BOOKS OF BABEL By JOSIAH BANCROFT

            Books of Babel by Josiah Bancroft is an absolutely delightful reading experience. The author has created a marvellous world filled with interesting characters. With top tier world building and character development (all with satisfying story arcs), Books of Babel has very quickly become one of my favourite fantasy series.

            While it is classified as fantasy, do not walk into the Tower of Babel expecting orcs and elves, wizards and goblins. This is not typical sword and sorcery. The series has its own special citizens and denizens, personally wordcrafted by Josiah Bancroft. Each individual level, or ringdom, of the Tower has unique characteristics. There’s a bit of sci-fi and steampunk in it as well (you’ll love the aerial warfare). To paraphrase Martin Tyler – “I swear you’ll never read anything like this ever again. So read it, drink it in.” And over time, appreciate how the author cleverly ties it all, and you realise the picturesque features of the Tower are not just there as decorations to inspire awe and wonder. Sinisterness and ominosity lurk beneath all the charming distractions. (Am I making up words now?). The Tower of Babel will equally fascinate and horrify Senlin, as well as the reader.

1. Senlin Ascends

Have I mentioned how these covers are some of the best I’ve seen? Ian Leino also deserves credit for his brilliant artwork. I have written earlier on books with covers you immediately fall in love with, and Books of Babel rates at the very top of that list.

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

SENLIN ASCENDS

“Bribery wins more arguments than reason.”

SENLIN ASCENDS

The story begins with Senlin, a somewhat stuffy orthodox school headmaster, with his former student and newly married wife Marya, on their honeymoon. The author Josiah Bancroft, in a tongue-in-cheek promo for the book describes it as ‘Creepy Disneyland, where you immediately lose your spouse, and no one will help you.’ Having finished the series, I still cannot find a better way to describe it. As Senlin ascends along the Tower of Babel, we are gradually introduced to a world that, as I mentioned earlier, is simply unique in fantasy. Some of my favourite world-building, it’s a wonderland for adults, but creepy and deadly, surreal at times. Senlin, while still sticking to his principles, tries his best to look for his wife, while making a few friends, and more enemies, along the way. The further and deeper into the Tower you go, the more you will appreciate Josiah Bancroft’s clever writing. Senlin meets an amazing cast of characters, including…

2. Arm of the Sphinx

            The wonder, awe and excitement of being introduced to the world created by Josiah Bancroft in the first book of the series cannot be matched again. The world-building, the subtle hints towards the bigger picture, the introduction to the characters, the unique features of each level, had me absolutely mesmerised the first time around. Perhaps like Senlin himself, this time I was forced to focus more on the plot, and less on oohing and aahing at the various marvels surrounding us. Until the second half of the book, when you become a Tower fanboy again.

“Of course I have a plan,” he said, clapping his hands. “We are going to die.”

ARM OF THE SPHINX

“A recorder takes things down. A historian makes things up.”

ARM OF THE SPHINX

          I mentioned it earlier, and I’ll say it again – Josiah Bancroft is one of the cleverest writers in the genre. Pay attention to everything – he’s almost like a magician at times – seems so simple once it’s all explained. The new character – the Sphinx, is exceptionally well written, and this book adds quite a few memorable characters to its already impressive cast. The action is relentless at times, and the plot takes some unexpected twists and turns that’ll keep you grabbing immediately for the next book, which is…

3. The Hod King

Possibly my favourite overall in the series. The Hod King is absolutely action packed, with some of the most epic moments in the series. It now becomes so difficult to pick a favourite character, as they are all extremely well written. With most books, you have your favourites, and then you have those characters you couldn’t care less about. Books of Babel is a rare series where the author makes you care about every single character, both major and relatively minor. You are concerned about the fates of each and every one. This is not just about Thomas Senlin looking for his missing wife anymore. Things have escalated in a major way. While Senlin is still the main character, the other POVs are brilliantly written, and these characters get a chance to shine.

While the series is not at all grimdark (despite having more than its share of both grim and dark), it does well to illustrate how the world is never black and white, and forces both Senlin, and the reader, to re-evaluate a lot of viewpoints we may take for granted. I wonder how big an influence Lewis Carroll was on Bancroft’s writing, as I was reminded at times not just of Alice in Wonderland, but of Sylvie and Bruno as well. This is such a highly quotable series.

“The rich “learn lessons.” The poor commit crimes. “Mistakes” are generally considered a mark of the middle class.”

THE HOD KING

“All I know is that, at the end of the day, dreams don’t matter, but neither does regret. We aren’t what we want or wish for. We are only what we do.”

THE HOD KING

As we travel through each successive level (ringdom) of the Tower, for each mystery uncovered, it seems like two new ones crop up. Not to worry, it is all perfectly wrapped up in…

4. The Fall of Babel

I have scarcely been able to do this series proper justice so far, as I have had to avoid spoilers. This is now a particularly difficult task, as I am about to describe the final book on the series. No character is ignored, and the author answers almost all our questions. Some are intentionally left more open-ended, so we as readers can reach our own conclusions. Overall, this fourth book, as well as the series overall, is beautifully paced, has wonderful prose, great action sequences, and the best as mentioned already is the world building (which continues through all four books) and the characters.

Highest possible recommendation. In an ideal world, the adventure would never end, but in the meantime, we can look forward to Josiah Bancroft’s next big project. I do hope, though, similar to what Sebastien de Castell has done with his Greatcoats series, Bancroft returns to the Tower of Babel with a few novellas and short stories, as there is still so much to the Tower that remains hidden from us.

Also special thanks to Allen, aka Library of Allenxandria on Booktube, whose reviews convinced me to read this series. A bit like The Everyman’s Guide attracts people to the Tower of Babel, I hope his reviews encourage more people to read this book.