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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow, what a concept!! Such an engaging story to go with it. Starting the 2nd book in the series immediately.
This book is bizarre yet very fun to read. Reading this book is what I had imagined reading The Wind-Up Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi would be like but whereas that book failed and I didn't enjoy it, this book succeeds and I really liked it.
This is a book about Thomas Senlin and his bizarre journey through the lower-most levels of the Tower of Babel; the Basement, Parlor, Baths, and finally a trader's port in New Babel. With a host of quirky secondary characters, it is a bizarre journey but so well written and imagined that it's a pleasure to read. Looking forward to reading book two.
Reread 10/7/21 - It was surprising to realize how little time is spent in The Basement and The Parlour. Even The Baths didn't take up much time. It's fun to see all the characters early in the book that show up later in the story and some of the details that are important later but didn't seem to be during the first read. Very excited to read the complete story with the concluding novel coming out next month. On to my reread of Arm of the Sphinx!
This is a book about Thomas Senlin and his bizarre journey through the lower-most levels of the Tower of Babel; the Basement, Parlor, Baths, and finally a trader's port in New Babel. With a host of quirky secondary characters, it is a bizarre journey but so well written and imagined that it's a pleasure to read. Looking forward to reading book two.
Reread 10/7/21 - It was surprising to realize how little time is spent in The Basement and The Parlour. Even The Baths didn't take up much time. It's fun to see all the characters early in the book that show up later in the story and some of the details that are important later but didn't seem to be during the first read. Very excited to read the complete story with the concluding novel coming out next month. On to my reread of Arm of the Sphinx!
Fun and violent and steampunk-y first in a series. Would make a great video game.
Entertaining worldbuilding brought life to an otherwise straightforward story
This was a DNF for me. The prose itself is without flaw, but the main character sparked no interest or empathy in me after 150 pages, and so I decided that I simply couldn't force myself to start caring at that point.
Stvarno jeste dobro!
Vavilonska kula (u nekom svetu nalik na naš), koja je toliko drevna da joj je i istorija zaboravljena i čiji je prečnik prečnik jednog grada, naziva se slivnikom čovečanstva iz dva razloga: prvi je što privlači čovečanstvo sebi kao slivnik vodu, kao neka nova gravitaciona sila, a drugi je, pa, isto to samo sa izrazito negativnom konotacijom (khm khm „nije Milošević kriv“).
I taj sloj romana je zaista i najinteresantniji. Koja je svrha te gorostasne kule? Da li se uzdiže do neslućenih visina kako bi stigla do raja ili oborila isti? Da li je to u stvari samo jedan megalomanski lift do vasione? Simbol ljudske ambicije koja istovremeno dozvoljava svim našim manama da se istaknu? Voleo bih da Bankroft nikada ne razjasni.
Elem, neću puno o priči sem toga da je ovo klasična avantura i da je cilj uvek jasan, nema tu bog zna šta. Likovi su simpatični, vešto napisani, i izuzev par naivnih grešaka pisca (ipak mu je ovo prvi roman i čini mi se da je ne toliko imao priču, koliko je znao na koji način će do nje da dodje; tj. da je video Kulu), i narativa je i više no kvalitetna. Impresivan prvi roman još nedovršenog serijala, sa dovoljno „literarne“ vrednosti da se istakne u moru ostalih kopi-pejst priča. Čudi me što još nije (iako je već na izrazito dobrom glasu). Ovde stvarno čuči jedan potencijalno veliki nastavak, veliki roman.
5-
Vavilonska kula (u nekom svetu nalik na naš), koja je toliko drevna da joj je i istorija zaboravljena i čiji je prečnik prečnik jednog grada, naziva se slivnikom čovečanstva iz dva razloga: prvi je što privlači čovečanstvo sebi kao slivnik vodu, kao neka nova gravitaciona sila, a drugi je, pa, isto to samo sa izrazito negativnom konotacijom (khm khm „nije Milošević kriv“).
I taj sloj romana je zaista i najinteresantniji. Koja je svrha te gorostasne kule? Da li se uzdiže do neslućenih visina kako bi stigla do raja ili oborila isti? Da li je to u stvari samo jedan megalomanski lift do vasione? Simbol ljudske ambicije koja istovremeno dozvoljava svim našim manama da se istaknu? Voleo bih da Bankroft nikada ne razjasni.
Elem, neću puno o priči sem toga da je ovo klasična avantura i da je cilj uvek jasan, nema tu bog zna šta. Likovi su simpatični, vešto napisani, i izuzev par naivnih grešaka pisca (ipak mu je ovo prvi roman i čini mi se da je ne toliko imao priču, koliko je znao na koji način će do nje da dodje; tj. da je video Kulu), i narativa je i više no kvalitetna. Impresivan prvi roman još nedovršenog serijala, sa dovoljno „literarne“ vrednosti da se istakne u moru ostalih kopi-pejst priča. Čudi me što još nije (iako je već na izrazito dobrom glasu). Ovde stvarno čuči jedan potencijalno veliki nastavak, veliki roman.
5-
A unique and absolutely entertaining adventure. Bancroft's world of steam tech and airships is nothing new to fantasy readers, but the devil is in the details - and the minutiae of world building are solidly inventive. On top of that the main setting, a Tower of Babel turned tourist trap, is irresistibly charming in its own twisted way.
Dividing the book neatly between the main character's adventures on several different floors of the tower works extremely well. Bancroft looks like an old pro as he navigates introducing a new setting and supporting cast at least four different times.
And he doesn't fall into the trap of making the different sections too dependent on each other, thus feeling interchangeable, or too independent, and making the book feel disjointed. He strikes the perfect balance, and it makes for a brilliantly paced book.
My one big disappointment was the ending. It didn't feel like an ending so much as a chapter break, except it picks back up in the next book. And while I don't begrudge the first book of a trilogy leaving you wanting more, each book needs to have a satisfying conclusion. Bancroft leaves a bit too much in the air (literally, ha-ha).
Anyway, this is quite the unexpected gem. Highly recommended for lovingly crafted entertainment.
Dividing the book neatly between the main character's adventures on several different floors of the tower works extremely well. Bancroft looks like an old pro as he navigates introducing a new setting and supporting cast at least four different times.
And he doesn't fall into the trap of making the different sections too dependent on each other, thus feeling interchangeable, or too independent, and making the book feel disjointed. He strikes the perfect balance, and it makes for a brilliantly paced book.
My one big disappointment was the ending. It didn't feel like an ending so much as a chapter break, except it picks back up in the next book. And while I don't begrudge the first book of a trilogy leaving you wanting more, each book needs to have a satisfying conclusion. Bancroft leaves a bit too much in the air (literally, ha-ha).
Anyway, this is quite the unexpected gem. Highly recommended for lovingly crafted entertainment.