Book-a-book of the Month Club discussion

Discuss the short story Tower of Babylon here.

I really enjoyed this story. It adds nuts and bolts to the bible story.

I really enjoyed Tower of Babylon.

I don't think I would do well in this world. When I was 21, I was pretty fearless and did a skydive. Last year, only 10 years later, I was on honeymoon in Malaysia and had difficulty walking over a bridge. Granted it was the tallest skybridge in the world and a particularly windy day, so I gave myself some credit. But, when Hillalum lays down on his belly to peer over the edge of the track on the tower, my whole body clenched up and I held the book a little tighter!

Maybe I just don't do well with heights anymore but I am also giving credit to the author for his visual descriptions throughout this short story for adding to my fear factor.

As it was a short story, I can understand that certain elements of the story remain untold, but I would have loved to read more about the towns that developed within the towers, the families, the shops, etc. I love reading about different societies and I could read something like that all day. As I seem to be gaining a discomfort to heights, I will stick to the story book version for now though :)

My short review of Tower of Babylon - 4.5 stars - A very strong start. The writing is great and comfortable to read. Chiang's speculative fiction set in biblical mythology is thought provoking and fascinating!

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I forgot that I had written one last year.

Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about this one. It's got this great build up, and then it ends. I get the idea of this story. The beginning is the end; everything is circular; etc. The concept is brilliant: take a story that most people are familiar with and use it to portray a possible explanation for the inter-connectivity of the universe. I kinda feel like it was a little heavy-handed in this story -- like he hit me with a 2x4.

Like I said, the writing is great. Phenomenal in the build-up. It was just the ending that was disappointing.

5/5 for me. Strong start. Detailed. The fear and excitement and uncertainty of the miner is palpable. Cylindrical existence.

It is interesting to see the differing of opinions on this one. In looking back, I actually think my impression of this story was improved by reading the rest of the book as I think it was one of my favorites from the collection.

3.5- I'm with Richard on this one. I enjoyed the climbing build up, but the ending didn't do it for me.

Also, I had visual disconnection in the scenery I was envisioning as described... So they climbed past the sun, and then they climbed higher, and could see so many stars, then they suddenly were at the bottom of the chamber and it went on as far as they could see? So how could they look up and see all the stars if this big white granite slab was there, extending forever (aka blocking the view of stars). Were they looking down or across at these stars? Maybe I misread something in the story?

Meghan wrote: "3.5- I'm with Richard on this one. I enjoyed the climbing build up, but the ending didn't do it for me.

Also, I had visual disconnection in the scenery I was envisioning as described... So they c..."

Yeah - I could see that the point in the story where they start climbing past things ruins any possible believably that existed earlier in the story. It doesn't necessarily ruin the story. But trying to imagine it actually happening is kind of cool!