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Josiah Bancroft
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Senlin Ascends: Book One of the Books of Babel Kindle Edition

by Josiah Bancroft (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 4,490 ratings

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'Gracefully written, deliriously imaginative, action-packed, warm, witty and thought-provoking' Madeline Miller, author of Circe

'One of my favourite books of all time' - Mark Lawrence, author of Prince of Thorns

'I'm wildly in love with this book' - Pierce Brown, author of Red Rising

DISCOVER THE EXTRAORDINARY DEBUT THAT HAS GOT EVERYONE TALKING

Mild-mannered headmaster, Thomas Senlin prefers his adventures to be safely contained within the pages of a book. So when he loses his new bride shortly after embarking on the honeymoon of their dreams, he is ill-prepared for the trouble that follows.

To find her, Senlin must enter the Tower of Babel - a world of geniuses and tyrants, of menace and wonder, of unusual animals and mysterious machines. And if he hopes to ever see his wife again, he will have to do more than just survive . . . this quiet man of letters must become a man of action.

'Brilliant' - Publishers Weekly

'I loved it' - Django Wexler

'An engrossing intoxicating delight' - Forbidden Planet

'An extraordinary debut that is well worthy of the hype. A beautifully written, highly engaging page-turning masterpiece' - Fantasy Book Review

'Thomas Senlin is the most unlikely yet likeable hero since a certain hobbit rushed out of Bag End leaving his second breakfast half-finished and entirely unwashed-up' - Fantasy Faction

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  1. Book 1 of 4
    Babel
  2. Print length
    371 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Orbit
  5. Accessibility
    Learn more
  6. Publication date
    22 Aug. 2017
  7. File size
    6.5 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 4 books in this series.

Product description

Review

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 . . . So many lines made me deeply jealous. Clever, literary, insightful lines that cut to the quick of the matter. The story is compelling. It unfolds and unfolds. Because the characters are excellently drawn, I cared very much about where it was all going. The imagination is unbound and intriguing . . . I hope it finds the audience it deserves (Mark Lawrence)

An extraordinary debut that is well worthy of the hype. A beautifully written, highly engaging page-turning masterpiece (FANTASY BOOK REVIEW)

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)

A terrific, free-ranging fantasy that ranges from Kafkaesque horror to heist thriller . . . This book is bonkers, entertaining, clever and - quite possibly - unique (PORNOKITSCH)

Senlin Ascends was a fantastic read, and felt truly unique. I will most definitely be reading the rest of Bancroft's work (BOOKNEST)

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 . . . Thomas Senlin himself is the most unlikely yet likeable hero since a certain hobbit rushed out of Bag End leaving his second breakfast half-finished and entirely unwashed-up (FANTASY FACTION)

This is the kind of book that sticks with you, and I haven't read anything quite like it before . . . I would give this book the highest recommendation (THE NOVEL ENTHUSIAST)

The tower is a fresh, imaginative tapestry of diverse, colourful locales, and it successfully conveys a sense of energy and corruption in one word after another. This is a roaring, virile place, crackling with life . . . it's a cracking read - there's betrayals, firm friendships, battles, banter, and even true love. It's a charming, fascinating piece, and I highly recommend it. (SCI-FI AND FANTASY REVIEWS)

Rich detail and intelligent prose that is absolutely chock-full of character pulled me into the story . . . Absolutely a book to read, to own, and to love. Couldn't recommend it more. (ELITIST BOOK REVIEWS)

The world building in this book is phenomenal . . . 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. It has adventure, intrigue, action, fantasy, Steampunk elements, and mystery all wrapped around a story of a man coming to grips with the fact that nothing is as he expected (SAN FRANCISCO BOOK REVIEW)

I absolutely loved this book, and can't wait to see what challenges Senlin faces in the sequel (ETERNAL ESCAPIST)

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 . . . . The reader will find much to applaud (PUBLISHERS WEEKLY)

About the Author

Josiah Bancroft is the author of five novels, a collection of short fiction, and numerous poems. His books have been translated into eight languages. Before settling down to write fantasy full-time, he was a college instructor, rock musician, and aspiring comic book artist. When he's not writing, he enjoys strumming a variety of stringed instruments, drawing with a growing cache of imperfect pens, and cooking without a recipe. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Sharon, their daughter, Maddie, and their two rabbits, Mabel and Chaplin.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B073XJ2956
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orbit
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 22 Aug. 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 6.5 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 371 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0356510804
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 4 ‏ : ‎ Babel
  • Best Sellers Rank: 95,005 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • Customer reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 4,490 ratings

About the author

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Josiah Bancroft

Josiah Bancroft

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Josiah Bancroft started writing novels when he was twelve and by the time he finished his first, he was an addict. Eventually, the writing of Senlin Ascends began, a fantasy adventure, not so unlike the stories that got him addicted to words in the first place. He wanted to do for others what his favourite writers had done for him: namely to pick them up and carry them to a wonderful and perilous world that is spinning very fast. If he's done that with this book, then he's happy.

Josiah lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Sharon, and their two rabbits, Mabel and Chaplin.

More examples of his work, including updates on upcoming instalments in the Books of Babel series, can be found at www.thebooksofbabel.com.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4,490 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book mesmerizingly brilliant, praising its imaginative worldbuilding and well-constructed plot. The writing receives high marks for its brilliant prose, and customers appreciate the wonderful characters, with one noting how the passage of time makes the character arcs believable. The book serves as a great start to a new series, with one review highlighting its rich and textured imagery.

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EnjoymentStory qualityCharacter developmentWriting qualityStartSettingVisual qualityBoredom
50 customers mention ‘Enjoyment’47 positive3 negative

Customers find the book highly enjoyable, describing it as mesmerizingly brilliant and captivating to read.

"Story - very good, start of a series, i'm eager to dive in for more. Job done...." Read more

"...done that in a review before... But it's beautiful and romantic and charming, and I'm fairly certain this was the point I fell in love with the book...." Read more

"...a combination of literary ambition - Bancroft's prose is evocative, exciting and occasionally beautiful - with a relentless pace...." Read more

"...All in all, this is a solid fantasy novel with a unique setting, interesting and complex characters and a plot that might feel a little slow to..." Read more

50 customers mention ‘Story quality’43 positive7 negative

Customers praise the imaginative worldbuilding and well-constructed plot of the book, with one customer describing it as an exciting steampunk adventure.

"...Overall, this was a unique and thrilling fantasy set in a world unlike any I’ve read before...." Read more

"Great story, I cannot wait for the second!..." Read more

"I cannot praise this book enough. The characters are strong and real and you want to travel with them on their journey into this amazing world..." Read more

"...But you have made it all mysterious again. And it's unnerving and frightening and wonderful, and I want it to continue. I want all your mysteries...." Read more

38 customers mention ‘Character development’33 positive5 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one customer noting how the passage of time makes the character arcs believable.

"...A wonderful storyline with great characters...." Read more

"The book starts well with good characters and an interesting plot. However, the story felt increasingly like it was aimed at yong adults...." Read more

"I cannot praise this book enough. The characters are strong and real and you want to travel with them on their journey into this amazing world..." Read more

"...In Thomas Sendlin, the main protagonist, there is a likeable hero. If anything he grows and adapts a little too easily...." Read more

32 customers mention ‘Writing quality’29 positive3 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, noting its brilliant prose and talented storytelling, with one customer highlighting its superbly descriptive environment.

"...Well done and well written." Read more

"...The prose is often poetic, and Senlin's awkwardness is charming and fun...." Read more

"...What makes Senlin Ascends work so well is a combination of literary ambition - Bancroft's prose is evocative, exciting and occasionally beautiful -..." Read more

"This book was entertaining, original and beautifully written, but somehow I didn't really feel emotionally involved enough to want to move on to the..." Read more

10 customers mention ‘Start’10 positive0 negative

Customers describe this book as a wonderful debut that serves as a great start to a new series.

"...town, the different ringdoms do not disappoint to be weird and wonderful and deadly each in their own way...." Read more

"A superb debut. I bought book 2 as soon as I finished this one and didn't stop until I'd finished that too." Read more

"...as a set up the the series this remains a cracking yarn and a good beginning" Read more

"Story - very good, start of a series, i'm eager to dive in for more. Job done...." Read more

7 customers mention ‘Setting’7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's setting, describing it as rich and unique, with one customer noting its variety that keeps readers engaged.

"...For a debut novel it knocks everything out the park, great story, great setting, fantastic characters a intriguing mysteries." Read more

"...There's enough different to keep you wondering, but never so much that it becomes a chore to read...." Read more

"...All in all, this is a solid fantasy novel with a unique setting, interesting and complex characters and a plot that might feel a little slow to..." Read more

"...I shall read the next immediately. Like the prose and the variety. Certainly not a copy of some other style or idea." Read more

6 customers mention ‘Visual quality’6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the visual elements of the book, describing them as beautiful and charming, with one customer noting how the locations are painted in rich detail.

"...the book and no, I've never done that in a review before... But it's beautiful and romantic and charming, and I'm fairly certain this was the point..." Read more

"...Each location is painted in rich detail, each fulfilling a function that Senlin tries to grasp..." Read more

"...At this point, I will mention that I think the book cover design is a work of genius. Go and take a hard look at it...." Read more

"When I started the book, I had my doubts - the colourful vignettes were instantly charming, but I feared it would be essentially a plotless Pilgrim..." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Boredom’4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging, with one mentioning its black comedy of manners and another noting the absence of cliches.

"...It's a black comedy of manners, a dashing adventure, and a devastating deconstruction of people, places and tropes...." Read more

"...It is a ‘literary style’, that’s a pleasure to read. No cliches, no repetitive phrases, but it also doesn’t use long and little used words for the..." Read more

"Boring...." Read more

"Bit boring...." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Rob Hayes
    5.0 out of 5 stars Niles Crane's vertical adventure.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 May 2017
    Verified Purchase
    senlin-ascends
    Reviewing this one without letting out squeals of delight might be a bit difficult. Yeah, I loved it.

    So Senlin Ascends (Or Niles Crane's vertical adventure) is about a small town headmaster who falls in love, marries the woman of his dreams, and takes her on a romantic honeymoon to a mythical tower said to hold all the shining light humanity has to offer. Only they get there and two minutes of the train she disappears. Our bookish, prudish headmaster then begins to ascend the tower looking for her. Niles soon realises the tower is a fair bit seedier and more devious than he had imagined, and the shining light is actually a blacklight illuminating the very worst humanity has to offer. There is betrayal, heartache, touching moments, and rotating list of secondary characters who leap of the page.

    As our main character ascends the tower, looking for his lost wife, he quickly has to come to terms with the each level being its own separate kingdom, boasting their own quirks, laws, customs, and despots. There is a strange sense of anticipation as Senlin nears the exit of each level, as we wait to see what the next one up will hold for him. From a giant play within a play, to a tropical paradise inside the tower itself, to a dingy industrial town, the different ringdoms do not disappoint to be weird and wonderful and deadly each in their own way. But then, there also seems to be something else going on within the tower, something between it all.
    I've called the main protagonist Niles Crane, because he honestly is a bit. He's a bit posh and very proper, and completely out of his depth in almost all situations. But his character growth throughout the book is a wonderful thing to see as he starts to adapt to his situation and learns to cope with whatever the tower throws at him. He actually seems to come to life throughout the adventure as his values and conduct are tested time and time again, often to breaking point.

    The side characters are just as fun to read. Senlin's wife, Marya, we only really learn about through flashbacks, but its fair impossible not to be a little smitten by the slightly awkward relationship they share.

    Senlin cleared his throat and furrowed his brow. "Marya, I... I have a difficult time expressing certain... genuinely held feelings. I..." he swallowed and shook his head. This was not how he wanted the speech to go. She waited patiently, and he gathered his thoughts. "You've made it impossible for me to read a book in peace. When you're not here, I just gaze at the words until they tumble off the page into a puddle in my lap. Instead of reading, I sit there and review the hours of the day I spent in your company, and I am more charmed by that story than anything the author has scribbled down. I have never been lonely in my life, but you have made me lonely. When you are gone, I am a moping ruin. I thought I understood the world fairly well. But you have made it all mysterious again. And it's unnerving and frightening and wonderful, and I want it to continue. I want all your mysteries. And if I could, I would give you a hundred pianos. I would..."

    Yes, I just quoted the book and no, I've never done that in a review before... But it's beautiful and romantic and charming, and I'm fairly certain this was the point I fell in love with the book. The prose is often poetic, and Senlin's awkwardness is charming and fun. Without even meaning to I found myself reading it like I was narrating it in my own head, and that worked brilliantly because I'm quite good at a slightly posh voice when I want to do one.

    The world is mysterious and familiar all at once. It's fantasy, without a doubt, but also a bit steampunk with electricity and automobiles and airships. There's enough different to keep you wondering, but never so much that it becomes a chore to read. The pace zips along, even in the slower moments, and yet the passage of time makes the character arcs believable

    Senlins Ascends is quirky, quaint, charming, and (at times) brutal. The book has bittersweet heartache written all over it. It drags you into Senlin's world and keeps you drowning in the same revelations he is subject to, and just when you think you've got it figured out... you haven't.

    I give Senlin Ascends a 5 out of 5. Loved it from cover to cover.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • A. Gibb
    4.0 out of 5 stars Inventive
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 October 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Clever world-building and decent characterisation provide a solid basis for this first in a series. It moves on at a fair pace, a little episodic, but not over predictably. In Thomas Sendlin, the main protagonist, there is a likeable hero. If anything he grows and adapts a little too easily. The backstory flashbacks are also a little invasive, and potentially could have been left hinted at.
    However as a set up the the series this remains a cracking yarn and a good beginning
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  • A. Whitehead
    5.0 out of 5 stars The strongest SFF debut for many years
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 October 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Senlin and his new wife, Marya, have decided to visit the fabled Tower of Babel for their honeymoon. The vast tower, miles wide and unfathomably tall, is divided into many different levels or "ringdoms", each level controlled by a different force and fulfilling a different function. Reaching the tower, Senlin loses his wife in the crowds and desperately tries to find her. This requires him to begin an ascent of the tower, searching for clues to her whereabouts and learning more about the powers that control it...and learning more about what he is capable of.

    Senlin Ascends is the first novel in a trilogy called The Books of Babel, followed by Arm of the Sphinx (out now) and The Hod King (working title, due next year). This is fantasy, but not quite as you may know it. It's a steampunk romance with airships and sky-pirates. It's a character-focused slice of the New Weird. It's a Biblical allegory (...maybe?). It's a science fiction novel set inside a Big Dumb Object created by peoples unknown for scientific purposes (...perhaps?). It's a black comedy of manners, a dashing adventure, and a devastating deconstruction of people, places and tropes. It's what you'd get if China Mieville and Christopher Priest collaborated on a novel and both brought their A-game, and it was then adapted for film by Studio Ghibli. It's quite possibly the most striking debut work of speculative fiction published in the last decade.

    Senlin Ascends is the story of a man who visits the Tower of Babel - which may or may not be "our" mythological tower - on honeymoon only to lose his wife. He ventures into the miles-wide, miles-tall tower in search of help, only to find most people indifferent to his plight and out to rob or enslave him. Initially he proceeds with optimism and reason, but as he suffers repeated setbacks he becomes more willing to manipulate and deceive people to achieve his ends. At key moments he realises the danger of what he is becoming and resolves to find his wife and escape before the tower batters him down from the man of integrity he used to be.

    In the course of this first novel, Senlin only ascends the lower four (of over forty) ringdoms of the tower. Each ringdom is an impressive feat of worldbuilding, complete with its own rulers, function and cast of characters. The Basement is a place of squalour and robbery. The Parlour is a bizarre place where guests have to take part in insane plays for the amusement of its rulers. The Baths is a vast spa resort where deadly politics play out and Senlin is blackmailed into becoming an art robber. New Babel is a collection of docks and markets where people toil in labour. Each location is painted in rich detail, each fulfilling a function that Senlin tries to grasp (and, late in the novel, manages to do so in an intriguing moment of revelation about the tower's purpose) and each being compelling enough for entire novels to be set there.

    What makes Senlin Ascends work so well is a combination of literary ambition - Bancroft's prose is evocative, exciting and occasionally beautiful - with a relentless pace. Chapters are short and punchy, Senlin's adventures rich and compelling, and Bancroft peppers the book with comic interludes, excerpts from quite ludicrously misleading tourist guides to the tower and, later on, Senlin's own journal about what is going on. A supporting cast of players is subtly put in place, ranging from the redoubtable painter Ogier to the fantastically violent warrior-woman Iren to Edith, a fellow lost traveller who inadvertently runs afoul of the tower's harsh and arbitrary justice system. There's also a genuinely unsettling and terrifying villain, of sorts, in the Red Hand, a literate and erudite enforcer with a tremendous capacity for violence. The supporting cast is small, but fantastically well-drawn.

    The novel builds over the course of its reasonable, focused length (350 pages) to an action-packed climax which sets the scene wonderfully for Arm of the Sphinx.

    In another universe, Senlin Ascends, which was originally published in 2013, would have already won the Campbell, Hugo, Nebula and Arthur C. Clarke Award. In this one, however, the author chose to not only self-publish it, but self-edit it as well. He did exactly the stuff that you're not supposed to do as a self-published writer and has done with tremendous skill, restraint and self-awareness. To date self-publishing has given us some very fine light adventure novels from the likes of Michael J. Sullivan and a reasonably strong epic fantasy from Anthony Ryan, but now it has given us SFF's first genuinely evocative work of self-published literature (that has broken through to mainstream attention, anyway). It may mark a serious turning-point in the field.

    Senlin Ascends (*****) is available now in the UK and USA. The sequel, Arm of the Sphinx, is already available.
    39 people found this helpful
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  • Mary-Rose
    3.0 out of 5 stars A good read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 August 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This book was entertaining, original and beautifully written, but somehow I didn't really feel emotionally involved enough to want to move on to the next volume.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Francesco Lanza
    5.0 out of 5 stars Un viaggio fantastico, poetico e brillante
    Reviewed in Italy on 26 January 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Sebbene l'opera di Josiah Bancroft sia nominalmente "steampunk", in realtà è più accuratamente una forma di weird fiction che ricorda, a tratti, certa narrativa russa dell'inizio del secolo scorso, a tratti un'avventura nella miseria vittoriana, il tutto con lo sfondo della rappresentazione più potente della crudeltà del mondo e della vita: la Torre di Babele, il perno d'ogni corruzione e male.

    Il lettore seguirà le peripezie del protagonista Tom Senlin, maestro di provincia che ricorda molto Ichabod Crane, un uomo che ha ancora molto spazio per crescere e cambiare, e diventare duro senza mutarsi in mostro, come invece fa il protagonista di Breaking Bad. L'autore rinuncia a condire la vita di Senlin anche con un solo granello di zucchero non necessario, e i panni di protagonista inetto di una novella ambientata a Pietroburgo vengono dismessi a favore di una consapevolezza meno romantica, l'accettazione d'un mondo che riesce a essere tanto fantastico quanto terribile.

    Non intendo svelare neppure una virgola in più di Senlin Ascends. È un libro di lunghezza limitata e va letto d'un fiato. La trama è semplice e ben sviluppata, i personaggi sono interessanti e degni d'essere amati o odiati. I misteri favolosi che influenzano la loro vita sono molti, e nonostante molti dei conflitti iniziali vengano risolti in questo volume, molte delle domande più pressanti verranno affrontate nei capitoli successivi. Questa si rivela da subito una delle serie più promettenti del decennio. La prosa di Bancroft è estremamente scorrevole e per nulla secca e schematica come quella d'altri autori fantasy che oggi vanno per la maggiore, ed è il frutto evidente di un lavoro di self-editing molto sofferto e accurato.

    Sì perché Senlin Ascends è l'opera di Josiah Bancroft da solo. Questo libro è una delle prove più interessanti che esistano oggi di come sia perfettamente possibile scrivere un'opera eccezionale lavorando in completa solitudine, per quanto il prezzo da pagare in termini di rischio e fatica sia disumano. Editor e case editrici hanno un ruolo insostituibile, sia chiaro, e non ha senso evitarli se si ha la possibilità di abbracciare la loro esperienza e la freddezza necessaria delle loro scelte professionali e d'impresa. Ma se tuttavia si ha l'abilità, la costanza, il coraggio, il mestiere e l'arte come alleati, allora, beh, questo piccolo capolavoro dimostra con assoluta perfezione che l'alternativa solitaria del self-publishing può portare risultati perfettamente validi.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful story that will leave you wanting more.
    Reviewed in Australia on 7 September 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Imaginative, engaging, and intriguing, "Senlin Ascends" introduces you to a world that is fantastic without being unbelievable. This masterfully written book keeps you eager for the next development, while never being sure what direction it might take. The action-packed ending is satisfying on its own, while at the same time leaving you glad that there are still three more books to enjoy.
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  • Vivek Chengappa Kodira
    5.0 out of 5 stars Original and beautifully written
    Reviewed in India on 2 September 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Reading a book this original and well written after a long time! Recommend it highly.

    ** Spoilers below **

    Reading the book was like watching an artist compose a painting. Every facet starts out being hazy and becoming clearer over time. Senlin doesn't start out being likeable. You don't feel any sympathy for his rather dull persona. His relationship with his wife seems forced and formal. He is very obviously out-of-his depth and every person he meets gets the better of him.

    Like Senlin's progress through the tower, the book is slow. But that is intentional. You realize that the author is taking time to deepen every aspect of the story. That the tower is not what it seems and neither is Senlin. His journey up the tower is also one of self-discovery. It is great to see a character mature as Senlin does. Marya, who you only 'see' in the first chapter, also becomes a character you start to root for - even if you only meet her through flashbacks and the eyes of others.

    Even the other people Senlin meets on his journey first seem like they can be easily categorized: drunk, lazy, crooked, helpful. But over time, they get so interesting, I wouldn't mind reading a book dedicated to each person.

    The romance is one of the best I've read. Rather than tell you how much in love they are: the author lets you see it for yourself. I read one chapter over-and-over, where through flashbacks, he shows their relationship mature over the course of a school year - from annoyance - to acceptance - to respect and finally to love.

    The prose is beautiful and lyrical. For example: The painter describing his muse: "she had sat without pretence, and he, without meaning to, had made her appear vain."
    and Senlin confronting the man who betrayed him " “You have no friends.” Senlin laughed “That’s what all my friends say.” "

    The humor is original, witty - and kind (am not sure how else to put it).

    Have read a lot of fantasy - this one was unlike any I've read so far - surprised and delighted me as I read it. Loved it.
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  • Klaus Viedenz
    5.0 out of 5 stars Original and refreshing
    Reviewed in Germany on 2 February 2021
    Verified Purchase
    22/25 (88%) 4.5 stars.

    So. I finally read this. Many thanks go out to everyone who kept recommending this one to me because reading this has been a joy. The first couple of chapters were just okay, but once Thomas Senlin entered the Parlor, this had me hooked. Good work, Mr Bancroft: Senlin Ascends is an intricately constructed introduction into a fascinating and original setting, carried by a wonderful protagonist.

    While the worldbuilding, that elegant combination of the biblical Tower of Babel myth and steampunk elements, is truly outstanding, what really carries this thing through to the end is Thomas Senlin himself. Yes, he is naive. Yes, he does stupid things. Yes, he's passive for far too long. But:
    Firstly, he's so relatable. He's that normal, boring guy who suddenly has to face the breakdown of his entire world, hopes, and beliefs, who is suddenly confronted with the harsh reality of the Tower that isn't the wonderful place he's expected it to be - so of course he's overwhelmed and incompetent at the start of it. But still, Tom Senlin goes on, fist like Bilbo Baggins, then with iron determination because it doesn't matter that he's out of his depth: he simply can't leave without finding the elusive Marya.

    "I have never been lonely in my life, but you have made me lonely. When you are gone, I am a moping ruin. I thought I understood the world fairly well. But you have made it all mysterious again. And it's unnerving and frightening and wonderful, and I want it to continue. I want all your mysteries."

    Secondly, he's refreshingly incorruptible. Senlin has his princpiples, he's pretty much a steadfast tin soldier, and it's been a long time since I've last read such an honest, good, relatable character. Yes, I love antiheros. But sometimes, even I need a hero who's pure at heart.

    "Because, see, by the time they get this deep into the Tower, most have had the character beaten out of them. They are willing to say anything to get what they want. You can't reason with them or trust them. To know a person, to understand their character, you must know who they were before the Tower shook them to their roots. If you do not know how they changed, you do not know who they became. The very fact that you are resistant to me now is a sign that you are the man for the job."

    I also really enjoyed what Bancroft did with his side characters, how they enter and leave this story and pop up again - everything is interwoven expertly. It all comes together, piece by piece, so that the impressive ending sequence doesn't feel like deus ex machina at all. The same goes for the plot: nothing happens suddenly. There are always small hints before something happens, but then other stuff happens in between so that you forget about it - then that something happens and you're both surprised and satisfied because you could've seen it coming. It's that small Rohan moment readers really cherish - excellent, Mr Bancroft.

    The only thing I didn't like in terms of characters was how quickly Senlin accepted that job offer. I'd have preferred more of an internal conflict during that scene, but on the other hand, he had to make that choice right at that moment, so I see why Bancroft chose to write it like he did.

    The setting and worldbuilding are, as I said, oustanding. This feels original and familiar at the same time, it's one of these instances where you're thinking: "Why didn't I think of that?"... before realising that you could never come up with something like this yourself. The whole way Bancroft constructs his Tower, the individual ringdoms and the purpose they serve, is brilliant. Brilliant.

    But something's missing for me, people. Call it the X factor, call it vibes: while I really, really enjoyed reading this, it didn't touch me like other books did. I have no idea why. Maybe it's because I haven't followed a single narrator through an entire book for a long time. Maybe I'm having the first reading slump of my life. But whatever it is, this book didn't reach my iron heart. It's a pageturner, it's well-written, but it's not an instant favourite or something. My guess that I just didn't feel the stakes.

    Yes, I think that's it. Throughout the entire book, I wasn't afraid for Tom Senlin. I wasn't afraid that anything bad would happen to him, and somehow, I need that bit of angst, I think, which is why this does get only 4.5 stars in the end - but I'm really looking forward to read the sequels, and maybe they'll give me that special spark this one didn't have.
    ----
    Dialogue 4
    Setting 5
    Characters 5
    Writing Style 4
    Plot 4
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  • Hayl
    5.0 out of 5 stars slow burn worth every minute of investment
    Reviewed in Canada on 25 April 2025
    Verified Purchase
    It took me a time to get into this novel - I will admit that I have been burning through romance novels of late and this certainly is not that.

    The metaphors in this book had me cackling and barking a laugh unexpectedly, and I cannot wait to see the growth in the characters now that a firm backstory has been established. Onwards and upwards!
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