Senlin, a mild-mannered school teacher, is drawn to the Tower of Babel by the grandiose promises of a guidebook. The ancient and immense Tower seems the perfect destination for a honeymoon. But soon after arriving, Senlin loses his young wife, Marya, in the crowd. Senlin’s search for Marya carries him through slums and theaters, prisons and ballrooms. He must survive betrayal, assassination, and the long guns of a flying fortress. But if he hopes to find Marya, Senlin will have to do more than survive. This quiet man of letters must become a man of action. I’ll begin with an admission. I can probably best be described as an anxious traveller. Whenever I have to go anywhere outside the local area, I become ill at ease. I’m a bit hopeless as soon as I find myself in thrall to the vagaries of strict timetables or pure dumb luck. Thomas Senlin finds himself with similar problems. Within hours of arriving at the world-renowned Tower of Babel he has lost his wife, most of his possessions, and any real understanding of what is going on. His only option is to follow the last words of advice his partner offered before her disappearance….