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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
The nest thing about Senlin Ascends is that it feels unexpected. The world created by Bamcroft is like no other I've ever read about.
So why only 4 stars and not 5. Well that is to do with the first half of the book. The character of Tom annoyed the living hell out of me. He was naive up untill the point of ridiculousness as if I was reading about some pretentious dim wit. In the second half he grows om you and you wamt to see him succeed in is hero's journey.
What kept me going trough it at the speed I was reading this at was the world of the tower itself. What a splendid and imaginative place. Every ringworld is bizzar, but their purpose becomes very clear.
I would recommend this book to any who need a break from the now typical grim fantasy and high fantasy world. Try something different.
So why only 4 stars and not 5. Well that is to do with the first half of the book. The character of Tom annoyed the living hell out of me. He was naive up untill the point of ridiculousness as if I was reading about some pretentious dim wit. In the second half he grows om you and you wamt to see him succeed in is hero's journey.
What kept me going trough it at the speed I was reading this at was the world of the tower itself. What a splendid and imaginative place. Every ringworld is bizzar, but their purpose becomes very clear.
I would recommend this book to any who need a break from the now typical grim fantasy and high fantasy world. Try something different.
Fascinating fantasy. Very imaginative. I look forward to the next book.
Senlin Ascends is an extraordinary book. Hugely imaginative and expansive, it's like a mash-up of Dickens, Genesis, Dante's Inferno and Angela Carter. It's cleverly constructed and well-plotted and underlying the fantasia, there is a grim satire on humanity and its political and social systems.
But it also has its faults. It's long and often gets bogged down in excessive detail, slowing the plot, and, despite ingenious connections, it's necessarily episodic, with each part being a largely new story. There's a tendency for every character to be exaggerated and the female characters, in particular, are universally eccentric. Bancroft's prose is clear and easy to read but never really flies.
There has been some feminist criticism which seems partly warranted. Senlin's wife, Marya, can be seen as just a McGuffin, an object of his obsessive desire and a means towards his character development. Much of the plot is very male-dominated, though this changes as the plot progresses and an increasing number of women become central to the story, albeit of questionable realism. Maybe more telling, though, as a counter-argument, is that the world of Babel is one in which women are radically disempowered and treated as objects in an oppressive social system and it's clear that this is at the centre of the book's social conscience.
When push comes to shove, it's a solid adventure story with a warm, even sentimental, heart - in a cynical, cruel and grasping world, Senlin finds his purpose in true love and keeps faith in the power of friendship.
But it also has its faults. It's long and often gets bogged down in excessive detail, slowing the plot, and, despite ingenious connections, it's necessarily episodic, with each part being a largely new story. There's a tendency for every character to be exaggerated and the female characters, in particular, are universally eccentric. Bancroft's prose is clear and easy to read but never really flies.
There has been some feminist criticism which seems partly warranted. Senlin's wife, Marya, can be seen as just a McGuffin, an object of his obsessive desire and a means towards his character development. Much of the plot is very male-dominated, though this changes as the plot progresses and an increasing number of women become central to the story, albeit of questionable realism. Maybe more telling, though, as a counter-argument, is that the world of Babel is one in which women are radically disempowered and treated as objects in an oppressive social system and it's clear that this is at the centre of the book's social conscience.
When push comes to shove, it's a solid adventure story with a warm, even sentimental, heart - in a cynical, cruel and grasping world, Senlin finds his purpose in true love and keeps faith in the power of friendship.
adventurous
fast-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
A highly engaging book with a world more fascinating than most other fantasy books I have read.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reread Update:
I still love this just as much as I did the first time. Simply enchanting.
“The Tower of Babel is most famous for the silk fineries and marvelous airships it produces, but visitors will discover other intangible exports. Whimsy, adventure, and romance are the Tower’s real trade.”
Delightful. Innovative. Imaginative. Charming. Should I go on?
There are not enough words to describe how much I loved this book. I actually had this book on my TBR for a while, but really had no intentions of reading it anytime soon. It wasn’t really that I wasn’t interested, I just wasn’t in a rush to get to it. Learn from me. Pick this up immediately.
This is about this man named Senlin, who has recently gotten married and is taking his wife on a honeymoon. He has dreamed of visiting this place called The Tower of Babel. This tower is supposed to be the most amazing place in the world. This tower has levels to it that are called ringdoms. Each of the ringdoms have their own set of laws, culture, aesthetic, etc.
As soon as Senlin and his wife, Marya, arrive, they end up getting separated. Senlin is desperate to find his Marya and reunite with her. After not being able to find her in the outside market, he decides to go into the tower and look for her there.
Senlin eventually learns that this tower is not exactly what he thought it would be. It ends up being extremely dangerous and he has to fight for his survival.
Like I said earlier, this was one of the most creative things I have ever read. Learning about the different ringdoms was so fascinating. We really only see the first, the bottom, three levels of the tower. The first was the basement. The basement is supposed to be one of the most dangerous levels. Senlin does his best to get out of this level as quickly as possible.
The next level is The Parlor. The Parlor is so strange; I would consider it the theatre level. There are basically multiple of the same plays going on in different rooms. There are four characters and each person plays one of those characters, and they have to get stroking these fires in the rooms or they could face dire consequences.
The third level, the level that Senlin and Marya were planning on spending their honeymoon, is the Baths. This level appears to be the most relaxing, and normal, thus far. However, looks can be deceiving and Senlin soon finds himself in the most trouble in this ringdom.
The tower almost acts like a leech. It sucks the best out of the people who visit. People who think they are in for a good time and an inside look at one of the wonders of the world. Instead they are left empty shells of themselves trying their hardest to find a new normal.
While traversing these ringdoms he meets some interesting characters, like a thief, a farmer and wife, and a man avoiding his debts. All of these people pop up in and out of the story and either aid or harm Senlin as he searches for his wife and tries to stay alive.
He also learns that there are slaves, Hods, who kind of keep the tower up and running. There is something strange going on with them, but he doesn’t really have the time to figure it out since not only does he have to still find his wife, but he has also pissed off some important people in some of the ringdoms and now has an assassin after him.
I can’t tell you everything, but trust me, there are so many great twists and turns in this book. I never expected to love this book as much as I did. While I'm not sure I would ever want to visit this magical, enticing prison of a tower, I wouldn’t be opposed to reading about it forever.
“Newcomers may expect the ringdoms of the Tower to be like the layers of a cake, where each layer is much like the last. But this is not the case. Not at all. Each ringdom is unique and bewildering. The ringdoms of the Tower share only two things in common: the shape of their outermost walls, which are roughly circular, and the price of beef, which is outrageous. The rest is novel.”
I still love this just as much as I did the first time. Simply enchanting.
“The Tower of Babel is most famous for the silk fineries and marvelous airships it produces, but visitors will discover other intangible exports. Whimsy, adventure, and romance are the Tower’s real trade.”
Delightful. Innovative. Imaginative. Charming. Should I go on?
There are not enough words to describe how much I loved this book. I actually had this book on my TBR for a while, but really had no intentions of reading it anytime soon. It wasn’t really that I wasn’t interested, I just wasn’t in a rush to get to it. Learn from me. Pick this up immediately.
This is about this man named Senlin, who has recently gotten married and is taking his wife on a honeymoon. He has dreamed of visiting this place called The Tower of Babel. This tower is supposed to be the most amazing place in the world. This tower has levels to it that are called ringdoms. Each of the ringdoms have their own set of laws, culture, aesthetic, etc.
As soon as Senlin and his wife, Marya, arrive, they end up getting separated. Senlin is desperate to find his Marya and reunite with her. After not being able to find her in the outside market, he decides to go into the tower and look for her there.
Senlin eventually learns that this tower is not exactly what he thought it would be. It ends up being extremely dangerous and he has to fight for his survival.
“Even beauty diminishes with study. It is better to glance than gawk.”
Like I said earlier, this was one of the most creative things I have ever read. Learning about the different ringdoms was so fascinating. We really only see the first, the bottom, three levels of the tower. The first was the basement. The basement is supposed to be one of the most dangerous levels. Senlin does his best to get out of this level as quickly as possible.
The next level is The Parlor. The Parlor is so strange; I would consider it the theatre level. There are basically multiple of the same plays going on in different rooms. There are four characters and each person plays one of those characters, and they have to get stroking these fires in the rooms or they could face dire consequences.
The third level, the level that Senlin and Marya were planning on spending their honeymoon, is the Baths. This level appears to be the most relaxing, and normal, thus far. However, looks can be deceiving and Senlin soon finds himself in the most trouble in this ringdom.
The tower almost acts like a leech. It sucks the best out of the people who visit. People who think they are in for a good time and an inside look at one of the wonders of the world. Instead they are left empty shells of themselves trying their hardest to find a new normal.
“But such was the Tower’s effect. First, it turned luxury into necessity, and then the Tower conspired to revoke all claims to happiness, dignity, and liberty.”
While traversing these ringdoms he meets some interesting characters, like a thief, a farmer and wife, and a man avoiding his debts. All of these people pop up in and out of the story and either aid or harm Senlin as he searches for his wife and tries to stay alive.
He also learns that there are slaves, Hods, who kind of keep the tower up and running. There is something strange going on with them, but he doesn’t really have the time to figure it out since not only does he have to still find his wife, but he has also pissed off some important people in some of the ringdoms and now has an assassin after him.
I can’t tell you everything, but trust me, there are so many great twists and turns in this book. I never expected to love this book as much as I did. While I'm not sure I would ever want to visit this magical, enticing prison of a tower, I wouldn’t be opposed to reading about it forever.
“Newcomers may expect the ringdoms of the Tower to be like the layers of a cake, where each layer is much like the last. But this is not the case. Not at all. Each ringdom is unique and bewildering. The ringdoms of the Tower share only two things in common: the shape of their outermost walls, which are roughly circular, and the price of beef, which is outrageous. The rest is novel.”
adventurous
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars. Extremely well written, beautiful world building, intriguing and nuanced characters, but incredibly depressing, and I had a hard time making myself finish the last 25% or so. I want to continue the series, but I need a breather first I think.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes