Arm of the Sphinx: Book Two of the Books of Babel

(Paperback)

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'Josiah Bancroft is a magician. His books are that rare alchemy: gracefully written, deliriously imaginative, action-packed, warm, witty and thought-provoking' Madeline Miller, author of Circe

'Like its predecessor, it is a brilliant piece of work . . . these two books are genius. I just love them. The story, characters and imagination shine' Mark Lawrence

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.

Praise for the series:

'Brilliant' - Publishers Weekly

'I loved it' - Django Wexler

'An engrossing intoxicating delight' - Forbidden Planet

'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

Reviews

Like its predecessor, it is a brilliant piece of work . . . these two books are genius. I just love them. The story, characters and imagination shine, and even without the quality of the prose it would be a good tale. But the prose just makes me constantly jealous. Not just the wordplay, but the cleverness of the sentiment and observation behind it . . . If these books don't gain some major recognition, I will despair

Arm of the Sphinx is an entertaining and easily devoured read . . . Bancroft's prose is beautiful - at times breathtaking . . . In his deadpan humour and sparkling creativity, Bancroft's writing reminds me of Terry Pratchett - breaking ground and defying tropes with an entirely different kind of world

An extraordinary debut that is well worthy of the hype. A beautifully written, highly engaging page-turning masterpiece

A terrific, free-ranging fantasy that ranges from Kafkaesque horror to heist thriller, all tied together by themes of agency and ascension. What begins as a disconnected series of curious vignettes turns into an exciting and cunningly constructed epic. Senlin is that rare fantasy protagonist that succeeds solely through intelligence and hard work, making his progress (such as it is) all the more impressive. This book is bonkers, entertaining, clever and - quite possibly - unique

Senlin Ascends crosses the everyday strangeness and lyrical prose of Borges and Gogol with all the action and adventure of high fantasy. I loved it, and grabbed the next one as soon as I turned the last page

Author Bio

Before settling down to write fantasy novels, Josiah Bancroft was a poet, college instructor and aspiring comic book artist. When he is not writing, he enjoys recording the Crit Faced podcast with his authorial friends, drawing the world of the Tower and cooking dinner without a recipe. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Sharon, their daughter, Maddie and their two rabbits, Mabel and Chaplin.

More examples of his work, including updates on upcoming instalments in the Books of Babel series, can be found at www.thebooksofbabel.com.