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kittyg 's review for:
Senlin Ascends
by Josiah Bancroft
* I was sent this for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review *
This book is one I was highly excited to read as it's received an awful lot of praise from many authors and bloggers that I follow and really trust. I'm really glad so many did recommend this to me though, because I really enjoyed it in the end, and I also read this as a buddy read with my partner (his first proper fantasy read) and we had a really good time discussing it as we went and seeing how the story played out.
So, in this book we follow Thomas Senlin and his newly wed wife Marya who are on their honeymoon. They have chosen to visit the Tower of Babel as it's an incredible feat of engineering and Senlin is a Headmaster who teaches about, and has always been fascinated by, the Tower. They're journeying a fair way to get there, and they have the Everyman's Guide which Senlin believes will be invaluable, and yet when they do arrive things are certainly not what either of them expected...
There are various tower levels including the Basement, Parlour, Baths and New Babel and we get to visit them all over the course of the book. Each is almost like its own world or set for the events . that unfold, and we see the ill-advised Senlin as he struggles to navigate the politics, lifestyle, and oddities that the Tower throws at him. Senlin is not your typical 'hero' by any means, and it's always an adjustment for him each time he ascends.
What I really liked about this was the world and the character. Both of these elements are really important to me as a reader and I think they were both handled really nicely by the author. I also feel like although the plot is simple (he's hunting for his wife) it's a good simple story which can be expanded upon and fleshed out and that is exactly what the author has done.
Overall, this is a really solid and unique fantasy with a touch of steampunk thrown in too. I found it a very solidly good book, and I am very happy that I have the sequel (which comes out next month) so I can continue the series soon too! 4*s from me :)
This book is one I was highly excited to read as it's received an awful lot of praise from many authors and bloggers that I follow and really trust. I'm really glad so many did recommend this to me though, because I really enjoyed it in the end, and I also read this as a buddy read with my partner (his first proper fantasy read) and we had a really good time discussing it as we went and seeing how the story played out.
So, in this book we follow Thomas Senlin and his newly wed wife Marya who are on their honeymoon. They have chosen to visit the Tower of Babel as it's an incredible feat of engineering and Senlin is a Headmaster who teaches about, and has always been fascinated by, the Tower. They're journeying a fair way to get there, and they have the Everyman's Guide which Senlin believes will be invaluable, and yet when they do arrive things are certainly not what either of them expected...
There are various tower levels including the Basement, Parlour, Baths and New Babel and we get to visit them all over the course of the book. Each is almost like its own world or set for the events . that unfold, and we see the ill-advised Senlin as he struggles to navigate the politics, lifestyle, and oddities that the Tower throws at him. Senlin is not your typical 'hero' by any means, and it's always an adjustment for him each time he ascends.
What I really liked about this was the world and the character. Both of these elements are really important to me as a reader and I think they were both handled really nicely by the author. I also feel like although the plot is simple (he's hunting for his wife) it's a good simple story which can be expanded upon and fleshed out and that is exactly what the author has done.
Overall, this is a really solid and unique fantasy with a touch of steampunk thrown in too. I found it a very solidly good book, and I am very happy that I have the sequel (which comes out next month) so I can continue the series soon too! 4*s from me :)