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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Truly incredible writing. I picked this one up after reading The Hexologists because I like the way Bancroft writes, particularly his female characters.
This was not only beautifully written, but clever and expansive and unlike anything I’ve ever read before. I am immediately staring book 2 because I have to know what happens next.
This was not only beautifully written, but clever and expansive and unlike anything I’ve ever read before. I am immediately staring book 2 because I have to know what happens next.
I took a break half way through which didn't help the pacing. However it was easy to pick up and finish. Lots of questions still remain and hopefully book 2 will elaborate!
This book is like Douglas Adams Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Jonathan Howard's Johannes Cabal the Necromancer series had a slightly odd lovechild. It's both smart and absurd, which made it delightful to read. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter were little treats and buried in the text there were more quotes I think would be amazing printed on a t-shirt. This is an hero's journey worth reading: adventurous, quirky, and fascinating. Readers would also enjoy the other two series mentioned, and maybe, The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster as well. -Alexis S.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I felt that the pacing dragged a little in a couple of spots, which removed some of the triumph and urgency from the climax, but the setting was so unique and the characters so engaging that this was a great read nonetheless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Trafficking, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Drug use, Misogyny, Alcohol
Fascinating fantasy world! Great premise, world-building, and overall story. I sometimes got a little eye-glazy with some of the prose, and I wish the story had reached a conclusion at the end. Now I’ll have to read book 2.
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
How do you describe Senlin Ascends? It's imaginative and bizarre. At times cosy and whimsical, at other times incredibly anxiety inducing. It's a familiar plot elevated by the brilliantly original world in which it is set. It's a travelogue through one of the craziest settings in all fantasy. More than anything, it's really damn good.