The Reverse Tower

by Fay Lanark

Black and bleached it hangs, a stake through the heart of the sky. Folk from across the world of Asp are finding themselves inexplicably cast into an unknown, vast desert, their only shelter the looming and impossible Reverse Tower. Its residents do not know its purpose, nor how high it stretches, not even how they found themselves there. The only thing certain is the law of giving, where one must give of their talents to earn their keep.

Vost is but one of many desperate to secure his next meal, but it is that very desperation that leads him down a path of strange and forbidden magicks -- a path which draws the ire of a shapeshifting murderer.

The Reverse Tower is a dark fantasy adventure that may include depictions of violence (including gore), fictional drug use, and potentially disturbing imagery. Readers are advised to use their best discretion.

Genres: Fantasy

540 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 9, 2023

Reviews

[KMart Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Reverse Tower is the kind of book that sneaks up on you, sinks its claws in, and refuses to let go. It’s strange, atmospheric, and utterly compelling—exactly the kind of dark fantasy that deserves a cult following. It hasn’t quite found its audience yet, but it absolutely should, especially among readers who love the eerie, mind-bending weirdness of The Locked Tomb. If that’s you, consider this your sign to pick it up.

From the moment I started reading, I was hooked and often found myself thinking about it while not reading. The world-building is incredible—this vast, surreal desert, the ominous and unfathomable tower that has feelings of its own, and the strange, desperate people trying to survive within it. The mystery of the tower itself is gripping and the author teases its aspects throughout in a way that builds tension and kept me on my toes. The magic system is also quite interesting, though not given much detail. But I adored Vost’s bone magical abilities. Absolutely fascinating.

On top of that, the cast is fantastic. There are two separate groups of characters, seemingly unconnected, and the way their stories intertwine is executed well. The steady build of anticipation as their paths slowly begin to intersect had me constantly theorizing (incorrectly). While there are a lot of characters—too many to deeply connect with all of them—the author does a great job making them distinct and memorable. Even the members of the pain cult had me intrigued. The queer and disability representation is also seamlessly woven into the story without feeling like a box to check, which I really appreciated.

That said, the book isn’t perfect. The pacing gets a little rushed toward the end, and there are lingering questions that remain unanswered. But honestly? I didn’t mind. The sheer weirdness, the incredible atmosphere, and the incredible body horror more than made up for any minimal flaws. I would absolutely love to see more stories set in this world because there’s so much potential here, but this is an incredibly satisfying standalone.

If you love dark, at times surreal fantasy with bizarre yet compelling world-building, unique magic, and great characters, The Reverse Tower is an absolute hidden gem. I adored it.

Thanks so much to VoraciousReadersOnly and the author for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[Julia Caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Reverse Tower is a beautiful, stifling novel both in prose and packaging. I highly recommend it to fans of Brandon Sanderson, The Dark Tower series, and epic magical fantasies.



Fay Lanark has developed a story that holds its own in a world of fantasy giants like Raymond E. Feist, Mercedes Lackey, and Stephen King. The lyrical prose starts on page one, beautifully juxtaposed with the gritty, desperate circumstances our main point-of-view character faces. I was hooked, and I enjoyed the plot devices and writing mechanics – both classic and unexpected – that Lanark employs. The highlight of The Reverse Tower is certainly the worldbuilding, and Lanark’s visceral descriptions and attention to detail allow for the world of Asp to feel fully realized in ways that keep the reader engaged.



The Reverse Tower is a lengthy read – the paperback (which I was lucky enough to receive) comes in at 631 pages, which can be the standard for sweeping epics, but for a debut it can be risky. Although sometimes dragging, its relatively short chapters do aid in keeping the pace up and I felt it was an overall engaging story that I never felt I needed to put down.



Another highlight of The Reverse Tower is in its magic systems. This is a story about mages, almost feeling like a true tale of sword and sorcery. I found the character Vost’s foray into bone magic incredibly compelling and unique, and the ways Lanark wove her various magicks into the story was well done. I adored the character interactions both inside the Tower, as well as with the oppressive, cultish presence of the Tower itself. All in all, the combined atmosphere of the magic systems and worldbuilding are very in-line with classic fantasy, which left me feeling nostalgic and satisfied.



I think that Lanark does a decent job handling a massive story and world such as this. With a myriad of complex character arcs and classes of magic wrapped in mystery and intrigue, there are of course some writing hiccups and unclear moments, but Lanark manages to build a fantastically dark, epic tale, and I am highly anticipating any further installments she has planned for this series.

[Heather B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never read anything quite like this! What a great concept! This is a dark fantasy adventure centred around a tower that hangs from the sky, and the folk who reside in it do not know how they came to be there or what the tower's purpose really is.

The imagery the author conjures up on the pages is brilliant and the characters are also extremely likeable. The magick the characters possess is so different to other stories, as are the beasts/shapeshifters they come up against. Athough you follow two separate groups of characters throughout the book, it comes together nicely with a satisfying conclusion.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from author Fay Lanark via Voracious Readers Only and this is my honest unbiased review*

[Austin Vogelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Pros

-Cool magic systems
-Intriguing macabre vibe
-Good characters and plot
-Creative “way of life” in the tower

Personal Cons

-I had to power through certain portions of the book
-At times, hard to keep track of what was happening

Overall, this is a good book and it ended very well for me!

*I received a free copy of the book through Voracious Readers Only and this review are my own personal thoughts and options*

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was overall great. Plenty of character POVs, though sometimes it was hard to keep track of, magic, and a superb story. I’m branching more into fantasy with recommendations from my cousin, so this was a good book to delve further into the world.

DISCLAIMER: I received this book via VoraciousReadersOnly. All my thoughts are my personal opinions.

[NiaKantorka · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This book was a tough one for me to finish. The brutal but rich world building was mesmerising but the characters were very much lacking imo. It took me ages (up to half of the book) to connect at least with Vost and Hallund in their respective chapters. Their story arcs finally connected but only at around 80% of the story which was way too late for me to really enjoy it.

Great was the imagination of the author with this crazy world of magick, wild creatures (like I would love to take a ride on one of those lizards) and the whole concept of the tower with its many many floors and its distorted time and space.

It’s always a challenge for me when I cannot connect to the characters like I want to. As much as I love a great world building in a fantasy novel without compelling characters it’s only half of the fun. From 20 to 60 % of this book is close to not finishing it like a dozen times but my curiosity won. The last 20 % made me enjoy myself and I’m glad I stuck with it then.

The cover is a work of art and definitely influenced my choice to pick this one up.

[Christine Choptovy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of the book from Voracious Readers Only. This is a fantasy/mystery novel that has very well written descriptions of the various settings. However, the jaunts in the story lines between residents of the tower and residents living outside of the towers made it tedious reading for me. I never really developed any feelings towards any of the characters. I can honestly say that I gave up reading about half way through the book. The descriptions of the reverse tower and the magical things that happen inside it were interesting. If you really enjoy this genre, you will likely like this book.

[Luci · Rating 5 out of 5]

The worldbuilding in this story is unique and superb. If you love the art of M.C. Escher, rich textural writing, and compelling characters, you will enjoy this book. Lanark masterfully moved her characters through trials that not only resonated on page, but mirrored some "real word" situations as well. I fell in love with Vost, Zolei, Harrund, and the rest of this cast.

[Marilyn Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will admit that I struggled through a good portion of the book. It felt slow to me and I wasn't connecting to any of the characters, but it completely hooked me in the second half of the book. It's worth reading through it!

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has a slow start but picks up. If you are a fan of Brandon Sanders books you will love this.