Get Your Free Audiobook
-
Senlin Ascends
- The Books of Babel, Book 1
- Narrated by: John Banks
- Series: Books of Babel, Book 1
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
- Categories: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy
Non-member price: $31.21
People who bought this also bought...
-
Arm of the Sphinx
- Books of Babel, Book 2
- By: Josiah Bancroft
- Narrated by: John Banks
- Length: 14 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Forced by necessity into a life of piracy, Senlin and his eclectic crew struggle to survive aboard their stolen airship as the hunt for his lost wife continues. But the Tower of Babel is proving to be as difficult to re-enter as it was to escape.
Hopeless and desolate, they turn to a legend of the tower, the mysterious Sphinx. But help from the sphinx doesn't come cheaply and, as Senlin knows, debts aren't always what they seem in the Tower of Babel.
-
-
brilliant
- By Amy on 13-12-2018
-
The Hod King
- The Books of Babel, Book 3
- By: Josiah Bancroft
- Narrated by: John Banks
- Length: 20 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The third novel in the highly acclaimed Books of Babel series, set in a labyrinthine world of menace and wonder. On the orders of the mysterious Sphinx, Thomas Senlin and his crew are dragged ever further into the Tower's conspiracies. Meanwhile, the hods climb the Black Trail in darkness and whisper of their king.
-
-
loved it
- By phoebe on 28-01-2019
-
The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story
- By: M. L. Wang
- Narrated by: Andrew Tell
- Length: 24 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire's enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name "The Sword of Kaigen". Born into Kusanagi's legendary Matsuda family, f14-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: To master his family's fighting techniques and defend his homeland.
-
Priest of Bones
- War for the Rose Throne
- By: Peter McLean
- Narrated by: David Morley Hale
- Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tomas Piety takes his duties seriously: as a soldier, as a priest of Our Lady of Eternal Sorrows and as a leader of men. He has come home from the war to reclaim his family business, to provide for his men and to ensure the horrors of Abingon can never happen in Ellinburg. But things have changed: his crime empire has been stolen, and the people of Ellinburg - his people - have run out of food and hope and places to hide. With his best friend, Bloody Anne, his war-damaged brother, Jochan, and his new gang, the Pious Men, Tomas sets out to reclaim what was his.
-
-
Priest of Bones
- By Darren Neilsen on 01-01-2021
-
Blackwing
- The Raven's Mark, Book 1
- By: Ed McDonald
- Narrated by: Colin Mace
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The republic faces annihilation, despite the vigilance of Galharrow's Blackwings. When a raven tattoo rips itself from his arm to deliver a desperate message, Galharrow and a mysterious noblewoman must investigate a long-dead sorcerer's legacy. But there is a conspiracy within the citadel: traitors, flesh eaters and the ghosts of the wastelands seek to destroy them, but if they cannot solve the ancient wizard's paradox, the Deep Kings will walk the earth again, and all will be lost.
-
-
Entertaining and gritty
- By Sharron on 15-01-2018
-
The Poppy War
- The Poppy War, Book 1
- By: R. F. Kuang
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 18 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Opium runs through the heart of the Nikara Empire, a constant reminder of the war with the Federation of Mugen that brought it to the empire’s shores. A war that only ended thanks to three heroes - the Vipress, the Dragon Emperor and the Gatekeeper - known as the Trifecta. They were legendary figures, each bestowed with godlike powers, who united the warlords of the Empire against the Federation.
-
-
Incredible!
- By Laura on 10-04-2019
-
Arm of the Sphinx
- Books of Babel, Book 2
- By: Josiah Bancroft
- Narrated by: John Banks
- Length: 14 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Forced by necessity into a life of piracy, Senlin and his eclectic crew struggle to survive aboard their stolen airship as the hunt for his lost wife continues. But the Tower of Babel is proving to be as difficult to re-enter as it was to escape.
Hopeless and desolate, they turn to a legend of the tower, the mysterious Sphinx. But help from the sphinx doesn't come cheaply and, as Senlin knows, debts aren't always what they seem in the Tower of Babel.
-
-
brilliant
- By Amy on 13-12-2018
-
The Hod King
- The Books of Babel, Book 3
- By: Josiah Bancroft
- Narrated by: John Banks
- Length: 20 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The third novel in the highly acclaimed Books of Babel series, set in a labyrinthine world of menace and wonder. On the orders of the mysterious Sphinx, Thomas Senlin and his crew are dragged ever further into the Tower's conspiracies. Meanwhile, the hods climb the Black Trail in darkness and whisper of their king.
-
-
loved it
- By phoebe on 28-01-2019
-
The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story
- By: M. L. Wang
- Narrated by: Andrew Tell
- Length: 24 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire's enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name "The Sword of Kaigen". Born into Kusanagi's legendary Matsuda family, f14-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: To master his family's fighting techniques and defend his homeland.
-
Priest of Bones
- War for the Rose Throne
- By: Peter McLean
- Narrated by: David Morley Hale
- Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tomas Piety takes his duties seriously: as a soldier, as a priest of Our Lady of Eternal Sorrows and as a leader of men. He has come home from the war to reclaim his family business, to provide for his men and to ensure the horrors of Abingon can never happen in Ellinburg. But things have changed: his crime empire has been stolen, and the people of Ellinburg - his people - have run out of food and hope and places to hide. With his best friend, Bloody Anne, his war-damaged brother, Jochan, and his new gang, the Pious Men, Tomas sets out to reclaim what was his.
-
-
Priest of Bones
- By Darren Neilsen on 01-01-2021
-
Blackwing
- The Raven's Mark, Book 1
- By: Ed McDonald
- Narrated by: Colin Mace
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The republic faces annihilation, despite the vigilance of Galharrow's Blackwings. When a raven tattoo rips itself from his arm to deliver a desperate message, Galharrow and a mysterious noblewoman must investigate a long-dead sorcerer's legacy. But there is a conspiracy within the citadel: traitors, flesh eaters and the ghosts of the wastelands seek to destroy them, but if they cannot solve the ancient wizard's paradox, the Deep Kings will walk the earth again, and all will be lost.
-
-
Entertaining and gritty
- By Sharron on 15-01-2018
-
The Poppy War
- The Poppy War, Book 1
- By: R. F. Kuang
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 18 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Opium runs through the heart of the Nikara Empire, a constant reminder of the war with the Federation of Mugen that brought it to the empire’s shores. A war that only ended thanks to three heroes - the Vipress, the Dragon Emperor and the Gatekeeper - known as the Trifecta. They were legendary figures, each bestowed with godlike powers, who united the warlords of the Empire against the Federation.
-
-
Incredible!
- By Laura on 10-04-2019
-
The Trouble with Peace
- The Age of Madness, Book 2
- By: Joe Abercrombie
- Narrated by: Steven Pacey
- Length: 21 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Savine dan Glokta, once Adua's most powerful investor, finds her judgement, fortune and reputation in tatters. But she still has all her ambitions, and no scruple will be permitted to stand in her way. For heroes like Leo dan Brock and Stour Nightfall, only happy with swords drawn, peace is an ordeal to end as soon as possible. But grievances must be nursed, power seized and allies gathered first, while Rikke must master the power of the Long Eye...before it kills her.
-
-
Absolutely outstanding and exceeding expectations
- By Hawk on 17-09-2020
-
Theft of Swords
- Riyria Revelations, Volume 1
- By: Michael J. Sullivan
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Length: 22 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed author Michael J. Sullivan created instant best sellers with his spellbinding Riyria Revelations series. This first volume introduces Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater, two enterprising thieves who end up running for their lives when they’re framed for the death of the king. Trapped in a conspiracy bigger than they can imagine, their only hope is unraveling an ancient mystery - before it’s too late.
-
-
Loved it!
- By Ciara on 21-06-2015
-
The Ninth Rain
- The Winnowing Flame Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Jen Williams
- Narrated by: Jot Davies
- Length: 20 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jen Williams, acclaimed author of The Copper Cat trilogy, featuring The Copper Promise, The Iron Ghost and The Silver Tide, returns with the first in a blistering new trilogy. The great city of Ebora once glittered with gold. Now its streets are stalked by wolves. Tormalin the Oathless has no taste for sitting around waiting to die while the realm of his storied ancestors falls to pieces - talk about a guilt trip. Better to be amongst the living, where there are taverns full of women and wine.
-
-
passion, intensity, peril and intrigue
- By Anonymous User on 01-01-2021
-
Priest of Lies
- By: Peter McLean
- Narrated by: David Morley Hale
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Tomas Piety and his Pious Men returned from the war, he just wanted to rebuild his crime empire and look after his people. But the sinister Queen's Men had different ideas, and whether he likes it or not, he's now a spy as well. Now, half the city of Ellinburg lies in ashes, and the webs of political intrigue are stretching out from the Queen's capital to pull Tomas in. Dannsburg is calling.
-
-
Priest of Lies
- By Darren Neilsen on 22-01-2021
-
A Little Hatred
- By: Joe Abercrombie
- Narrated by: Steven Pacey
- Length: 20 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the blood-soaked borders of Angland, Leo dan Brock struggles to win fame on the battlefield and defeat the marauding armies of Stour Nightfall. He hopes for help from the crown. But King Jezal's son, the feckless Prince Orso, is a man who specialises in disappointments. Savine dan Glokta - socialite, investor and daughter of the most feared man in the Union - plans to claw her way to the top of the slag-heap of society by any means necessary. But the slums boil over with a rage that all the money in the world cannot control.
-
-
A lot of love for A Little Hatred
- By Hawk on 17-09-2019
-
Rhythm of War
- The Stormlight Archive, Book 4
- By: Brandon Sanderson
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer, Kate Reading
- Length: 57 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After forming a coalition of human resistance against the enemy invasion, Dalinar Kholin and his Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war. Neither side has gained an advantage. Now, as new technological discoveries begin to change the face of the war, the enemy prepares a bold and dangerous operation. The arms race that follows will challenge the very core of the Radiant ideals and potentially reveal the secrets of the ancient tower that was once the heart of their strength.
-
-
Chapters all out of order.
- By Anonymous User on 02-12-2020
-
Black Stone Heart
- The Obsidian Path, Book 1
- By: Michael R. Fletcher
- Narrated by: Michael R. Fletcher
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A broken man, Khraen awakens alone and lost. His stone heart has been shattered, littered across the world. With each piece, he regains some small shard of the man he once was. He follows the trail, fragment by fragment, remembering his terrible past. There was a woman. There was a sword. There was an end to sorrow.
-
The Shadow of What Was Lost
- The Licanius Trilogy, Book 1
- By: James Islington
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 25 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It has been 20 years since the end of the war. The dictatorial Augurs - once thought of almost as gods - were overthrown and wiped out during the conflict, their much-feared powers mysteriously failing them. Those who had ruled under them, men and women with a lesser ability known as the Gift, avoided the Augurs' fate only by submitting themselves to the rebellion's Four Tenets.
-
-
heckin good boiiieeee
- By Richard on 15-10-2017
-
Foundryside
- By: Robert Jackson Bennett
- Narrated by: Tara Sands
- Length: 19 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The city of Tevanne runs on scrivings, industrialised magical inscriptions that make inanimate objects sentient; they power everything, from walls to wheels to weapons. Scrivings have brought enormous progress and enormous wealth - but only to the four merchant Houses who control them. Everyone else is a servant or slave, or they eke a precarious living in the hellhole called the Commons. There's not much in the way of work for an escaped slave like Sancia Grado, but she has an unnatural talent that makes her one of the best thieves in the city.
-
-
For early teens
- By Michaela on 17-02-2019
-
Traitor's Blade
- The Greatcoats, Book 1
- By: Sebastien de Castell
- Narrated by: Joe Jameson
- Length: 12 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Greatcoats - legendary heroes, arbiters of justice...or notorious traitors? The Greatcoats are travelling magistrates bringing justice to all...or at least they were, before they watched the Dukes impale their King's head on a spike. Now the land's heroes are reviled as traitors, their Greatcoats in tatters. Facio, Kest and Brasti have been reduced to working as mercenaries, but when they find their employer dead - and are forced to watch as the killer plants evidence framing them for the murder - they realise things are about to get even worse.
-
-
Just amazing
- By Harry on 04-09-2019
-
Dark Forge
- By: Miles Cameron
- Narrated by: Mark Meadows
- Length: 16 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Aranthur is a student. He showed a little magical talent, is studying at the local academy, and is nothing particularly special. Others are smarter. Others are more talented. Others are quicker to pick up techniques. But none of them are with him when he breaks his journey home for the holidays in an inn. None of them step in to help when a young woman is thrown off a passing stagecoach into the deep snow at the side of the road. And none of them are drawn into a fight to protect her. One of the others might have realised she was manipulating him all along....
-
-
fantastic series, wonderfilly narrated
- By Anonymous User on 02-04-2019
-
Kings of the Wyld
- The Band, Book 1
- By: Nicholas Eames
- Narrated by: Jeff Harding
- Length: 17 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best - the meanest, dirtiest, most feared and admired crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld. But their glory days are long past; the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk - or a combination of the three. Then a former bandmate turns up at Clay's door with a plea for help: his daughter Rose is trapped in a city besieged by an enemy horde 100,000 strong and hungry for blood.
-
-
Fantastic!
- By lillian patterson on 05-05-2017
Publisher's Summary
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.
Critic Reviews
"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)
More from the same
Author
What listeners say about Senlin Ascends
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jackson
- 27-02-2018
Unique and Amazing!
Would you listen to Senlin Ascends again? Why?
Senlin Ascends is a fantastic book with a unique setting that gives the reader an ever-changing environment and dynamic cast that will keep the reader always looking for more.John Bank's is the perfect fit for Thomas Senlin, and does an admirable job of a wide range of voices.Can't recommend this book enough.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Radlad30
- 15-04-2018
One of the best books I have ever 'read'
Where does Senlin Ascends rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
This is one of my favourite books of all times, not just on audiobooks.
What did you like best about this story?
It is beatifically written. It has have an almost poetic feel, something I have only really encountered in Lord of the Rings and The Book Thief.
The world created is immersive and the story completely engrossing. It is fantasy escapism at its best.
It will no doubt end up a blockbuster movie or tv series, which is a shame in a way.
What about John Banks’s performance did you like?
John's performance was excellent. His characters were completely believable and engaging, with only 'Erin' perhaps being a bit off to my ear.
Any additional comments?
I cannot recommend this enough. It is a joy and a treasure. I can't wait for the third book.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 25-03-2018
different but the same
This story is along the same lines as keys to the kingdom. Different levels, different problems. I am not sure I liked it. reader was great.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 19-02-2021
Shaky start, but really good
The first bit seemed like it was going to be too slow and really dated. I quickly got into the swing of it and really enjoyed pretty much every scene once the story got properly going.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 12-04-2020
An unexpected treasure
Great book, It doesnt go where you might suspect at the beginning which suprised me. The narrator was brilliant too.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 12-09-2019
Great read.
It was a little slow to begin, but I’m glad I stuck with it. Really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 30-08-2019
Buckle up for an adventure
This was a bumpy thrilling ride - do yourself a favour - download and listen non stop until you’re done...then get the next one.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- James
- 15-07-2019
Starts slow, leaves you wanting more
Really enjoyed the world and character development, eager to listen on. Was a little difficult to get into, due to the starangness of the world and main characters goofiness. Glad I kept going as the immediate plot thickens significantly and the larger Tower of Babel mystery just keeps heating up.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- David
- 17-02-2019
takes some time to get going, but well worth it
outstanding story, outstanding performance. slowly builds momentum before a crescendo of a finale. weird and wonderful, it sometimes has flashes of China Mieville and Clive Barker.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Sean Daly
- 31-01-2019
Slow to start..but...
Ok..I nearly gave up on this a number of times before the third act. Note..once he gets to the ‘ports’ you’re in for a good time but it’s painfully dull until then. A little bit like Bilbo Baggins or a Arthur (Hitchhikers guide) type of awkward and plenty boring..until the pace steps up. By the end I was queuing up the next book right away. Steampunk and old Victorian themes throughout give it a certain unpredictability because nothing is explained in a way that you want..but little by little the pieces begin to fit. The narrator does his best with the voices and accents though variety is not a strong point. Average overall but very promising for the next book.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Andrew
- 27-01-2021
Boring...
Just found the whole story terribly boring. None of the characters are likeable, notably the main protagonist. In the end I just didn't care what happened as I had no interest whatsoever... Narration is fine, but the story just isn't interesting
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anna
- 15-11-2020
Enjoyable read and an original setting
The plot was fine and enjoyable, if build from a rather standard set of blocks. The setting was great, the characters likeable. The performance was very good.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Lachlan Kendall
- 14-07-2018
My Favourite Book! Narration fits perfectly!
I started Senlin Ascends yesterday, I was having a bad day, one of those ones where nothing seems to go the way you want it to. By chapter 3 I realised my day wasn’t actually that bad. Thomas Senlin, on the other hand, was having a really bad day… several actually, but he’s really good at dealing with everything life throws at him.
Thomas Senlin is a mild-mannered headmaster from a small town out in the middle of nowhere. Inspired by the legends and books, Senlin and his newlywed wife, Marya, travel to the world’s greatest marvel, a tower stretching into the sky with unnumbered ringdoms stacked one on the other like the layers of a cake, the Tower of Babel. Within the first hour of their arrival, Senlin loses his wife in the chaotic ever evolving throng of people and stores in and around the tower.
Now at this stage, you’re probably thinking, how could Bancroft possibly turn Senlin losing his wife into a nice, interesting book, it shouldn’t be that hard to find each other again. Well, imagine you’re in New York City in rush hour, there are people everywhere, and it’s easy to get separated. Then imagine all the buildings look similar and regularly move around. Then take this idea of the crowded, ever-evolving, chaotic mess of this imaginary NYC, multiply it, and start stacking each city on top of each other. Each layer slightly different from the one before, posing new and different challenges before you can pass to the next layer, people with their own agendas who want to rob you and make you do things you don’t want to do and then you have something that looks like an easy version of the situation Senlin finds himself in.
Setting
The Tower of Babel is an immensely interesting setting for this novel. Each layer is fundamentally different from the layer below, each specialising in something different, and Bancroft creates his own miniature world in each different layer. The book is split into three distinct sections (they’re really good indications on where to have a break) each occurring in a different part of the tower, and we get to spend a good amount of time in each of these very different, but also similar worlds.
Bancroft does an excellent job of describing this fascinating steampunk world he has created. He also has an amazing way of illustrating scenes through some very unique metaphors, which I really loved.
Characters
As you can probably guess, Senlin is the main character of the book. He’s a mild-mannered, thoughtful person, as you’d expect for a headmaster, and not at all used to the unfamiliar scenarios he finds himself in. Thus begins the epic development of Thomas Senlin, a seemingly ordinary guy, thrown headfirst into an extraordinary world. I admire Senlin greatly; he takes everything in his stride and just keeps on going regardless of what the world throws at him.
My favourite description of Senlin comes fairly early on in the book, and is probably one a lot of readers can identify with:
Senlin loved nothing more in the world than a warm hearth to set his feet upon and a good book to pour his whole mind into. While an evening storm rattled the shutters and a glass of port wine warmed in his hand, Senlin would read into the wee hours of the night.
Other characters come and go throughout the series as Senlin moves about the tower, but we get deep insights into the lives and driving forces behind these characters. Overall, Bancroft does a fantastic job of thoroughly developing his characters.
Plot
The plot can be summarised fairly succinctly, Senlin wants to climb the tower and find his wife. The tower does not want to be climbed. Conflict ensues.
In reality, it’s a bit more complex than that, Senlin’s character development really shines in those moments of conflict, and it becomes evident how the circumstances and events change him.
As I said earlier, the story is broken down into 3 smaller parts, and Josiah does a fantastic job of bringing the events in each part together for the conclusion of the book.
Other Thoughts
I really loved this book. It’s the first steampunk book I’ve ever read, and I absolutely adored it. The world is amazing, the characters are well thought out and interesting, and it wraps these aspects together with a great plot, and some really good prose.
If I haven’t convinced you of how good this book is, Josiah was originally self-published, and Orbit has seen how good his work is and offered him a publishing deal. The narration of this book is amazing. John Banks does a fantastic job of making Senlin real, and the voice fits him perfectly.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Simon
- 21-01-2018
Senlin Snags Me By The End!
It's not often I feel conflicted about what rating to give a book but this is definitely an example. Senlin Ascends really is a pure fantasy, almost a Fantasia in the sense that there is no attempt to do any kind of vaguely logical world-building. Instead a mild mannered small school headteacher is plunged into a mystical tower which is idealised as the height of human achievement when in reality it's anything but. Senlin is driven to explore the levels of this enormous structure, each contains its own almost self-contained society with absolutely no suggestion of anything about how they interact paying more than lip service to logic. It's almost like an extended fable.
This of course gives the writer enormous ease and freedom and Bancroft doesn't hold back filling each of the levels or "Ringdoms" with a colourful army of larger than life characters and crazy inventions such as the "Beer-me-up" I think it was. It made me laugh at the thought of it anyway - an end to climate change? The narration by John Banks suits the tone of the book very well. He delivered the author's at times incredibly clever and literate prose in just the right manner.
To me though the whole thing only really took off in the last three to four hours when a lot of threads came together and the story and its hero really seemed to emerge as a strong character. For this reason and the fact that this will drive you insane if you need any level of logic to apply to your fantasy I'm sticking at four stars for the whole thing.
However, by the end of those last few hours I feel as if I've been snagged on Senlin's coat tails and will likely take the second of what I've heard is to be a four book series when it comes out in March.
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- JPA
- 29-01-2018
Unique. Brilliant.
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.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Andrea
- 13-09-2020
Brilliant
Loved it. Exciting story, enjoyable performance. I can't wait to listen to the next book.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Stuart Shaw
- 18-06-2020
slow to start, but engaging to finish
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.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Ms Reader
- 26-01-2020
This trilogy gets better and better!
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.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 29-10-2019
Dystopian nightmare
I found this a hard read. It's quite original but the story quickly turns nightmareish both in structure and plot. Narration was good though.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Kolif
- 11-09-2019
Great intrigue after a very slow start
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Nicholaspoiuy
- 05-03-2019
An Epic adventure story in a steampunk world.
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.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jamie
- 24-02-2019
Can't wait to read the next one!
Loved this throughout. Josiah Bancroft has a unique way of painting a picture, I really love his style.
20 Best Fantasy Audiobooks
This genre is so full of talent, it can be difficult to know what to listen to next — so look no further than this list to get you started.



20 Best Nonfiction Audiobooks
From the entire history of humanity to astrophysics, to our gut and mental health, dig into this list and learn something new.



Best Australian Podcasts on Audible
Audible Original Podcasts are free for Audible members. Check out this list of home-grown content, from binge-worthy true crime to self-help.


