a fair testament to the story as a whole, due to Thomas' character progression; some parts made me think it was similar to what a modern-day Candide would be, with a wide-eyed interesting hero having to deal with some inexplicably bad moments. The way Senlin is forced to change and adapt to these unusual surroundings had me putting myself in his position, therefore, empathy and affinity were created between us for that reason. He is a headmaster, very intelligent and overall a really interesting character. He's not the only person here that makes the story so strong although it seemed that would be the case at first. I won't divulge the reason why I thought that as that could approach spoiler territory and I loved some of the reveals. Unlike much Modern Fantasy, a lot of what happens here isn't too far removed from characteristics and science of our world. Though, in addition, Senlin Ascends does include some very interesting technology. Each Ringdom has its own peculiar politics and hierarchies which Senlin must understand if he ever hopes to progress and find his wife. This book also incorporates some greatly crafted villainous characters. This isn't the most action-packed spectacle but the way Bancroft presents, with slower moments and emotional flashbacks intertwined, the more action-orientated scenes have great impact. Especially the ending. The future possibilities seem awesome with the way things concluded. The finale convinced me this was definitely a 5-star read. This book gets referred to as Steampunk but I don't know what that is and don't really care much for sub-genre descriptions and deviations. I just care if I like it or not.

An extraordinary debut that is well worthy of the hype. A beautifully written, highly engaging page-turning masterpiece where I was on Tom's side every step of the way. I'd read Arm of the Sphinx next if I could but as an #SPFBO judge, I'm currently busy trying to find some more gems like this. James Tivendale. ...more

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Apr 13, 2017 carol. rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: to-re-read, fantasy, lovely-lovely-language, time-period-fantasy

This was one of the most lovely books I almost didn't finish. To certain library books I must ask certain questions: are they worth overdue fines? Perhaps more importantly, are they worth negative karma when late? To both of these questions, Senlin Ascends is an empathetic 'no.' And yet, on the strength of dear Milda's love for the tale and her encouragement, I find myself disregarding my earlier decision to return it.

"You have no idea what the Tower will turn you into!" Tarrou laughed and swatt ...more

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Feb 23, 2018 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-all, own, sci-fi

I'm not sure if this was the hype of the book, my mood, or the book itself. I'm going to to with my mood as I found a lot of the book very good. I did take a little bit to get into it but that was because of reading other books I do believe.

So here I am in the most unpopular opinion world. I do have some friends that gave it 2 and 3 stars but for the most part it's 4 and 5. I feel left out. I am going to revisit this book a little later to make sure it wasn't my mood because like I said before, ...more

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Nov 20, 2016 Jeffrey Keeten rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction

”The handkerchief is the universal utensil of the seasoned traveler. It can be a sanitizing device, a seat cover, a dust mask, a garrote, a bandage, a gag, or a white flag. One may feel well-prepared with nothing but a pocket square.”
--Everyman’s Guide to the Tower of Babel--

Tom Senlin has dreamed about travelling to see the Tower of Babel, a marvel of the universe, for a long, long time. He is a headmaster and teacher, and so he is not a rich man and must rely upon the age old habit of saving h ...more

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Feb 16, 2018 jessica rated it really liked it · review of another edition

oh, dont mind me. i will just be over here, picking my jaw up from off the floor.

whoa, this book is W I L D. if i am ever stranded on a deserted island, i want senlin with me. he goes from reserved headmaster to a total savage in no time. talk about a glow up! i really cant wait to read the second book to see what he does next.

also, you know the age old question, 'if you could live in any fictional world, which one would it be?' its definitely this one. move over hogwarts, because the tower of ...more

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Oct 04, 2021 Emily (Books with Emily Fox) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I was so excited to get to this book because everyone I follow had given it 5 stars.
Sadly for me, it was a huge let down.

I'm not a fan of the "woman in the fridge" trope.
The wife of the main character (much younger wife who used to be his student shall I add...) goes missing as soon as they make it to the Towel of Babel on their honeymoon. He tend proceeds to look for her and has to grow as a person for the rest of the series.

I did like how unique the second level was. Terrifying but interestin ...more

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Apr 28, 2020 William Gwynne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, reviewed, audible

I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out - The Brothers Gwynne

“I’m suspicious of people who are certain”

When starting Senlin Ascends, I had no idea what to expect, and had not checked out what the story was about at all. I read it purely off of hearing consistently great things about it, and the fact that it was on my Audible library. I don’t usually do this, as I have a great list to read, and want to cherry pick the best suited to I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out - The Brothers Gwynne

“I’m suspicious of people who are certain”

When starting Senlin Ascends, I had no idea what to expect, and had not checked out what the story was about at all. I read it purely off of hearing consistently great things about it, and the fact that it was on my Audible library. I don’t usually do this, as I have a great list to read, and want to cherry pick the best suited to me. But I’m glad a gave that formula an exception.

Senlin Ascends was great. A mixture of fun and serious content, that handled the tone brilliantly. Despite the contrasting parts of the atmosphere, Josiah Bancroft was very good at subtly going from one to another in a “real” manner, which surprisingly didn’t jar, as it has with many other authors.

“We shouldn't have to go around congratulating each other for behaving with basic human dignity.”

Thomas Senlin is a headmaster who has been fascinated with the Tower of Babel, and is finally going to see it in the flesh with his newly married wife. He is morally upstanding, conforms to social standards, and is what most would label as quite a dull person. This is why I found Bancroft’s character so brilliant. He turned Senlin’s essentially ordinary and largely bland personality into a driving force of the story, as the sole PoV, that made it so much better.

The plot was constantly evolving and always pulled me along to listen to each and every word, subtly dropping clever hints that I noticed but could not successfully resolve, and many that I imagine I missed out on as well. It would be interesting to read this again at some point in the future to appreciate everything that Bancroft incorporated to form such a vibrant and full story.

The Tower of Babel is one of the most unique settings I have read about, with places ranging from slums to the leisure places of the upper-class and ruling parties. I look forward to more of this world being explored further on in the series.

“It is easier to accept who you’ve become than to recollect who you were.”

Senlin Ascends is a book that I would recommend to practically all fantasy readers, despite it perhaps not adhering to their usual type of read.

4.75/5 ...more

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Jan 26, 2017 Luna. ✨ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: great-books, fantasy

4.5/5

“I am the riddle in the mouth of the Sphinx. I am the slaver that chews the living chain. I am the farmer of dead seeds, the filler of holes. Who am I?”

Buddy read with this whacky squad - Dewi, Chumlee, Mantis Shrimp and Choko.

Let me just start by saying there's a lot of HYPE around how good this book is and I must say I fell victim to the HYPE and loved every second of it. Don't hate me because I'm hypey.
description

This book was whacky, fun, amazing and absolutely wonderful . I am ...more

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Nov 08, 2019 Chelsea Humphrey rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Chelsea by: Melanie

Shelves: recommended, kindle-deals

Take all of my money, Mr. Bancroft, because I need the rest of this series NOW.

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Nov 23, 2016 Samir rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Hype is a bad thing. It raises expectations and sets the bar high so there is only one possible outcome; it gives the book a polarizing effect.

I wanted to find out is the hype around this book justified and when I was done reading it there was only one answer: I don't know.

Don't get me wrong, I liked the book (hence the four stars) but I don't think of it as one the best I've read or that was amazing as most of the reviews show. But it is certainly different. In a good way.

The story begins with Hype is a bad thing. It raises expectations and sets the bar high so there is only one possible outcome; it gives the book a polarizing effect.

I wanted to find out is the hype around this book justified and when I was done reading it there was only one answer: I don't know.

Don't get me wrong, I liked the book (hence the four stars) but I don't think of it as one the best I've read or that was amazing as most of the reviews show. But it is certainly different. In a good way.

The story begins with an introduction of Senlin and his wife Marya,who are traveling to the Tower of Babel, their honeymoon destination. But shortly after their arrival Marya is lost in the crowd and thus begins Senlin's quest, a search for his significant other.

When I draw the line, there wasn't much happening plot wise in the first half of the book. I got an impression that the first half of the book is a symbolism art depicting different levels of society through Ringdoms (levels of the Tower), society full of decadence in all aspects, a world Senlin never experienced before. This focus on world-building and lack of progress story wise can be off-puting for some readers who expect a bit more action and even discourage them to go on but I never had such issues.

Don't think of Senlin as a classical hero destined to save the day, or in this case, a damsel in distress. Think of him as a regular, slightly conservative man trying to defeat the system, a Don Quixote, if you will, fighting against windmills, windmills of course being a symbol of obstacles we encounter in our society, obstacles we can hardly skip over, a symbol of a fight that can't be won. Or maybe it can because Senlin's quest to find his wife is a symbol of force that drives him forward, forcing him to step out of his comfort zone and that is the moment when the story picks up the pace and we are presented with an interesting turn of events, events that involve scheming, betrayal, assassination and some great action sequences ending this book with a bang and setting the ground for the sequel.

One thing that I found amazing was the writing. This was one of the most beautiful prose I've ever encountered and it is hard to believe that this is a debut novel.

“I’m glad your self-righteousness has given you some exercise, but you forget: we are not such a tidy, reasonable, and humane race. Our thoughts don’t stand in grammatical rows, our hearts don’t draw equations, our consciences don’t have the benefit of historians whispering the answers to us.”

Very mysterious and unpredictable, a thought-provoking book, a book that may not appeal to everyone but it appealed to me and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. ...more

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Sep 03, 2020 ELLIAS (elliasreads) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-books, i-own

This book was utterly chaotic and it was wonderful. This was like the pounding and rushing sensation after the fall of a rollercoaster but right before it reaches that highest peak, before dropping down again.

It was dizzyingly drastic and delightful. I loved the progress of this book; the main character, Thomas Senlin, literally and figuratively, ascends into a hero we all root and empathize with. This was no 'mary sue' or 'the chosen one' moment or story. Senlin is flawed, naive, and f ...more

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Sep 13, 2019 Charlotte May rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: epic-fantasy

"We have society, but we are alone. We have light, but we have no sun. The Tower sucks our lives and gives us only a little diversion and a little death."

Loved this!

A truly fantastic and original fantasy! Thomas Senlin is newly married and heading on his honeymoon to the Tower of Babel, a tower with more levels than anyone really can be sure of. The tower is famous in its mystery, and everyone wants to go there.

However, shortly after arriving, Senlin and his wife become separated. They were su ...more

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Nov 05, 2016 Petros Triantafyllou rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

When I first laid eyes on this book, I felt that it isn't my sort of thing. I knew that I wouldn't like it.
When I witnessed all the recent hype about it, I thought that it would be short lived. I knew that I wouldn't like it.
When I was given the first book, I felt compelled to read it, but still, I was sure that I wouldn't like it.
I liked it...

Senlin and Marya are newlyweds on their honeymoon. What better destination could they chose than the Tower of Babel; an immense building of unknown high, ...more

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Jan 04, 2017 Esme rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, steampunk-fantasy

Ah yes, the book that began my love of indie writing – I read this book a long time ago before I really had any kind of reviewing style. It was a short paragraph about me ranting “THIS BOOK IS AMAZING, BUY IT”. So, I’m redoing the review to give it the fleshed out review it deserves!

Plot:
Senlin and his new wife are going on a honeymoon, he takes her to the Tower of Babel which is a very popular tourist spot. The pedestrian traffic around the Tower is immense, and so is the Tower itself. It would ...more

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Oct 30, 2016 Paul O’Neill rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

You need to read this! Don't read the blurb, dive in blind (which is the best way to read any book).

This is one surprisingly awesome adventure through an entirely original world. It is hard to compare it. I'd describe it as a fantasy, high speed thriller. Also made me think of charlie and the chocolate factory for some reason.

I will definitely pick up book two soon and this author deserves all the props for writing one of the best books I've read this year. ...more

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Feb 26, 2020 Mayim de Vries rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I think one needs to be in a mood for something a tad bizarre in order to fully enjoy this quirky novel. Like: you agree to read a book but it turns out that it is an out loud reading. And you must be dressed up (pirate’s uniform is provided). And then if you do not read it, somebody you do not know but surely could befriend - dies. Yes, you can withdraw but we are putting a tattoo on your forehead in such an unfortunate case (no, you cannot choose the pattern).

This is precisely what happens to I think one needs to be in a mood for something a tad bizarre in order to fully enjoy this quirky novel. Like: you agree to read a book but it turns out that it is an out loud reading. And you must be dressed up (pirate’s uniform is provided). And then if you do not read it, somebody you do not know but surely could befriend - dies. Yes, you can withdraw but we are putting a tattoo on your forehead in such an unfortunate case (no, you cannot choose the pattern).

This is precisely what happens to Thomas Senlin and his new bride Marya who are visiting the wonder of the Babel Tower for their honeymoon. They think they are into a whimsy, adventure and romance because this is how the Tower is advertised. What they get instead is something neither of them expects nor is prepared for. So this is a book about transcending oneself during painful metamorphosis, about growing, reaching one’s potential or whatever poetic phrase you’d like to use to describe this process of leaving behind the known and comfortable and facing the unknown and challenging.

“The Tower is only as tall as the man that climbs it.”

It sounds like pretty much your average YA coming-of-age fantasy but if you take the main protagonist into consideration, you will immediately understand that the Author aims at something extraordinary, because he attempts the above not via an unformed adolescent but with a mature man. Not only mature, but also consolidated (ossified even) in his views, and habits and dreams. His are the views, and habits, and dreams of a small man. Thomas is shy, somewhat rigid, a natural introvert, principled to the point of being pompous and so naive that nearly bordering on silly. A man who loses wife first thing after leaving the train, for two days does nothing, and then goes on much longer simply clinging to his delusions.

Such an individual is about the last person you’d pitch against any kinds of tests and trials. Nobody you’d put your bet on. A headmaster of a backwater school, that is to say—a puffed up nobody—coming to heads with the real masters of the world? Impossible. And yet, Mr Bacncroft achieves it. Desperate times call for a desperate man and Thomas is nothing if not desperate. I was amazed to discover how subtly this sanctimonious fool transformed from somebody I didn’t like to somebody I found myself cheering for. Somebody shrewd enough to understand that everything he considered to be a virtue is a flaw and what he believed a luxury is a necessity.

“Do not accept a little death! Demand a great, booming demise!”

But it also means that it might take you some time to warm up for this novel. I thought it would be a 2-star tread at first as the beginning is ludicrous and slow, and I was half disgusted half pitying the main character and not that interested in his progress at all. I really started liking the story once Thomas got into the second level, enjoying the book only in the third ringdom, and fully appreciating the intricate design of it all in the fourth one. This is when it becomes evident that as Thomas ascends, and makes both friends and enemies, every detail matters and is masterly worked into a grand scheme of things. Every little encounter, sentence, trifle - does count and indeed brings fruit! The final part is amazing in this regard.

Even though the beginning might seem slow, the book is very well written. Beautiful prose, well designed chapters and wonders of an original and well-developed world. I liked how the Author incorporated the flashbacks and personal reflections into the tale. They were toned and didn’t disrupt the flow of the story but provided the necessary context for many events and decisions, also concerning characters other than the protagonist himself.

“If you wander off, we’ll meet again at the top of the tower.”

Some of my friends disliked this book on the grounds that it objectifies women because Thomas goes to the rescue of his hapless wife. I did not mind this setup because even the short glimpses into Marya’s affairs make apparent that pianos are not the only things she is able to effortlessly detune but that she does the same with other people’s sinister machinations. It is evident that Marya is far more resourceful and entrepreneurial than her husband (view spoiler). Therefore, for me the book is not about a mediocre male “saving” a damsel in distress. It is, first and foremost, a story about how much we need love, and how love allows us to ascend. Thomas’ evolution, infinitesimally slow and incremental, happens because he loves. And his love is as beautiful as it is powerful. This is the force that enables him to become more than the sum of his adventures and misfortunes.

Despite the slow start, and some personal pet peeves, (view spoiler) I discovered that the first instalment in The Books of Babel does take the reader to new heights with each passing chapter. I finished breathless and with my head spinning; the feeling very similar to the one you have gaining altitude too quickly. And I am very much looking forward to continuing this climb.

Also in the series:

2. Arm of the Sphinx ★★★★☆
3. The Hod King ★★★★☆
4. The Fall of Babel RTC ...more

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Jan 23, 2020 Gabrielle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, read-in-2020, reviewed, own-a-copy, favorites, speculative-fiction, ongoing-series, steampunk

“Up is not at all a straightforward direction.”

A book like “Senlin Ascends” is tricky to describe: it’s speculative fiction that mashes together historical fiction, urban fantasy and steampunk-y sci-fi in a rather dizzying way. It’s also tricky to review, because the least you know about it, the more enjoyable it is! But let me try to tell you about it as coyly as possible, so that you still enjoy every flipping of its pages.

Thomas Senlin is the headmaster of a school, in a small seaside town i “Up is not at all a straightforward direction.”

A book like “Senlin Ascends” is tricky to describe: it’s speculative fiction that mashes together historical fiction, urban fantasy and steampunk-y sci-fi in a rather dizzying way. It’s also tricky to review, because the least you know about it, the more enjoyable it is! But let me try to tell you about it as coyly as possible, so that you still enjoy every flipping of its pages.

Thomas Senlin is the headmaster of a school, in a small seaside town in an alternate version of what most of us would think of as the Middle East, at an indeterminate time in history. He is a stern man who led a quiet, almost rigid life before his somewhat hasty wedding to the lively Marya, a young woman from his small town. For their honeymoon, they decide to go on a journey Senlin has dreamt of his entire life: to the Towel of Babel. The legendary structure has always fascinated him, but the great cost and distance of travelling to it as prevented him from experiencing its wonders in any form besides the pages of his faithful travel guide. Alas, the young couple as only been off the train for a few minutes when Marya vanishes in the bustling crowd surrounding the Tower. Senlin suddenly finds himself alone, in the strangest, wildest place he has ever been, and here, his intellect, good manners and poise will not help him find Marya. He will have to learn the ways of the Tower if he is to make his way up, where his bride had promised to meet him.

Senlin is one of the strangest, most unlikely protagonist I have come across in a long time. He is unlikable and inept, completely out of his depth in the lawless place he suddenly finds himself in - but what better guide could a reader ask to explore this Kafkaesque world Bancroft created? We blindly follow him up (and sometimes down) as he realizes that his guidebook in no way prepared him for the reality of the Tower, and that everything he thought he knew about it was a quaint fantasy.

The world building is so ingenuous and unique: try to imagine civilizations that have never touched the ground! I loved what Ted Chiang did with the same basic idea in “Stories of Your Life” (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), but Bancroft tells a very different story, one that is not about divine engineering, but more about what it means to come out of one’s shell and face the unexpected life is sure to throw at you. The side characters Senlin encounters on his way “up” are all interesting, and their interactions and roles in his story deepen the world building. Everyone keeps telling him that there are no “friends” in the tower, but Senlin has a heart, and he learns to use it as a weapon – and not as the weakness it is presumed to be.

There is such an interesting thought experiment here on the difference between living in books and living in the real world. This is a theme that I am sure many bookworms will feel strongly about: to paraphrase Neil Gaiman, I have lived in books almost more than I have lived in the real world, and while that is often a good thing, I sometimes wonder if it doesn’t mean I might have missed out on some stuff (not to mention that it gave me very unrealistic expectations on quite a few things, which led to serious disappointments down the road…). Senlin is like that: an armchair explorer, an armchair stargazer, an armchair adventurer. Nothing he has ever read could have prepared him for what it means to suddenly have to be a man of action when quiet reflection has always been more his thing.

I was not sure what I was getting into with “Senlin Ascends”, but I must say it was a very rewarding leap of faith. I am very excited about the sequel! 4 and a half stars, rounded up. ...more

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Feb 04, 2017 ✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: cure-for-insomnia, fantasy, br-2017, dnf-graveyard, 2017, boredom-fest, let-s-bail-snail, tbr-shelf-says-thank-you, blah-blah-blah-heaven, self-preservation-is-the-key

· Well Well Well This Didn't Go Quite As Planned Surprise Surprise Buddy Read (WWWTDGQAPSSBR™) with My Dearest of Wives, The Ex Noob, The New Noob and The Girl with the Mostest Awesomest Name Ever ·

💀 DNF at 69%. 256 pages that felt like 10,589. Go me.

Actual rating: 2.5 stars. Yeah, I'm generous like that.

➽ Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I ~~DNFed~~ read this one wrong.

➽ Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know that this ~~overhyped~~ book is one glorious masterpiece of originality and creativity (view spoiler) ...more

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Mar 05, 2022 Matt's Fantasy Book Reviews rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A fun journey in a unique fantasy world

Senlin Ascends is a fascinating book that really grips you from the start, especially if you are into fantasy books already due to it's unique spin on fantasy. This book is ultimately about a man moving up incredibly unique floors in a fantastical tower. It has an episodic feel to it, which works in it's benefit unlike some other fantasy books that attempt the same.

I'm held off on giving 5 stars because I thought the ending was pretty weak, but overall I wo ...more

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Aug 06, 2018 Bradley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-shelf, fantasy, steampunk, worldbuilding-sf

There's a lot to love in this book. I was quite on the edge giving this a chance when I first picked it up, but the whole damn idea of having a full adventure in the mythical Tower of Babylon just struck all my fancies at once. I remember Ted Chiang's short story about the Tower of Babylon so fondly... I just had to imagine it taken as a full novel.

So how did this pan out? Wonderfully! Maybe not the same level as Chiang, but when dealing with a tower that not even airships can reach the top leve There's a lot to love in this book. I was quite on the edge giving this a chance when I first picked it up, but the whole damn idea of having a full adventure in the mythical Tower of Babylon just struck all my fancies at once. I remember Ted Chiang's short story about the Tower of Babylon so fondly... I just had to imagine it taken as a full novel.

So how did this pan out? Wonderfully! Maybe not the same level as Chiang, but when dealing with a tower that not even airships can reach the top levels and whole cities are contained within, we're dealing with a delicious idea-driven fantasy with a world-building potential with LEGS.

Good? Good. And while it doesn't go all out with the Babylon run, it does strike out a super-solid Steampunk adventure through and through. Focus on a slightly sanctimonious headmaster with his new bride, take them to Babylon as the super-rubes as they are, and then tear them to pieces.

So nice. :) Innocence becomes an adventure to reach the top to find his missing wife as the mean streets of dirty London... ahem, I mean the Basement of Babel, steals, lies, and cheats every noob that lands on its doorsteps. Move on to the whole haves and have-nots in the bathhouses in the third level, or the hucksters in the second, and turn it into a heist novel, a revolutionary novel, a PIRACY novel.

Am I impressed? Sure! I mean, all these elements are pretty commonplace in fantasy anyway, but when you ply them with a deft hand and make sure the awesome core of the Tower of Babylon is still at the core, and I've got to say we've got something pretty original going on here.

I RESPECT original. It's not WILD original, though. It's solid fun, turning steampunk on a brand-new almost hard-SF edge while bringing in a lot of elements of the old Babylonian society all the while. And we have airships. I likey. :)

So many of those steampunk novels have been kinda... lacking. This one seems to do it RIGHT. :) Because it's not really steampunk. It's just plain creative. :) ...more

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Feb 21, 2019 megs_bookrack marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-to-read, books-i-own-to-read

I just bought the first three books in this series.

Have I even read the first one?
No.

Do I know if I will love it?
No.

Then why buy them all immediately, you ask?

Fairly confident with this purchase though... ...more

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Sep 16, 2019 Elle (ellexamines) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-characters, x-buylist, elle-recs-list, z-2019favs, sff-high-fantasy, x-series, y-2018releases, z-2019reads, 5-star, favorite-friendships

This book was so much fun. Following a normally shy teacher who ascends a mysterious and mythic tower in search of his missing wife, Senlin Ascends brings both the intrigue and the magic to the table.

Senlin Ascends follows schoolmaster Thomas Senlin as he looks for his wife, lost on a vacation to the Tower. As he attempts to look for her up the first six levels of the tower, he meets a large array of strange characters… and perhaps learns a little courage and determination, along the way.

This b ...more

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Oct 13, 2018 Philip rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, author-man, steampunk

4ish stars.

There comes a point after reading a certain number of "magic school" or "sword and sorcery" novels, when it can be hard to believe that there are any stories left that haven't already been told three or four times. Luckily there are still books like this one that are just familiar enough to be recognizable, but are otherwise in a league of their own. It's sort of like a steampunk adventure version of Breaking Bad meets The Hobbit? Try telling me you've already read that one.

It's almo ...more

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Jan 30, 2019 Anthony Ryan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Josiah Bancroft’s narrative of the travails suffered by stiff-backed headmaster Thomas Senlin as he ascends the fabled Tower of Babel in search of his lost wife is truly a box of delights. Bancroft displays a Dickens-like gift for characterisation in the unique and memorable cast populating a world as absurd as it is frightening. The setting mixes occasional almost dreamlike weirdness reminiscent of both Lewis Carol and Douglas Adams with a hard-edged sense of omnipresent danger. As he climbs ev ...more

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Jan 31, 2017 Choko rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, steam-punk

*** 4.35 ***

A buddy read with my friends @ BB&B! Because we love great writing!!!

What a great find! When I decided to join on the buddy read for this book, I had only seen the beautiful cover - I miss this type of art on the currently publishing trends .. I had no idea what the book is about and from the name surmised that it must be about the strife of humanity to reach g-d like power. So, being a reader who is up for anything, I thought it looked interesting and after all, what could it hurt?

W *** 4.35 ***

A buddy read with my friends @ BB&B! Because we love great writing!!!

What a great find! When I decided to join on the buddy read for this book, I had only seen the beautiful cover - I miss this type of art on the currently publishing trends .. I had no idea what the book is about and from the name surmised that it must be about the strife of humanity to reach g-d like power. So, being a reader who is up for anything, I thought it looked interesting and after all, what could it hurt?

Well, I have to say, this book did hurt. First, the writing style was so beautiful and simple at the same time, it was a painful reminder of how often all of us are being subjected to mediocre and sub-par all the way down to incompetently written works, to the point that when we encounter a thoughtful and well crafted work, it seems like a rare treasure!

Second, it hurt my soul seeing this vision of the way humanity could have gone if G-D never destroyed the Tower of Babel... The land of Ur, the Tower becoming the center of human culture and advancement. Those who have been given the chance of generations to climb up the "ringdoms" of the Tower and have never stepped outside of its construction, see themselves as higher beings than anyone of "lower" birth. The author gives us a very disturbing and cruel picture of the human condition by juxtaposing the Babel life with the experiences of an optimistic but somewhat starched schoolmaster and his new wife, who come to the Tower for their honeymoon. Although not a very young man, he is full of idealistic views and ideals, wanting to believe only the best of people. His wife is a perfect match for him, despite being younger, because she awakens in him a sense of Whimsy and color in his black and white personality. This bright eyed couple, which we could easily identify with, gets separated almost from the start and we spend the book with Tom Senlin on his frantic search up the Tower for his lovely Marya. The human decay he is faced with is absolutely horrifying!!! It tries to change him and shape him in its own image, and the valiant battle Senlin wages to keep his basic values is vicious and violent. My soul was deeply hurt by the selfish and indifferent way people treated each other. The division of class which comes with the levels of the Tower and the cheapening of values and dignity the lower you are, are only some of the painful examples the author makes us consider. In the tumultuous political and social upheaval we find ourselves today, I can only pray that we can be as strong in spirit and grounded in decency as Senlin shows himself to be!!!!!!!

And lastly, it hurts to be the reader, a person outside the action of the story, not only because it would be awesome to enter this imaginative but so real world, but because of not being able to reach out to the protagonist in some of his most difficult and lonely moments and share his pain with him. The way the Tower culture strips the person to the bare bones, rips away all sense of community, culture as a food for the soul, not a currency exchange, and makes the individual live either lost in the oblivion of slave labor, drunken stupor, basic instinct of survival, or mindless persuites of the flesh, is painful and demoralizing!!! I felt like weeping for the sparks of humanity which were extinguished by the Tower reality. It once again restored my commitment to rejecting the temptation to give in to the bitterness and hate those who want to reduce us to mindless slaves in spirit if not in action, keep trying to bait us to surrender to. We have to be better than that! Senlin manages to learn the rules of his new reality, but stays firm on his beliefs and I personally want to be him when I grow up ☺☺☺!!!

As I went on this tangent, I need not point out how deeply this book affected me. The thoughtfully structured plot had some slower parts, but they didn't bother me, because they felt like quiet moments for us to surrender to the melancholy of the loneliness Senlin was experiencing... They added to the intimate connection we developed with him and his tribulations... The prose was immaculate and being a first in a series of three, we are left with an open ending, looking forward to the next chapter in the ascending of Senlin up the uncharted hights of the Tower!!! ...more

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Sep 13, 2016 Milda Page Runner rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: dark-fantasy, smart-and-thought-provoking, steampunk

Whoa! Senlin Ascends or does he? Is he just shedding the shell and Breaking Bad? What a journey and what a transformation.

Gorgeous writing, original world, that is as beautiful as it is cruel, creative and intricate mechanisms. Plot that is both comic and tragic and philosophical filled with unique imagination and breath-taking adventure. Loved it!

This is not a light read. There are certainly some dark and painful moments along the way. But it’s never hopeless and has sparks of humour in unexpec ...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
YA Buddy Readers'...: Senlin Ascends (The Books of Babel #1) by Josiah Bancroft — Starting July 1st, 2021	14	12	Jul 07, 2021 10:28PM
Beyond Reality: Senlin Ascends (1/21): roll call and first impressions (no spoilers!)	4	20	Jan 29, 2021 03:21PM
Beyond Reality: Senlin Ascends (1/21): finished reading (spoilers!)	6	14	Jan 15, 2021 09:24AM
Fantasy Buddy Reads: Senlin Ascends [Feb 10, 2020]	28	87	Mar 06, 2020 05:15AM
Fantasy Buddy Reads: Senlin Ascends [Sep 5, 2019]	36	53	Oct 25, 2019 11:18PM
Fantasy Buddy Reads: Senlin Ascends [Oct 20, 2019]	2	20	Sep 28, 2019 03:14AM

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About Josiah Bancroft

Josiah Bancroft

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Before settling down to write fantasy novels, Josiah Bancroft was a poet, college instructor, and aspiring comic book artist. When he is not writing, he enjoys recording the Crit Faced podcast with his authorial friends, drawing the world of the Tower, and cooking dinner without a recipe. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Sharon, their daughter Maddie, and their two rabbits, Mabel and Chapli ...more

Other books in the series

The Books of Babel (4 books)

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Arm of the Sphinx (The Books of Babel, #2)

The Fall of Babel (The Books of Babel, #4)

Arm of the Sphinx, Part 1: The Stone Cloud (The Books of Babel #2, Part 1)

Short Stories & Vignettes from the Babel-verse

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Quotes from Senlin Ascends

“Senlin did not believe in that sort of love: sudden and selfish and insatiable. Love, as the poets so often painted it, was just bald lust wearing a pompous wig. He believed true love was more like an education: it was deep and subtle and never complete.” — 86 likes

“Even beauty diminishes with study. It is better to glance than gawk.” — 43 likes

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