Review 9 The Dragons of Babel

Swanwick, Michael. The Dragons of Babel. New York: Tor, 2008. Print.

Citation:

            War has come to Will’s small town and when a Dragon crashes into his village his life will never be the same.  After becoming the Dragons’s lieutenant Will knows that he will never be the same and after that he will not be able to stay.  As Will makes his way to Babel he encounter a menagerie of fantasy characters and animals.  Once in Babel he become part of a con operation but this con will have a lasting impact on Will and his future.

Justification for Nomination:

Where to begin?  This book goes beyond Steampunk and Fantasy, it has elements of both as well as gritty city drama, noir, and war.  The world that exists in The Dragons of Babel has both human and fantasy characters interacting in a setting that weaves modern world and fantasy world seamlessly.  The reader should be cautioned that this mix will be a tad confusing at first but do not be discouraged; read on.  It will be worth it.  The Dragon in the beginning is actually a sentient machine (just the first clue in how amazingly unique this world is) and it gets into the mind of young Will and is forever with him.  The city of Babel itself is like New York if New York had elves running its high society and frogs running its seeder saloons.  The Dragons of Babel is not an easy read, but it is definitely worth the read.  

I would recommend this to readers who have a love of challenge and an ability to enjoy crossed genre.  Michael Swanwick must be a student of the Fantasy genre.  His book is filled with references to mainstream and obscure fantasy stories and characters.  To call this book merely a Fantasy/Sci Fi tail is to do it a disservice.  The story has con men and corrupt government officials, a coming of age element, weird and sometimes graphic fantasy/horror elements that blend together to create a world that cannot be adequately described in a simple sentence.

The Dragons of Babel  won the Alex award and should be considered for a Printz because of its creativity and grand storytelling.  If you do not like fantasy a lot just wait, the next couple of chapters may unfold like a classic noir style story or a gritty urban story.  That is what really makes The Dragons of Babel work.  It works because it gels so many different genres into a comprehensive whole that is readable and enjoyable even when it is challenging the reader.

 Genre:
 

Fantasy/Sci Fi, Alex award winner*

*with elements of many other genres woven in.