Senlin Ascends cover art

Senlin Ascends

The Books of Babel, Book 1

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Senlin Ascends

By: Josiah Bancroft
Narrated by: John Banks
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About this listen

Discover the extraordinary debut that has got everyone talking.

Mild-mannered headmaster, Thomas Senlin prefers his adventures to be safely contained within the pages of a book. So when he loses his new bride shortly after embarking on the honeymoon of their dreams, he is ill-prepared for the trouble that follows.

To find her, Senlin must enter the Tower of Babel - a world of geniuses and tyrants, of menace and wonder, of unusual animals and mysterious machines. And if he hopes to ever see his wife again, he will have to do more than just survive...this quiet man of letters must become a man of action.

©2013 Josiah Bancroft (P)2018 Little, Brown Book Group Action & Adventure Classics Fantasy Fiction Historical Science Fiction Steampunk Adventure

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Critic reviews

"One of my favourite books of all time." (Mark Lawrence)

"An extraordinary debut that is well worthy of the hype. A beautifully written, highly engaging page-turning masterpiece." (Fantasy Book Review)

"Thomas Senlin is the most unlikely yet likeable hero since a certain hobbit rushed out of Bag End leaving his second breakfast half-finished and entirely unwashed-up." (Fantasy Faction)
All stars
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beautifully read, but I found the first part slow going. it picked up later on and I felt much more engaged. This is also my first ever audio book experience, so that may have played a part in my difficulties early on.

slow to start, but engaging to finish

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Wow. Just wow!

I’m incredibly jealous of Bancroft’s imagination a writing right now!

Best thing I’ve listened to in years!

Steampunk masterpiece

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If you loved Benedict Jacka or Ben aaronovitch these books are definitely for you. I didn't put them down for a second, and now my whole family are reading them.
It's a little like C J Sansoms honourable lawyer Shardlake, only a headmaster and not a lawyer in this case, in the most imaginative world i have ever read, and yet it was so believable.

This trilogy gets better and better!

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I loved this book, the world is beautifully realised and the narration is exactly right. excellent character development with plenty of twists and turns..I am off to download the next one!

Wonderful

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Absolutely loved this book! It is well deserving of the praise it receives, and the narration brought it to exceptional levels. Wonderful pacing and voices and so often I forgot I was listening to a book - everything played out in my mind like a film. I cannot wait to read the sequel!

Outstanding audiobook

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The book gets high marks for characters, plot, story, world building and pacing. It’s all set in a world full of steampunk technology where mysterious pseudo scientists manufacturer steam powered airships and chimera / cyborg like automatons integrated with humans and animals. The story and characters are similar to those in The Mortal Engines by Phillip Reeve, except rather than the action moving from mobile city to city, it all happens around a tower that is as tall as Mount Everest and divided into 64 county / city sized floors / levels. If you liked The Mortal Engines series or the Abhorsen series by Garth Nyx (Sabriel, Lirael) then you will definitely like the three books of the Tower of Babel series. The narrator was pleasant to listen to but I did set the speed to 1.25x for a more enjoyable listen.

An Epic adventure story in a steampunk world.

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I'm looking forward to the rest of these, a great protagonist, full of self-doubt and naivety in a fascinating and challenging world.

Brilliantly imagination

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The book has plenty wonderful plot twists and characters. Enjoyed it fully except for a start that took 6 hours to reveal threads of main plot. Looking forward to second book in the series

Great intrigue after a very slow start

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I've never read a story quite like it.

Victorianesque in setting and feel, with steampunk elements and an industrious, mysterious tower as its main focus. This single POV story witnesses true character progression and setting discovery. Twists, turns, alliances and betrayals.

Enter the tower and walk along side Senlin as his ardous climb through level and status surprises and amazes you.

Unique. Brilliant.

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Set in an alternative universe where the Tower of Babel was actually built this is a great romp as rather pompous man’s mettle is tested when he loses his wife and goes looking for her. Add in a few flashbacks and this is an enjoyable tale.

A romp!

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