Arm of the Sphinx by Josiah Bancroft – Review

Published: March 13, 2018

Publisher: Orbit Books

Series: The Books of Babel #2

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 448 (Paperback)

My Rating: 4.0/5.0

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:

The second book in the word-of-mouth phenomenon fantasy series about one man’s dangerous journey through a labyrinthine world.

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? 

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Obviously I’m running a little behind on this series since I’m just now reviewing Arm of the Sphinx, but there were just SO MANY OTHER THINGS TO READ. And honestly, I’m just not as enamored with this series as everyone else seems to be. It’s a very good story in so many aspects – awesome world building, pretty interesting characters, good plot and writing – but I just don’t love it and it’s more of a personal preference rather than anything to do with the book.

Thomas Senlin has gone from naïve school master to bookkeeper to oddly moral pirate. He and his crew of miscreants are on the brink of ruin at practically every moment and must always keep a weather eye out for the people after the painting Tom carries. They get mixed up in some bad business with the hods and then decide to visit the enigmatic Sphinx – the very same Sphinx that granted Edith her fabulous mechanical arm. My favorite part of this book is when the crew finally gets to the Sphinx’s lair, which is actually a hotel-like space filled with strange rooms and an elevator the size of a hallway. There’s a bottomless library with a cat librarian, rooms full of electricity, and all sorts of oddities. At this point, the book felt like it was going in an upwards trajectory and my interest was at an all-time high. I began to enjoy it so much so that I probably will read the third book which has been lingering on my shelf for at least a month.

Overall, this was a good book though it didn’t manage to captivate me the way other books have. I recognize what others find so enjoyable about it and wish that I felt the same way! Arm of the Sphinx (well the whole series really) is unique and has a rich world, perfect for those looking for a fantasy that stands out from the masses. I thought the audiobook was done quite well, so if audio is your thing you should check out Arm of the Sphinx in that format.