Senlin Ascends Book Review: An Incredibly Original Fantasy Adventure

Senlin Ascends is a fantasy/science fiction/adventure novel that I’d recommend to anyone on the hunt for a book that’s totally different from anything else out there. It’s a wonderfully unique first entry in a four-book series, and if the next three titles are as good as this one, I’ll be thrilled.

The story is set in a steampunk-type world where the biggest attraction is a massively large tower that reaches so high into the clouds that no one even knows how many stories tall it truly is. Each of the tower’s levels (or rings) is completely distinctive from the others and each ring almost functions as a unique, city-sized environment, complete with different governments, rules, and types of inhabitant. Travelers visit the towers as a tourist attraction (only typically reaching the outside market or bottommost levels).

The protagonist of Senlin Ascends, an awkward headmaster named Senlin, is one such tourist. Senlin is from a small town and has ventured to the tower on his honeymoon with his wife, Marya. Soon after arriving, however, the two become separated from one another. Senlin will need to ascend the rings of the tower as he searches for his missing love.

The book acts as an epic adventure with Senlin, as well as a fun character study. On the topic of characters, author Josiah Bancroft introduces us over the course of the novel to a fantastic cast. There are some diverse, outstandingly interesting people Senlin encounters, and I found myself really enjoying them.

Bancroft’s writing style I found to be unique and almost poetic at times. He definitely has a way with words that lends itself to this type of story.

Senlin Ascends has many different elements to it. It’s darkly funny at times and intense at others. Once I got into it after the first few chapters, I was thoroughly enthralled.

Grade: 9/10

This post will be updated with future book reviews in the series as I finish reading them!