Description

About the Book:

Babel by award-winning author R. F. Kuang is a historical fantasy epic that delves into student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the manipulation of language and translation as instruments of the British Empire’s domination.

« Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal. »

In 1828, Robin Swift, an orphan of cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the enigmatic Professor Lovell. Robin undergoes rigorous training in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all to prepare for his enrollment in Oxford University’s esteemed Royal Institute of Translation, known as Babel. This tower and its students are the global epicenter for translation and, crucially, magic. The practice of silver-working—the magical art of harnessing the meaning lost in translation with enchanted silver bars—has empowered the British Empire in its relentless quest for colonization.

For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. However, he soon realizes that knowledge serves power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, he faces a profound conflict: serving Babel means betraying his homeland. As his studies advance, Robin becomes entangled in the machinations of the shadowy Hermes Society, a group committed to halting imperial expansion. When Britain instigates an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must confront a critical choice…

Can entrenched institutions be reformed from within, or does true revolution necessitate violence?

• Language: English
• Author: R.F. Kuang
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 560
• ISBN: 9780008501853
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