Please note Arm of the Sphinx is a direct sequel to Senlin Ascends. There will be spoilers if haven’t read the first book in this series. Consider yourself suitably forewarned.
Forced by necessity into a life of piracy, Senlin and his crew struggle to survive aboard their stolen airship. Senlin’s search for his lost wife continues, even as her ghost hounds his every step. But the Tower of Babel proves to be as difficult to re-enter as it was to escape.
While searching for an unguarded port, Senlin encounters the camp of Luc Marat, who seems equal parts bandit and humanitarian. One thing is for certain: his asylum for the downtrodden hods is not as peaceful as it appears.
In desperation, Senlin turns to the mysterious and dangerous Sphinx, with whom Edith shares a terrible bond. They discover the Sphinx’s help does not come cheaply. Senlin must choose between his friends, his freedom, and his wife.
It seems of late that everything I’ve read is a sequel to something else. I can’t complain though, they are all so damn good. The latest title to join this list is the follow up to a book I read earlier this year, Senlin Ascends. Arm of the Sphinx by Josiah Bancroft picks up where its predecessor left off. Thomas Senlin is still trying to unpick the mysteries that surround the Tower of Babel. He believes once he understands how everything works, no easy feat by any estimation, he may be able to finally uncover the location of his missing spouse, Marya.
I’m enjoying the evolution of Senlin’s character. He is no longer the mild-mannered school headmaster we met in book one. He has changed from the timid, hopelessly naive tourist into an almost swashbuckling sky pirate. I say “almost” because even though Thomas Senlin is now calling himself Captain Tom Mudd, there is always going to be something quintessentially Senlin-y about him. I’m not sure he can help it. Senlin is Senlin, down to the very marrow. I think that might be why he is such an engaging protagonist. Awkward, slightly pompous and terribly proper, he is not the person you would think of when you think roguish swashbuckler.
Of the other characters I’ve found that I have warmed most to Voleta and Iren.
Voleta is a joy, a law unto herself. At first glance she appears a complete innocent, but don’t be fooled. Underneath this benign countenance lies a brain that would easily match that of any trickster god. Voleta is driven by an insatiable curiosity and a need to explore. In her measured opinion, rules are either for other people or can be viewed as guidelines at best. I couldn’t help but be charmed, her rabid inquisitiveness is contagious.
Meanwhile Iren, the ever-stoic warrior/bodyguard has a problem. Since falling in with Senlin she has developed a bad case of “the friends”. Used to being treated like part of the furniture she is ill prepared to associate with people who actually like her. As far as she is concerned having feelings is just plain confusing.
It seems likely that any review of this novel that mentions the character of the Sphinx directly is going to use the word enigmatic. Who am I to buck this trend? The Sphinx remains shrouded in mystery throughout. What is starting to become evident however, is that the politics of the Tower are not a simple affair. The ringdoms bicker amongst themselves, but there is the suggestion that there is far more to it than that. The Sphinx sits above it all like a puppeteer pulling on invisible strings. Senlin and company find themselves effectively marooned in the Sphinx’s lair, and each of them has to face a choice. For Senlin, in particular, this is a difficult moment in his ongoing transformation. His inner demons are threatening to tear him apart and it’s not entirely clear if the Sphinx’s help will kill or cure.
I think it is easy to tell when an author is enjoying themselves with their own writing. There is that frisson of excitement you can spot that feels almost palpable. It’s the asides and quotations that help to elevate Arm of the Sphinx into the realms of something wonderfully unique. Josiah Bancroft has that knack of catching a reader unaware with laugh out loud little touches. You have to appreciate that air of mildly deranged glee.
An intellectual spittoon overflowing dribble.
The best thing about these moments is that the author uses them sparingly. When they do pop up you aren’t expecting them. Judging the correct amount of comedy to inject into any given scene has always struck me as being the most difficult of tasks. Bancroft knows that less is more and handles each instance with aplomb. He’s just so damned good at it, I hate him*.
This latest addition to The Books of Babel is a perfect sequel. The plot and characters continue to evolve in a thoroughly entertaining and unexpected ways. The best fantastical adventure should beguile and entrance, Arm of the Sphinx does that and more. I heartily recommend checking it out.
For Captain Tom Mudd, the life of a sky pirate can best be described as adventurous. He needed a soundtrack that adequately captures that sense of mayhem. Pirates? Plunder? Other words beginning with P? There could be only one answer – Assassins Creed IV – Black Flag by Brian Tyler. Seriously, it doesn’t matter if a pirate sails in the sky or the sea they need a stirring tune or two to send them on their way.
Arms of the Sphinx is published by Orbit and is available now. The third book in the series, The Hod King, is set to follow. I’ve loved this series so far. I can’t wait to see where it goes next.
*I don’t really, I’m just jealous.
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