My Favourite Book! Narration fits perfectly!

I started Senlin Ascends yesterday, I was having a bad day, one of those ones where nothing seems to go the way you want it to. By chapter 3 I realised my day wasn’t actually that bad. Thomas Senlin, on the other hand, was having a really bad day… several actually, but he’s really good at dealing with everything life throws at him.

Thomas Senlin is a mild-mannered headmaster from a small town out in the middle of nowhere. Inspired by the legends and books, Senlin and his newlywed wife, Marya, travel to the world’s greatest marvel, a tower stretching into the sky with unnumbered ringdoms stacked one on the other like the layers of a cake, the Tower of Babel. Within the first hour of their arrival, Senlin loses his wife in the chaotic ever evolving throng of people and stores in and around the tower.

Now at this stage, you’re probably thinking, how could Bancroft possibly turn Senlin losing his wife into a nice, interesting book, it shouldn’t be that hard to find each other again. Well, imagine you’re in New York City in rush hour, there are people everywhere, and it’s easy to get separated. Then imagine all the buildings look similar and regularly move around. Then take this idea of the crowded, ever-evolving, chaotic mess of this imaginary NYC, multiply it, and start stacking each city on top of each other. Each layer slightly different from the one before, posing new and different challenges before you can pass to the next layer, people with their own agendas who want to rob you and make you do things you don’t want to do and then you have something that looks like an easy version of the situation Senlin finds himself in.

Setting

The Tower of Babel is an immensely interesting setting for this novel. Each layer is fundamentally different from the layer below, each specialising in something different, and Bancroft creates his own miniature world in each different layer. The book is split into three distinct sections (they’re really good indications on where to have a break) each occurring in a different part of the tower, and we get to spend a good amount of time in each of these very different, but also similar worlds.

Bancroft does an excellent job of describing this fascinating steampunk world he has created. He also has an amazing way of illustrating scenes through some very unique metaphors, which I really loved.

Characters

As you can probably guess, Senlin is the main character of the book. He’s a mild-mannered, thoughtful person, as you’d expect for a headmaster, and not at all used to the unfamiliar scenarios he finds himself in. Thus begins the epic development of Thomas Senlin, a seemingly ordinary guy, thrown headfirst into an extraordinary world. I admire Senlin greatly; he takes everything in his stride and just keeps on going regardless of what the world throws at him.

My favourite description of Senlin comes fairly early on in the book, and is probably one a lot of readers can identify with:

Senlin loved nothing more in the world than a warm hearth to set his feet upon and a good book to pour his whole mind into. While an evening storm rattled the shutters and a glass of port wine warmed in his hand, Senlin would read into the wee hours of the night.

Other characters come and go throughout the series as Senlin moves about the tower, but we get deep insights into the lives and driving forces behind these characters. Overall, Bancroft does a fantastic job of thoroughly developing his characters.

Plot

The plot can be summarised fairly succinctly, Senlin wants to climb the tower and find his wife. The tower does not want to be climbed. Conflict ensues.

In reality, it’s a bit more complex than that, Senlin’s character development really shines in those moments of conflict, and it becomes evident how the circumstances and events change him.

As I said earlier, the story is broken down into 3 smaller parts, and Josiah does a fantastic job of bringing the events in each part together for the conclusion of the book.

Other Thoughts

I really loved this book. It’s the first steampunk book I’ve ever read, and I absolutely adored it. The world is amazing, the characters are well thought out and interesting, and it wraps these aspects together with a great plot, and some really good prose.

If I haven’t convinced you of how good this book is, Josiah was originally self-published, and Orbit has seen how good his work is and offered him a publishing deal. The narration of this book is amazing. John Banks does a fantastic job of making Senlin real, and the voice fits him perfectly.

6 people found this helpful

Senlin Snags Me By The End!

It's not often I feel conflicted about what rating to give a book but this is definitely an example. Senlin Ascends really is a pure fantasy, almost a Fantasia in the sense that there is no attempt to do any kind of vaguely logical world-building. Instead a mild mannered small school headteacher is plunged into a mystical tower which is idealised as the height of human achievement when in reality it's anything but. Senlin is driven to explore the levels of this enormous structure, each contains its own almost self-contained society with absolutely no suggestion of anything about how they interact paying more than lip service to logic. It's almost like an extended fable.

This of course gives the writer enormous ease and freedom and Bancroft doesn't hold back filling each of the levels or "Ringdoms" with a colourful army of larger than life characters and crazy inventions such as the "Beer-me-up" I think it was. It made me laugh at the thought of it anyway - an end to climate change? The narration by John Banks suits the tone of the book very well. He delivered the author's at times incredibly clever and literate prose in just the right manner.

To me though the whole thing only really took off in the last three to four hours when a lot of threads came together and the story and its hero really seemed to emerge as a strong character. For this reason and the fact that this will drive you insane if you need any level of logic to apply to your fantasy I'm sticking at four stars for the whole thing.

However, by the end of those last few hours I feel as if I've been snagged on Senlin's coat tails and will likely take the second of what I've heard is to be a four book series when it comes out in March.

12 people found this helpful

Unique. Brilliant.

I've never read a story quite like it.

Victorianesque in setting and feel, with steampunk elements and an industrious, mysterious tower as its main focus. This single POV story witnesses true character progression and setting discovery. Twists, turns, alliances and betrayals.

Enter the tower and walk along side Senlin as his ardous climb through level and status surprises and amazes you.

1 person found this helpful

Tidy but unresolved.

Everything in this book from world building to characters are deliberately and concisely used, including the ending. The story while (enjoyable) is left unresolved so be prepared for a series and not just a stand alone romo around Babel.

Absolutely Superb.

Wow absolutely wow, I think I've just read one of the best, most intriguing and most stressful books ever. Josiah Bancroft's first book in The Books Of Babel series is truly a wonder to behold. The authors storytelling, character development and those beautiful prose are to die for. When I first seen this book I was expecting it be whimsical, but this is original steampunk fantasy with a unique world unlike anything I have ever read before. In so many ways it has delivered on everything it promised and so much more, its fun humoured, dark, exciting and its just one of those books that you really don't know what the author has instore next for our poor protagonist Thomas Senlin. In the first installment Senlin Acends we follow a School Headmaster Thomas Senlin who has just married to his new wife Marya. Its always been Tom's dream to visit the Tower of Babel a mysterious world with levels known as the ringdoms is supposed to be holiday makers dream destination, well that's according to Tom's Tower of Babel guide anyway. When Tom and his wife reach the Tower on there first day, everything seems to go wrong and turns into a nightmare for the newly wed couple, when Marya goes missing after a couple of hours this leads Tom on an adventure through the Tower meeting some very grey and unsavoury characters along the way. Will Tom find his wife, check it out you will absolutely love it. The narrating by John Banks is brilliant, he brings all these amazing characters to life especially the voice of Thomas Senlin, I very highly recommend..😀

Brilliantly imagination

I'm looking forward to the rest of these, a great protagonist, full of self-doubt and naivety in a fascinating and challenging world.

Incredible Listen!!

This book is fantastic and I am so excited to move onto the next book. The performance is dynamic and engaging and the story is truly fascinating.

I feel as Senlin ascends up the Tower of Babel you are drawn deeper into the story and his character arc is so well written that its hard to stop listening.

I can't recommend this enough.

Not worth the hype

So Senlin and his wife goes to the tower of Bable, which has different cultures and scenery on every level. This I thought was interesting.
But the first thing that happens is that Senlin loses his wife, good job there pal. Then Senlin starts his journey to climb the tower and find his wife.

First level is rough but interesting.
Second level is a bit horrifying but meh.
Third level beautiful but so boring.
Fourth level dark but slow.
And than this book is over.

Senlin is not an interesting character to follow. His blend, boring and just meh. I have no idea how he got this far. The people his meeting is far more interesting but not enough to keep my interest going.

Not sure if I'm going to continue or not. Maybe the second book will be better?

A romp!

Set in an alternative universe where the Tower of Babel was actually built this is a great romp as rather pompous man’s mettle is tested when he loses his wife and goes looking for her. Add in a few flashbacks and this is an enjoyable tale.

Great story FANTASTIC narrator!

Absolutely loved it and the narration is fantastic so many voices for tye different characters and his interpretation of what accent to use is sublime.