Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution By R. F. Kuang

R. F. Kuang's "Babel" emerges as a literary tour de force, hailed by Shannon Chakraborty as "absolutely phenomenal" and a brilliant exploration of alternative fantastical history. This thematic response to "The Secret History" and retort to "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" weaves a narrative that delves into colonial resistance, student revolutions, and the wielded power of language and translation during the Industrial Revolution.

Set in 1828, the story follows Robin Swift, orphaned in Canton and brought to London by the enigmatic Professor Lovell. Trained in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, Robin anticipates enrolling in Oxford University’s Royal Institute of Translation, known as Babel. The institution, centering on translation and magic, utilizes silver working—an enchanted technique that empowers the British Empire in its quest for colonization.

As Robin immerses himself in the pursuit of knowledge at Oxford, he grapples with the inherent conflict between serving Babel and betraying his motherland. The tension intensifies as Britain engages in an unjust war with China over silver and opium. Caught between loyalty to Babel and the Hermes Society's resistance to imperial expansion, Robin faces a pivotal choice—can powerful institutions be reformed from within, or is revolution inevitable and synonymous with violence?

"Babel" promises a riveting exploration of identity, power, and the moral quandaries that arise in the pursuit of knowledge and societal change. 📚❤️