Two letters making two demands. Two seeds: one growing, the other dormant. Two allegiances—one high-profile, the other subversive. Oh, and one reluctant goal: the cleansing of the planet.
This is the story of how Austin Feckidee and his three friends tried to change the world. It’s the story of L’Hermitage, the abandoned church that was the base of their earth-shattering work; and it’s the story of the Tower of Babel, the arrogant statement of human self-sufficiency that they sought to destroy.
It’s 1967 somewhere in North America. Babylon is the greatest city in the nation (maybe even on earth), and to prove it, they’re building a veritable tower to heaven that would make even the denizens of biblical Shinar a little jealous. But far from the city, in the abandoned suburbs, Austin and the secret society are talking about the Tower again. Talking about how it must come down. How the planet must be cleansed. And how divinity has chosen them to make it happen.Review:
I have to admit, when I first started reading The Tower of Babel, I really had no idea what was going on. The pace was slow, the characters were not well defined, and the plot was frustratingly indiscernible; however, the writing style was what kept me interested, the voice of the main character emitting promises for a suspense-filled and intriguing sci-fi drama. Austin was definitely my favorite character, his character and dialogue were well-developed and relatable, especially his "philosophy". G.T. Anders' writing style was sometimes unconventional, but I enjoyed the ebb-and-flow of the narration and dialogue - very literary - not full of rambling or unnecessary verbiage. I liked the simplicity of the text, but I was not crazy about the use of ellipses (...). They were alright in moderation, but overuse had me wondering what was left unsaid and undone. The overall story was well-written and plotted very nicely. I enjoy plot-lines that force the reader to process the book without giving away all the answers, and The Tower of Babel did just that. I actually did not know what was coming, or that there would be a sequel - which I will definitely be reading!
Rating: On the Run (4/5)
*** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
About the Author:
G. T. Anders, who goes by George Anderson at work, home, and among friends and family, has been writing since the age of learning-to-write. From the earliest picture-books about a talking can through novellas about sparrows to a militaristic space opera, his projects have led him down one rabbit trail after another, constantly approximating but never quite reaching the ideal of Great Novel that began to form in his young brain when he first saw chapter headings and body copy on a printed page.
His first published novel, The Tower of Babel, is another such excursion but claims nothing of that ideal. If you enjoy it, if it makes you question your use of gasoline or Facebook or anything else that is machine, then it has succeeded.
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