Review: The Fall of Babel (The Books of Babel #4) by Josiah Bancroft

      

The Fall of Babel (The Books of Babel #4) by Josiah Bancroft
Orbit 
Publication Date: November 9th, 2021
Paperback. 672 pages.

About The Fall of Babel:

"The incredible final book in the word of mouth phenomenon fantasy series that began with Senlin Ascends.  

As Marat's siege engine bores through the Tower, erupting inside ringdoms and leaving chaos in its wake, Senlin can do nothing but observe the mayhem from inside the belly of the beast. Caught in a charade, Senlin desperately tries to sabotage the rampaging Hod King, even as Marat's objective grows increasingly clear. The leader of the zealots is bound for the Sphinx's lair and the unimaginable power it contains. 

In the city under glass at the Tower's summit, Adam discovers a utopia where everyone inexplicably knows the details of his past. As Adam unravels the mystery of his fame, he soon discovers the crowning ringdom conceals a much darker secret. 

Aboard the State of Art, Edith and her crew adjust to the reality that Voleta has awoken from death changed. She seems to share more in common with the Red Hand now than her former self. While Edith wars for the soul of the young woman, a greater crisis looms: They will have to face Marat on unequal footing and with Senlin caught in the crossfire. 

And when the Bridge of Babel is finally opened, and the Brick Layer's true ambition revealed, neither they nor the Tower will ever be the same again."

Previous reviews for this series:

Book 1 - Senlin Ascends

Book 2 - Arm of the Sphinx

Book 3 - The Hod King

This has been a truly phenomenal series, and I'm so thankful to Orbit and Josiah Bancroft that I have been able to be a part of this incredible journey! The Books of Babel series has all the markings of a classic, and I know it's a series that I will re-read and continue to recommend for years to come. As a quick note, there will be no spoilers for The Fall of Babel in this review; however, there may be minor spoilers for previous books in the series, so do please read with caution if you haven't read any of the previous books!

The Fall of Babel is a true culmination of all the adventures, trials, and and discoveries that have occurred over the course of the series, and I don't think Bancroft could have done a better job of bringing it all together and creating an unforgettable and deeply satisfying ending. Senlin has been on a journey that has gone in directions I don't think any of us (the readers) could have predicted, and it has been one hell of an exciting journey. I feel like I learned and grew right along with Senlin and I have grown so attached to him and all the other figures that were a part of his journey. We still have a variety of POVs to follow, though, and along with this a variety of different settings and ringdoms to follow as well. 

This book starts off with a POV section centered on Adam, whom we hadn't heard from since book two, The Arm of the Sphinx, and I'll admit that this was a bit of a surprise that at first left me feeling bummed to not get to see Senlin or any other friendly faces, but quickly reminded me how interested I was to find out what Adam had been up to. I quickly found myself diving headfirst into Adam's experiences and losing myself in his excellent and captivating prose. One of the most exciting parts of this section featuring Adam is getting to see the very top of the Tower, and trust me when I say that Bancroft has certainly not lost any steam in the imagination department. 

As the story progresses, we slowly join more character POVs that we know and love, and even get to meet new characters. Senlin, Edith, Iren, Voleta, and so many more return to continue their excellently written character arcs. And of course Byron, who is easily one of my favorite characters in this entire season! I was also pleased to see even more new characters added to the cast–especially some more villainous ones–because I am always so intrigued and excited to see what personality Bancroft will create next. One of the biggest strengths of this series (in addition to the world-building and imagination, of course) is its characters, as Bancroft absolutely excels at creating unique and unforgettable characters that have so much life breathed into them that they feel as real as any person I know. I think this is also what makes it so difficult to finish this series and leave these characters, and to see the various obstacles that these characters face, but that's the best compliment I could give to a book's characters to make me feel that way. 

One of my favorite things about this series, outside of the characters, has been the Tower itself. I am in love with the idea of this huge tower with distinct and individual ringdoms scattered throughout that are just full of the wildest characters and places and the fact that there is just this horrid corruption seeping into everything that is so reflective of our own life in so many ways. The sheer imagination and innovation that went into developing this world and each and every ringdom astounds me and has kept me so entertained and delighted each and every time I pick up this story. If you love reading worlds where there's always something new and quirky and mysterious and everything in between, the Tower is something you will love–or continue to love, if you've been reading the series already. 

The stakes and the world have been expanding since book one, but in recent installments I have been amazed at how much Bancroft has added to the story and how he has been able to develop these huge and momentous plot points and ideas that just feel so much bigger than what this series started out as. I have loved this aspect of the series, and I was so happy to see (though not surprised!) that this trend continued into the final installment in some truly expansive and incredible ways. I genuinely wish I could say more about some of the ways in which this book has exploded in so many unpredictable ways, but I want to be as careful as possible not to give anything away so I will shy away from specifics, but just know that there is always something more at work than you might expect. There are so many ideas being played with in this series and I truly just couldn't get enough of it, and I know that re-reads of this series will yield even more delights and surprises since this book is packed with so much detail and extraordinarily careful writing. 

Overall, I've of course given The Fall of Babel a highly-deserved five stars. I genuinely cannot wait to read whatever Josiah Bancroft is writing next, and I will be one of the first to pick it up and dive in. The Books of Babel series has been such a delight over the four couple of years to read, and I hope everyone else can read it and enjoy as much as I have. 

*I received a copy of The Fall of Babel courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Indiebound 

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Fall of Babel (The Books of Babel #4) by Josiah Bancroft & Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

 

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

The Fall of Babel (The Books of Babel #4) by Josiah Bancroft
Publication: November 9th, 2021

Orbit

Paperback. 672 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"The incredible final book in the word of mouth phenomenon fantasy series that began with Senlin Ascends. 

"The "Books of Babel" are something you hope to see perhaps once a decade — future classics, which may be remembered long after the series concludes." -- (Los Angeles Times) 

As Marat's siege engine bores through the Tower, erupting inside ringdoms and leaving chaos in its wake, Senlin can do nothing but observe the mayhem from inside the belly of the beast. Caught in a charade, Senlin desperately tries to sabotage the rampaging Hod King, even as Marat's objective grows increasingly clear. The leader of the zealots is bound for the Sphinx's lair and the unimaginable power it contains. 

In the city under glass at the Tower's summit, Adam discovers a utopia where everyone inexplicably knows the details of his past. As Adam unravels the mystery of his fame, he soon discovers the crowning ringdom conceals a much darker secret. 

Aboard the State of Art, Edith and her crew adjust to the reality that Voleta has awoken from death changed. She seems to share more in common with the Red Hand now than her former self. While Edith wars for the soul of the young woman, a greater crisis looms: They will have to face Marat on unequal footing and with Senlin caught in the crossfire. 

And when the Bridge of Babel is finally opened, and the Brick Layer's true ambition revealed, neither they nor the Tower will ever be the same again."

So, I've already read this book. Orbit was kind enough to send me an early ARC and I couldn't possibly wait until November to read it, and oh boy is it worth the wait! I can't wait to see it in its finished glory and to finally have the full completed series out in the world. The Books of Babel series is so good and unique and truly a one-of-a-kind experience, and if you haven't picked any of these books up yet... the series is going to be complete, so definitely do so!

and...

Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier

Publication: November 9th, 2021

Clarion Books

Hardcover. 336 pages.

Pre-order: Amazon | IndieBound

From Goodreads:

"The past never forgets . . . 

Before an ambush by enemy soldiers, Lord Cassia was an engineer's apprentice on a mission entrusted by the king. But when plague sweeps over the land, leaving countless dead and devastating the kingdom, even Cas’ title cannot save him from a rotting prison cell and a merciless sickness. 

Three years later, Cas wants only to return to his home in the mountains and forget past horrors. But home is not what he remembers. His castle has become a refuge for the royal court. And they have brought their enemies with them. 

When an assassin targets those closest to the queen, Cas is drawn into a search for a killer…one that leads him to form an unexpected bond with a brilliant young historian named Lena. Cas and Lena soon realize that who is behind the attacks is far less important than why. They must look to the past, following the trail of a terrible secret—one that could threaten the kingdom’s newfound peace and plunge it back into war."

I've been really curious about Makiia Lucier's previous releases, but never got to them, and now she has another book that sounds interesting! I'm so taken in by that cover, which is weird since I don't typically care people on covers. I think this sounds like a pretty compelling premise, so I'd be curious to check it out!

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

Review: The Hod King by Josiah Bancroft

The Hod King by Josiah Bancroft

(The Books of Babel #3)
Orbit, 2019

Paperback. 608 pages.

About The Hod King:

"'Fearing an uprising, the Sphinx sends Senlin to investigate a plot that has taken hold in the ringdom of Pelphia. Alone in the city, Senlin infiltrates a bloody arena where hods battle for the public's entertainment. But his investigation is quickly derailed by a gruesome crime and an unexpected reunion. 

Posing as a noble lady and her handmaid, Voleta and Iren attempt to reach Marya, who is isolated by her fame. While navigating the court, Voleta attracts the unwanted attention of a powerful prince whose pursuit of her threatens their plan. 

Edith, now captain of the Sphinx's fierce flagship, joins forces with a fellow wakeman to investigate the disappearance of a beloved friend. She must decide who to trust as her desperate search brings her nearer to the Black Trail where the hods climb in darkness and whisper of the Hod King. 

As Senlin and his crew become further dragged in to the conspiracies of the Tower, everything falls to one question: Who is The Hod King?"

Um, wow. There are so many things to say about this book and I'm not entirely sure where to start. I've really loved this series so far and somehow it continues to blow me away. I loved Senlin Ascends, though I wasn't quite as enraptured in the story of Arm of the Sphinx as I expected to be (though that could have been my fault for reading it at a stressful time in my life and I plan to re-read soon!), but The Hod King...well, this was incredible. 

The Hod King is essentially split in three different parts, each following a different POV of our favorite characters who are all partaking in their own separate tasks. The first part we follow is that of Senlin's as he embarks to the ringdom of Pelphia on the Sphinx's orders and attempts to investigate things going on there (and perhaps find out more about his wife, Marya, as well). In the second part, we follow along with Voleta and Iren while they go undercover to find and potentially rescue Marya. And lastly we follow the beloved, powerful, and no-nonsense captain Edith as she commences her own path while in Pelphia. I'll admit, I worried a little that not all parts would be as interesting as the others--a common issue--but I'm pleased to say my worries were horribly misplaced because I loved every part of this book to bits.

Senlin is one of the most interesting characters I've ever read. He has a very commendable sense of morals that always shine through, but he is also very human in his faults and breakdowns. A man can be pushed only so far before he begins to make brash decisions out of his natural character, and that is something that we get to see explored with Senlin, and it's also something that proves Senlin really is a fantastic character. Despite Senlin being the main protagonist, the other characters are just as prominent and shine just as brightly as him. Iren and Voleta are the best team I've ever seen, even though Voleta is almost always unable to contain her energy and drives Iren crazy. The care that they have for one another is simply remarkable. Edith continues to be an incredibly impressive woman who handles so much responsibility in such a deft manner and I'm really hoping to dive into more depth with her in the next book.

One thing that was exceptionally prominent in this book was that this cast has so many female characters. And they're all so different! You have Iren, Voleta, Ann, Georgine Haste, Edith, Marya...I could go on. I loved it! Of course Senlin is a man and there are plenty of other male characters, but I have to say that the ladies really take the stage and are simply incredible. The best part is that it's not at all as though Bancroft thought, "hm, I need to make sure there are some female characters in this series," and threw them in just because. It is the exact opposite to me--these women have purpose, they are well-developed, unique, and full of varying motivations and personality traits. I was trying to think of the last time I read a fantasy in the vein of this book that has such a huge cast of women and honestly, it's a hard one, so thank you for that, Mr. Bancroft!

One of the best things about Bancroft's writing is his attention to detail and the sheer care and precision he puts into every single scene. Each ringdom that has so far has been introduced is intricately created and described, with notable details that makes it all seem so real, and in Pelphia that was no different. It's yet another unique world in this ringdom, albeit it was one that I don't think I have any intention of ever visiting. I don't have any idea how Bancroft manages to come up with all that he does in these books and I know that's how I tend to feel with all fantasy, but The Books of Babel just have so much and it somehow never feels like too much. There's enough detail and world-building to make it feel like a real place with real people and customs, but not too much to drag me out of the story or get bored with it. 

Another one of my favorite things is Bancroft's wit and cleverness. There are so many one-liners or conversations that had me chuckling aloud and reading them to whoever was near me (sorry to my patient husband and mom--although really, I'm only doing them favors). And for every humorous or witty comment that made me laugh, there were just as many surprisingly introspective or meaningful lines and passages that had me also getting out my sticky notes to mark the page. These books are fun and endlessly entertaining, but they're also important and full of thoughtful lessons and ideas to reflect on. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll feel angry at some characters and compassionate for others--reading these books is truly one of the best things that you can do for your health.

The Hod King throws endless twists and truly unpredictable plot diversions at any and all times throughout this book. You may think you have it figured it out, but nothing is ever as it seems and you will surely be surprised at many intervals.

Overall, I've given The Hod King five stars!

*I received an copy of The Hod King courtesy of Orbit Books. This has no effect on my rating of the book.*

Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

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Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde 
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Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Hod King by Josiah Bancroft & Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee

Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlight is:

The Hog King by Josiah Bancroft
 Publication Date: January 22nd, 2018

Orbit 
608 pages

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository 

From Goodreads: 

"Fearing an uprising, the Sphinx sends Senlin to investigate a plot that has taken hold in the ringdom of Pelphia. Alone in the city, Senlin infiltrates a bloody arena where hods battle for the public's entertainment. But his investigation is quickly derailed by a gruesome crime and an unexpected reunion. 

Posing as a noble lady and her handmaid, Voleta and Iren attempt to reach Marya, who is isolated by her fame. While navigating the court, Voleta attracts the unwanted attention of a powerful prince whose pursuit of her threatens their plan. 

Edith, now captain of the Sphinx's fierce flagship, joins forces with a fellow wakeman to investigate the disappearance of a beloved friend. She must decide who to trust as her desperate search brings her nearer to the Black Trail where the hods climb in darkness and whisper of the Hod King. 

As Senlin and his crew become further dragged in to the conspiracies of the Tower, everything falls to one question: Who is The Hod King?"

608 pages? That's almost two hundred pages more than either of the first two books, so I'm really excited to see what is going to be in all of that. I've been really enjoying this series, so the fact that this is out in about two months is extremely exciting.

             and...

Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee
 Rick Riordan Presents

304 pages

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository 

From Goodreads: 

"Rick Riordan Presents Yoon Ha Lee’s space opera about thirteen-year-old Min, who comes from a long line of fox spirits. But you’d never know it by looking at her. 

To keep the family safe, Min’s mother insists that none of them use any fox-magic, such as Charm or shape-shifting. They must appear human at all times. Min feels hemmed in by the household rules and resents the endless chores, the cousins who crowd her, and the aunties who judge her. She would like nothing more than to escape Jinju, her neglected, dust-ridden, and impoverished planet. She’s counting the days until she can follow her older brother, Jun, into the Space Forces and see more of the Thousand Worlds. 

When word arrives that Jun is suspected of leaving his post to go in search of the Dragon Pearl, Min knows that something is wrong. Jun would never desert his battle cruiser, even for a mystical object rumored to have tremendous power. She decides to run away to find him and clear his name. 

Min’s quest will have her meeting gamblers, pirates, and vengeful ghosts. It will involve deception, lies, and sabotage. She will be forced to use more fox-magic than ever before, and to rely on all of her cleverness and bravery. The outcome may not be what she had hoped, but it has the potential to exceed her wildest dreams. 

This sci-fi adventure with the underpinnings of Korean mythology will transport you to a world far beyond your imagination."

This sounds like a ride and I am here for it. I love that this is a sci-fi mixed with Korean mythology influences because that's not something that I think I've seen, and it sounds wonderful.

What do you think about these upcoming releases? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

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Review: Arm of the Sphinx by Josiah Bancroft

Arm of the Sphinx (Books of Babel #2) by Josiah Bancroft

Orbit, 2018

Paperback. 448 pages.

About Arm of the Sphinx:

"The second book in the word-of-mouth phenomenon fantasy series about one man's dangerous journey through a labyrinthine world. 

The Tower of Babel is proving to be as difficult to reenter as it was to break out of. Forced into a life of piracy, Senlin and his eclectic crew are struggling to survive aboard their stolen airship as the hunt to rescue Senlin's lost wife continues. Hopeless and desolate, they turn to a legend of the Tower, the mysterious Sphinx. But help from the Sphinx never comes cheaply, and as Senlin knows, debts aren't always what they seem in the Tower of Babel. 
Time is running out, and now Senlin must choose between his friends, his freedom, and his wife. Does anyone truly escape the Tower?"

Earlier this year I read and enormously enjoyed Senlin Ascends, the first book in the Books of Babel series. Arm of the Sphinx came out in February and I've had a copy since then, but for some reason I just kept wanting to wait for the 'right moment' to jump back into this exciting world and it took me until now to do so.

Arm of the Sphinx is just as imaginative and unpredictable as Senlin Ascends, though this installment seemed to sort of take a breath and slow down a bit with a much slower pace. The story continues with Thomas Senlin, now Captain Tom Mudd, Edith, Iren, Adam, and Voleta as our main players. This ragtag bunch make quite a crew to captain a pirate airship, but somehow they make it work. I enjoyed seeing how the various relationships developed among the characters, and I was particularly impressed with how well Bancroft included all of the characters equally. We didn't visit quite as many places as we did in the first book and there wasn't quite as much to keep me engaged as the first book as well, but I'll get into the later.

Thomas is constantly evolving in this book and growing in ways that are both exciting and also somewhat saddening as he learns more about his new life and the realistic outlook of his future. I've enjoyed watching Thomas continue to build on his street smarts and learn to not be quite so trusting of those around him. He realizes now that being nice and courteous just isn't always an option, and although it's sad to see this disillusionment, it's encouraging to see him pick up on these skills. I don't really want to go into too much detail on the other characters at this point because I think a lot of the intrigue and storytelling is best left to explore yourself.

Although I had a fun time reading this book, there was just something lacking, some sort of magic component that the first book had that this one didn't. It's hard to describe because this was still a really exciting book with plenty of quirkiness, but I found myself almost bored at various points. Bancroft writes these books with a rather carefree, wandering style that occasionally goes into tangents or simply continues on with scenes in a rather casual, matter-of-fact tone. While I love this style at most times and loved it in the first book, it didn't feel as though it was executed quite as well in this book. I lost interest more than a few times and felt that some scenes dragged just a bit too long.

I also found the settings in this book not as interesting or expansive as in the first book, although this could just be something unique to me. I didn't really get very interested in this book until about halfway through when the crew lands is in the Silk Gardens and continue on their adventures. I didn't enjoy the actions scene much in this book and found myself losing interest in many of them--the dialogue and less intense scenes seem to be where Bancroft really excels.

All that being said, I can't deny that I enjoyed this book and really look forward to seeing where this story continues. Overall, I've still given Arm of the Sphinx four stars! If you loved the first book, I highly recommend you pick this one up--I've seen plenty of rave reviews for it--because even if it's not as good as the first, it's still a great book with a fascinating storyline.

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

*I received a copy of Arm of the Sphinx courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

You might also like:
Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft
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Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

*Senlin Ascends is now available!*

Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft. Orbit, 2017. Paperback. 448 pages. 

What a brilliant book! Senlin Ascends is action-packed with a surprise on each page, and I had a really hard time putting this one down.  

In the acknowledgements sections, Bancroft states that "If you know anything about my books, chances are you have Mark Lawrence to thank for it," and, well, pretty much! I first heard about this book from Mark Lawrence in 2016 (?) during his SPFBO contest and added it to my 'to-read'list because of how great it sounded and, well, it's sort of languished there every since. Orbit is now publishing it this month and the hype around this book has grown so much. After seeing Mark Lawrence continuously praise it and encourage everyone to read it, Orbit sent me over a copy and I picked it up right away--and it was amazing!

This book is so cleverly and carefully created. This is the story of Thomas Senlin, a headmaster in the small town of Ur, as he and his wife journey to the magnificent Tower of Babel to spend their honeymoon there together. Unfortunately, Senlin inadvertently loses his wife in the outskirts of the Tower, and must begin his own journey up the Tower on his own to find her and bring her home. The craziest--and coolest--part of this book, obviously, is the Tower of Babel itself, an extremely tall building of sorts with various 'ringdoms' making up each tier of the tower. Each 'ringdom' is entirely different from the last and filled with any number unknown variables; it is entirely unpredictable, despite a handy book guide that Senlin has used to study the Tower for years that has turned out to be, well, not so handy. 

Senlin himself is a truly delightful, compelling protagonist that undergoes so much growth in this book in so many ways. He learns that you can't necessarily trust everyone, but that you have to trust some people. He learns that you can't always believe everything you read and hear. Senlin is a quick-witted, somewhat conservative figure that wants to experience many exciting things in his life, but he always cares about people and strives to be a good person. 

I love imaginative books like this that make up something so incredibly bizarre and use it in an inventive and entertaining manner. This book was filled with quirky, unique, and rather clever characters along the way, all of which brought something very useful and important to the story. I really liked that Bancroft not only included many details and characters, but that each and every aspect of his story was purposeful. There was nothing added in just to add length to the pages or expand unnecessarily. His world-building is really well-done and I loved cracking open this book to get whisked away into the wild world of the Tower. The only minor issue I had with this book was that the end felt a bit... jumbled and crazy and I felt a bit confused at times, but I'm not sure if that's just my fault for getting easily confused, so I don't really blame Bancroft for that. Rest assured, Senlin Ascends will not once bore you!

From start to finish, Bancroft employs a simple yet also intricate method of storytelling that will completely draw you in and make you constantly yearn to know more about Senlin an the Tower of Babel itself. If you're looking for something unique, adventurous, witty, and imaginative--look no further, because you have arrived at your destination here at the Tower. 

Overall, I've given Senlin Ascends five stars!

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

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