The inhabitants of the following level (the parlor) are required to keep fires stoked. On the ground floor people are encouraged with free beer to operate a pedal machine known as the 'beer-me-go-round' which provides kinetic energy for the gift of beer.

There are connections between levels too. The tower itself is a wonderful creation, a vast building that's so large it houses entire kingdoms (known as ringdoms) and so tall that the upper levels are lost in the clouds. The setting is intriguing, firmly in steampunk territory with steam trains and clockwork automaton along with a Victorian sensibility and airships, which coast along on balloons.

Sexism forms one of the main themes of the book. The escapades he becomes embroiled in highlight the sexism inherent in the fact the Tom thinks Marya needs any rescue and I can't help but think that Marya is probably much further up the tower than Tom. He is however intelligent and earnest in his attempts to 'rescue' Marya. His only real preparation being the highly inaccurate 'Everyman's Guide to the Tower of Babel' which pokes fun at some of the more poorly researched guides on the market. Even though he is a highly organised person, he is woefully unprepared for the tower, or it's colourful inhabitants. Marya really only becomes lost because Tom is too stiff-necked and proper, unable to cope with the embarrassment of underwear shopping with his new, young wife. Tom isn't your everyday fantasy hero, quite the opposite. As the hours turn into days it becomes clear that to have any hope of finding Marya, Tom must ascend the tower. Shortly after alighting the train they lose each other in the busy market that borders the tower entrance. It is a world of geniuses and tyrants, of airships and steam engines, of unusual animals and mysterious machines. Immense as a mountain, the ancient tower holds unnumbered ringdoms, warring and peaceful, stacked one on the other like the layers of a cake. The story begins when Headmaster Thomas Senlin and his new wife Mayra take the train to the fabled tower of Babel. Since then the series has continued with Arm of the Sphinx and The Hod King, which is released this month.

Originally self published in 2013, the book was picked up by Tor / Orbit when it became clear just how special the novel really is. Senlin Ascends is the ground-breaking debut of Josiah Bancroft and the beginning of the Books of Babel series.

Tower of babel josiah bancroft