Arm of the Sphinx

The Books of Babel, Book 2

By: Josiah Bancroft

Narrated by: John Banks

Length: 14 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's Summary

Senlin continues his ascent up the tower in the word-of-mouth phenomenon fantasy series about one man's dangerous journey through a labyrinthine world.

"One of my favorite books of all time" (Mark Lawrence on Senlin Ascends)

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? 

©2017 Josiah Bancroft (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic Reviews

"More than deserving of advance buzz and initial self-published success, Josiah Bancroft's Senlin Ascends is an early contender for year-end best lists, and a towering achievement in weird fantasy." (B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog on Senlin Ascends)

"Bancroft's world continues to teem with explosive energy, and he ranges ably from the transcendent to the vicious in an instant....This volume not only matches but adds to the notable achievements of the first." (Publishers Weekly, starred review) 

"What is remarkable about this novel, quite apart from its rich, allusive prose, is Bancroft's portrayal of Senlin, a good man in a desperate situation, and the way he changes in response to his experiences in his ascent." (The Guardian on Senlin Ascends) 

Improvement on the first book

In this volume the author fleshes out the vast of characters a bit more and offers us a more expansive vision of the Senlin universe, leaving me more curious about this world and story than I was when I started. Our heroes finally have compelling missions and are equally smart and flawed, which makes for more varied storytelling.

Just as good as the first!

If you enjoyed book 1, this won't disappoint. whether it's the fantastic narration, deep and interesting characters, or the refreshingly inventive and unique premise this series is pure gold, and I cannot wait for book 3!

Much better than the 1st book

the 1st book seemed to be.....too confident at times for Thomas. The elaborate schemes that FG went through to hire an employee ect....

This one seemed much more grounded and was far better as a result.

Good Book 2 in an entertaining series

Not quite as good as Senlin Ascends but still worthwhile. More time spent on relationships among characters and we get to know the Sphinx. Narration continues to be outstanding.

And you will definitely want to go on to Book 3.

I enjoy the hidden meaning of the tower.

great characters. unique circumstances And challenges. the tower is a fantastic character all its own. the deeper meanings decorate the adventure with pleasing considerations.

2nd book better than first!

I wasn’t sure about the series but halfway through the second one I was hooked. I hope the third one doesn’t disappoint; I’m really liking the characters now.

Tremendous performance

Excellent book with a superb narrator. One of the better series in recent years! Looking forward to book 3.

lukewarm sequel

I adored senlin ascends! however this one, although inventive and has a great addition of characters, just doesn't have the same heart as the first one. wasn't terrible, just disappointing in reference to the first

Below the surface resides the truth

But how hard we try to hide it or change it to what we prefer the truth to be. But what we reveal to ourselves and others, is not the truth. Still searching at 65.

Just wasn't for me, too cluttered feeling.

DNF 50%

Short and sweet reason why I quit.

I just simply didn't like it.

I was working on finishing this up and saw myself just putting it off over and over again. It's not like me to not finish a book within the week I finish it.

I just found it super difficult to want to return to this world and character.

The characters, I just found kinda boring. The plot was a bit cluttered. The world building was there but again feels so overly creative and cluttered with no single aspect of the world building moments fleshed out enough to get me to care when it just keeps changing constantly.

Its not a bad book, i can see just how much enjoyment people would get from something super childish like this. Childish isn't a bad thing either, the tone of the book and overall themes just feel very youthful and adventurous but at the same time I probably wouldnt recommend this to a kid.