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savaging's review against another edition
2.0
I admire Bancroft's creativity -- the tower is strange and unexpected. I think what made me dislike the book so firmly is the main character. I don't have to LOVE a protagonist to enjoy their adventure, but I have a hard time with unlikeable man protagonists who somehow get the love and assistance of all the better characters around him. It's bad that Senlin's wife is immediately transformed into an absent MacGuffin, but honestly maybe that was better than watching her try to live any longer with this disapproving cold fish of a husband.
There are strong and interesting women in the book, so that's a real step. But they all circle back to help the hero progress.
There was also a lot of 'telling' instead of 'showing' in the narrative. The characters will do a really obvious gesture or expression, and then Bancroft stops to explain exactly why they did it. People sigh with relief and wince with pain and gasp with shock, and Bancroft's there to make sure we never have to figure it out ourselves.
I sound dour but I liked that there were giant snails on the ceiling of the basement. Could have made this 3 stars if the giant snails ever came back.
There are strong and interesting women in the book, so that's a real step. But they all circle back to help the hero progress.
Spoiler
Even powerful Edith not only saves his life and gives him a ship, but also makes HIM the captain, because...she doesn't want that kind of responsibility?There was also a lot of 'telling' instead of 'showing' in the narrative. The characters will do a really obvious gesture or expression, and then Bancroft stops to explain exactly why they did it. People sigh with relief and wince with pain and gasp with shock, and Bancroft's there to make sure we never have to figure it out ourselves.
I sound dour but I liked that there were giant snails on the ceiling of the basement. Could have made this 3 stars if the giant snails ever came back.
ekemp17's review against another edition
Unable to get hooked on the characters. The main character did not hold my interest and the side characters who did departed too soon.
alliechase's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-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? No
4.75
lady_mel's review against another edition
5.0
I can't say enough about this book! Everything about it, the world-building, the prose, the characters, are all amazing and very well thought out.
Read this book! You won't be disappointed.
Read this book! You won't be disappointed.
layra's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
willrefuge's review against another edition
4.0
4.0 / 5 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2020/05/07/senlin-ascends-by-josiah-bancroft-review/
No one is more surprised that Thomas Senlin was married than the man himself. And there was a lot of surprise to go around. The headmaster of a small school in a small village, Senlin wed one of his former pupils, a once difficult and inquisitive girl, Marya. For their honeymoon, Senlin took his new wife to visit the Tower of Babel—greatest wonder of the world both old and new. For brief moments his life was perfect; a beautiful and inquisitive wife on his arm, the most fascinating marvel laid out before him—Senlin was as amazed as he was blissful.
But in those few moments Marya disappeared. Whisked away by nothing more than the vast crowds and sweeping foot traffic, she is fated to become yet one more face upon a flyer, another missing loved one among a sea of the damned. But—no. For Senlin is determined: he will try—no—he WILL find her, and they will be together again.
And yet Senlin is also surprised. The Tower is nothing like he imagined it. Fascinated with the marvel for years, Tom has read many books on the subject, even toting an Everyman’s Guide to the Tower that he carried with him to this very point. And none of them—not even the guide—relate to his present situation. And so he must use his cunning and his wit to navigate the Tower, made more challenging by the lack of either these two assets. But, even if he survives long enough to escape the Tower, he must also find Marya. And to do so he must reach the top. But even while Senlin wades through the filth of humanity—the desperate, the lawless, the poor, the infamous, the miscreants, the traitors—he must navigate back alleys and twisting passages, bath houses and ballrooms, warehouses and theaters. But he would do these things ten times over if it means finding Marya, and returning home.
But the Tower is massive, and the task before him immense. And so, Senlin must ASCEND.
I mean, I really couldn’t avoid that, sorry. But the book was pretty good. Bit of a slow start eventually gives way to a slow middle, a slower middle, then a hectic end. Honestly, the pacing of this book attests to its subject matter. Senlin Ascends is a deep fantasy tale, but without the battles, assassinations, or well… action. Okay okay, there’s SOME action. Just… not what you might be used to. It’s not that Senlin Ascends is boring, it’s just complex. A more of a political fantasy than an epic. There are plots, there are chases, there are assassins, betrayals, intrigue, and yes, even some action. There just aren’t many fight scenes. Battles. Armies. Glory. And while the reading may be tamer than something like GoT, or less amazing than Stormlight, it’s not any less fantastical. A steampunk adventure set in a world featuring a whole, massive Tower of Babel is certainly a new one. It’s just not what you might be expecting.
The characters of the Tower are its strong suit. Well, them and Senlin. The headmaster is a deeper and more complex individual than he may seem—which comes out over the course of the tale, mirroring his desperation to find his missing wife. What he will and won’t compromise to succeed, to continue, to find Marya at all costs. Will Tom Senlin still BE Tom Senlin when the series closes, or will he be someone else? SomeTHING else? Though mostly we are treated to glimpses into Senlin’s soul, others crop up as well. The painter, Ogire. The tourist, Tarrou. The Red Hand. Edith. Adam. Finn Goll. The Commissioner. The cast is deep and thorough, all with intricate backstories, personalities, and details that ultimately humanize them. At first we can assume that any may be good or evil, but eventually are opened to the realization that they’re all merely people. Some are better than others, true, but both are human. While there are precious few action sequences and quite a lot of politics over the course of the tale, the characters of Senlin Ascends provide more than enough reason to justify reading it.
While the Tower of Babel is justified in its brilliance, the rest of the world is very much clouded in fog. Senlin does reminisce about his home, his village, but otherwise the Tower is all that matters. A world in its own right, Josiah Bancroft’s vision of the Tower is more than a little impressive, with each level encompassing its own city, its own world. As Senlin progresses his way up the Tower, he must endure the assault on the senses, the different sights and atmospheres, while adapting to each level’s way of doing things. Bancroft has not built one but many worlds within the Tower, so that when we were granted glimpses into the world without, I was surprised to realize I didn’t know anything about it. The Tower of Babel is more than just the center of the story, it IS the tale. Though the world-building seems incomplete at first—when you realize that the Tower IS the world, the more you appreciate the job that Bancroft has done with it.
TL;DR
Senlin Ascends may seem like a dry, political fantasy, more concerned with intrigue than action, but, well, it kinda is. It’s also a story heavily driven by its complex, intricate characters; a deep story told of a man and his wife, who only wish to reconnect; an amazingly constructed world centering around a wonder most of us would consider nothing but mythical. While it is a bit drab, slow, and even outright boring at times, get through these parts and you’ll find an absolutely fantastic story beneath. Just don’t try to make it more than it is. The first few chapters I had to power through. I kept wondering when the story would pick up, over and over. I became mesmerized by the world, lost in the tale itself, subsumed with the story of Senlin and Marya, even teared up a bit later on. It’s not a thriller. It’s not built on action. It probably won’t get your blood pumping, turn you on, or sate your lust for blood. But it just might tell you an amazing tale, should you let it.
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2020/05/07/senlin-ascends-by-josiah-bancroft-review/
No one is more surprised that Thomas Senlin was married than the man himself. And there was a lot of surprise to go around. The headmaster of a small school in a small village, Senlin wed one of his former pupils, a once difficult and inquisitive girl, Marya. For their honeymoon, Senlin took his new wife to visit the Tower of Babel—greatest wonder of the world both old and new. For brief moments his life was perfect; a beautiful and inquisitive wife on his arm, the most fascinating marvel laid out before him—Senlin was as amazed as he was blissful.
But in those few moments Marya disappeared. Whisked away by nothing more than the vast crowds and sweeping foot traffic, she is fated to become yet one more face upon a flyer, another missing loved one among a sea of the damned. But—no. For Senlin is determined: he will try—no—he WILL find her, and they will be together again.
And yet Senlin is also surprised. The Tower is nothing like he imagined it. Fascinated with the marvel for years, Tom has read many books on the subject, even toting an Everyman’s Guide to the Tower that he carried with him to this very point. And none of them—not even the guide—relate to his present situation. And so he must use his cunning and his wit to navigate the Tower, made more challenging by the lack of either these two assets. But, even if he survives long enough to escape the Tower, he must also find Marya. And to do so he must reach the top. But even while Senlin wades through the filth of humanity—the desperate, the lawless, the poor, the infamous, the miscreants, the traitors—he must navigate back alleys and twisting passages, bath houses and ballrooms, warehouses and theaters. But he would do these things ten times over if it means finding Marya, and returning home.
But the Tower is massive, and the task before him immense. And so, Senlin must ASCEND.
I mean, I really couldn’t avoid that, sorry. But the book was pretty good. Bit of a slow start eventually gives way to a slow middle, a slower middle, then a hectic end. Honestly, the pacing of this book attests to its subject matter. Senlin Ascends is a deep fantasy tale, but without the battles, assassinations, or well… action. Okay okay, there’s SOME action. Just… not what you might be used to. It’s not that Senlin Ascends is boring, it’s just complex. A more of a political fantasy than an epic. There are plots, there are chases, there are assassins, betrayals, intrigue, and yes, even some action. There just aren’t many fight scenes. Battles. Armies. Glory. And while the reading may be tamer than something like GoT, or less amazing than Stormlight, it’s not any less fantastical. A steampunk adventure set in a world featuring a whole, massive Tower of Babel is certainly a new one. It’s just not what you might be expecting.
The characters of the Tower are its strong suit. Well, them and Senlin. The headmaster is a deeper and more complex individual than he may seem—which comes out over the course of the tale, mirroring his desperation to find his missing wife. What he will and won’t compromise to succeed, to continue, to find Marya at all costs. Will Tom Senlin still BE Tom Senlin when the series closes, or will he be someone else? SomeTHING else? Though mostly we are treated to glimpses into Senlin’s soul, others crop up as well. The painter, Ogire. The tourist, Tarrou. The Red Hand. Edith. Adam. Finn Goll. The Commissioner. The cast is deep and thorough, all with intricate backstories, personalities, and details that ultimately humanize them. At first we can assume that any may be good or evil, but eventually are opened to the realization that they’re all merely people. Some are better than others, true, but both are human. While there are precious few action sequences and quite a lot of politics over the course of the tale, the characters of Senlin Ascends provide more than enough reason to justify reading it.
While the Tower of Babel is justified in its brilliance, the rest of the world is very much clouded in fog. Senlin does reminisce about his home, his village, but otherwise the Tower is all that matters. A world in its own right, Josiah Bancroft’s vision of the Tower is more than a little impressive, with each level encompassing its own city, its own world. As Senlin progresses his way up the Tower, he must endure the assault on the senses, the different sights and atmospheres, while adapting to each level’s way of doing things. Bancroft has not built one but many worlds within the Tower, so that when we were granted glimpses into the world without, I was surprised to realize I didn’t know anything about it. The Tower of Babel is more than just the center of the story, it IS the tale. Though the world-building seems incomplete at first—when you realize that the Tower IS the world, the more you appreciate the job that Bancroft has done with it.
TL;DR
Senlin Ascends may seem like a dry, political fantasy, more concerned with intrigue than action, but, well, it kinda is. It’s also a story heavily driven by its complex, intricate characters; a deep story told of a man and his wife, who only wish to reconnect; an amazingly constructed world centering around a wonder most of us would consider nothing but mythical. While it is a bit drab, slow, and even outright boring at times, get through these parts and you’ll find an absolutely fantastic story beneath. Just don’t try to make it more than it is. The first few chapters I had to power through. I kept wondering when the story would pick up, over and over. I became mesmerized by the world, lost in the tale itself, subsumed with the story of Senlin and Marya, even teared up a bit later on. It’s not a thriller. It’s not built on action. It probably won’t get your blood pumping, turn you on, or sate your lust for blood. But it just might tell you an amazing tale, should you let it.
lisa_and_her_books's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
midnightgarden's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
gordybombay's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-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
4.5
the_midwest_library's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
I really enjoyed this, the only comparable series I can think of is the Mirror Visitor series, which while not so cruel, has a mysterious fantastical tower where the characters traverse and uncover its mysteries.
The characters were really interesting. Senlin is so useless while also being so resourceful and tenacious. I find him entertaining to read about. I do think we lost the plot a bit in the second half when suddenly we were all cosplaying as logistics workers and pirates haha but I'm really into this series and excited to see if we ever find our damn wife!
The characters were really interesting. Senlin is so useless while also being so resourceful and tenacious. I find him entertaining to read about. I do think we lost the plot a bit in the second half when suddenly we were all cosplaying as logistics workers and pirates haha but I'm really into this series and excited to see if we ever find our damn wife!