The Hod King

THE THIRD NOVEL IN THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED BOOKS OF BABEL SERIES, SET IN A LABYRINTHINE WORLD OF MENACE AND WONDER. 'It is not merely a 5* book, it's a masterpiece' Mark Lawrence 'A vibrant, wholly original, and expertly crafted novel that transcends genre fantasy. It is an instant literary classic' Fantasy Book Review Thomas Senlin and his crew have been separated following the orders of the mysterious Sphinx. Meanwhile, the enslaved hods climb the Black Trail and whisper secrets in the dark. As Senlin and his crew are dragged ever further into the Tower's conspiracies, everything falls to one question: who is the Hod King? Praise for the series: 'Josiah Bancroft is a magician. His books are that rare alchemy: gracefully written, deliriously imaginative, action-packed, warm, witty and thought-provoking' Madeline Miller, author of Circe 'I'm wildly in love with this book' - Pierce Brown, author of Red Rising 'Brilliant' - Publishers Weekly 'I loved it' - Django Wexler, author of The Thousand Names 'A universe of stars out of five' Superstar Drifter 'These books are absolutely incredible' - The Quill to Live 'Spectacular . . . fabulously gripping' - BookBag 'An impressive display of imagination and humour' - SciFiNow 'An engrossing, intoxicating delight' - Forbidden Planet

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?

The first book in the word-of-mouth phenomenon debut fantasy series about one man's dangerous journey through a labyrinthine world. "One of my favorite books of all time" - Mark Lawrence The Tower of Babel is the greatest marvel in the world. Immense as a mountain, the ancient Tower holds unnumbered ringdoms, warring and peaceful, stacked one on the other like the layers of a cake. It is a world of geniuses and tyrants, of luxury and menace, of unusual animals and mysterious machines. Soon after arriving for his honeymoon at the Tower, the mild-mannered headmaster of a small village school, Thomas Senlin, gets separated from his wife, Marya, in the overwhelming swarm of tourists, residents, and miscreants. Senlin is determined to find Marya, but to do so he'll have to navigate madhouses, ballrooms, and burlesque theaters. He must survive betrayal, assassins, and the illusions of the Tower. But if he hopes to find his wife, he will have to do more than just endure. This quiet man of letters must become a man of action. The Books of BabelSenlin AscendsArm of the Sphinx

THE SECRETS OF THE TOWER WILL FINALLY BE REVEALED IN THE REMARKABLE CONCLUSION TO THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED BOOKS OF BABEL SERIES. As Marat's siege engine bores through the Tower, Senlin can do nothing but observe the mayhem from inside the belly of the beast. Edith and her crew are forced to face Marat on unequal footing, with Senlin caught in the crossfire, while Adam attempts to unravel the mystery of his fame inside the crowning ringdom. And when the Brick Layer's true ambition is revealed, neither the Tower nor its inhabitants will ever be the same again. Praise for the Books of Babel 'Josiah Bancroft is a magician. His books are that rare alchemy: gracefully written, deliriously imaginative, action-packed, warm, witty and thought-provoking' Madeline Miller, author of Circe 'The Books of Babel are something you hope to see perhaps once a decade - future classics, which may be remembered long after the series concludes' LA Times 'It is not merely a five-star book, it's a masterpiece' Mark Lawrence 'A vibrant, wholly original and expertly crafted novel that transcends genre fantasy. It is an instant literary classic' Fantasy Book Review 'It's rare to finad a modern book that feels like a timeless classic. I'm wildly in love with this book' Pierce Brown, author of Red Rising 'One of the most original, intriguing, well written, witty and wondrous fantasy fiction debuts I've ever read' Fantasy Faction The Books of Babel Senlin Ascends The Arm of the Sphinx The Hod King The Fall of Babel

"If you liked American Gods by Neil Gaiman or Circe by Madeline Miller, be sure to pick this one up." -- Timeworn A sweeping tale of forbidden love and warring gods, where a young Inuit shaman and a Viking warrior become unwilling allies in a war that will determine the fate of the new world. There is a very old story, rarely told, of a wolf that runs into the ocean and becomes a whale. . . Born with the soul of a hunter and the spirit of the Wolf, Omat is destined to follow in her grandfather's footsteps-invoking the spirits of the land, sea, and sky to protect her people. But the gods have stopped listening and Omat's family is starving. Desperate to save them, Omat journeys across the icy wastes, fighting for survival with every step. When she encounters Brandr, a wounded Viking warrior, they set in motion a conflict that could shatter her world. . .or save it.

The first book in a wildly inventive and mesmerizing new fantasy series from acclaimed author Josiah Bancroft where magical mysteries abound and only one team can solve them: The Hexologists. “Bancroft is a magician.” — Madeline Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Circe “Fantastic! The Hexologists fizzes eloquently with wit and elegance, but also has marvelous worldbuilding and an excellent plot - and a central pair of characters who I quite simply love. A cocktail of a book made with the very best champagne.” — Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library The Hexologists, Iz and Warren Wilby, are quite accustomed to helping desperate clients with the bugbears of city life. Aided by hexes and a bag of charmed relics, the Wilbies have recovered children abducted by chimney-wraiths, removed infestations of barb-nosed incubi, and ventured into the Gray Plains of the Unmade to soothe a troubled ghost. Well-acquainted with the weird, they never shy away from a challenging case. But when they are approached by the royal secretary and told the king pleads to be baked into a cake—going so far as to wedge himself inside a lit oven—the Wilbies soon find themselves embroiled in a mystery that could very well see the nation turned on its head. Their effort to expose a royal secret buried under forty years of lies brings them nose to nose with a violent anti-royalist gang, avaricious ghouls, alchemists who draw their power from a hell-like dimension, and a bookish dragon who only occasionally eats people. Armed with a love toughened by adversity and a stick of chalk that can conjure light from the darkness, hope from the hopeless, Iz and Warren Wilby are ready for a case that will test every spell, skill, and odd magical artifact in their considerable bag of tricks. "Bancroft is a wonder as ever! The Hexologists was a joyous delight on every page— buoyantly inventive, witty, poignant, gripping, and deeply satisfying." — Madeline Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Circe “Josiah Bancroft’s imagination will astound you. One of the most inventive fantasy authors out there.” — Fonda Lee, author of the Green Bone Saga “Bancroft has returned to the page in force, deploying his crystal prose and razored wit around a tale that mixes whimsy and threat in equal measure. He's a gift to the genre." — Mark Lawrence, author of The Book That Wouldn't Burn

Thomas Senlin and his crew of outcasts have been separated, and now they must face the dangers of the labyrinthine tower on their own in this third book in the word-of-mouth phenomenon fantasy series. "One of my favorite books of all time." -- Mark Lawrence on Senlin Ascends Fearing an uprising, the Sphinx sends Senlin to investigate a plot that has taken hold in the ringdom of Pelphia. Alone in the city, Senlin infiltrates a bloody arena where hods battle for the public's entertainment. But his investigation is quickly derailed by a gruesome crime and an unexpected reunion. Posing as a noble lady and her handmaid, Voleta and Iren attempt to reach Marya, who is isolated by her fame. While navigating the court, Voleta attracts the unwanted attention of a powerful prince whose pursuit of her threatens their plan. Edith, now captain of the Sphinx's fierce flagship, joins forces with a fellow wakeman to investigate the disappearance of a beloved friend. She must decide who to trust as her desperate search brings her nearer to the Black Trail where the hods climb in darkness and whisper of the Hod King. As Senlin and his crew become further dragged in to the conspiracies of the Tower, everything falls to one question: Who is The Hod King?

A frightening suspense novel about nine-year-old Trisha, who becomes lost in the woods as night falls.

Mark Jones is a henchman for hire. He guards bunkers, patrols perimeters and stands around in a boiler suit waiting to get knocked out by Ninjas. This is his job. He has worked for some of the most notorious super villains the world has ever known - Doctor Thalassocrat, Victor Soliman, Polonius Crump; Mark was with each of them when they met their makers at the hands of British Secret Service super-spy, Jack Tempest, and lived to tell the tale - if not pay the bills. Still for every hour under gunfire there are weeks and months of sitting around on monorails so Jones starts a book club with his fellow henchmen. It was only meant to pass the time. It was never meant to save the world. From the bestselling author of The Burglar Diaries and the movie Wild Bill.

The outspoken half of magic duo Penn & Teller presents an atheist reinterpretation of the Ten Commandments, discussing why doubt, skepticism, and wonder should be celebrated and offering humorous stories from his own experiences.