Winner of the Nebula Award. Nominee of the Locus Award. Book of the Year according to the book chain Barnes & Noble and Blackwell`s. Book Top 100 according to Time. A new novel from the creator of the Opium War trilogy. A novel that is a thematic response to The Secret History, with the addition of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, which examines the use of language and the art of translation as the dominant weapon of the British Empire and student revolutions as an act of resistance to power. Traduttore, traditore. The act of translation is always an act of betrayal. 1828. After cholera destroyed Canton, the orphaned Robin Swift ends up in London with the mysterious Professor Lovell. For many years he has been studying Latin, Ancient Greek and Chinese in preparation for entry into the prestigious Royal Oxford University Translation Institute, also known as Babylon. His tower and his students are the world's center of translation and, more importantly, magic. The art of revealing meanings lost in translation using enchanted silver bars. It is this magic that made the British Empire invincible, and Babylon's research in foreign languages serves the Empire's foreign policy. For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge is subject to power, and, being Chinese by birth, Robin understands that serving Babylon means betraying his own homeland. As his studies progress, the young man faces a choice between the interests of Babylon and the Hermes secret society, which seeks to stop imperial expansion. When Britain unleashes war of conquest with China for the sake of silver and opium, Robin has to make a decision...Is it possible to change powerful institutions of power from within, without unnecessary casualties, or does revolution always require violence? “Great. One of the most brilliant, relevant books I have had the pleasure of reading. The novel is not just a fantastic alternative history, but an exploration of colonial history and the Industrial Revolution, upending and shaking them up." – Shannon A. Chakraborty “A brilliant and chilling exploration of violence, etymology, colonialism and their interrelationships. The novel “Babylon” is as deep as it is touching.” – Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching “Rebecca Kuang has written a masterpiece. Through careful research and deep immersion in linguistics and politics language and translation, she was able to create a story that is partly a message of her conflicting feelings to the academic community, partly a scathing indictment of colonial policies, and all of it a fiery revolution.” – Rebecca Roanhorse “Babylon” is a masterpiece. A stunning exploration of identity, belonging, the cost of empire and revolution, and the true power of language. Kuang wrote the book the whole world has been waiting for." – Pen Shepard “The real magic of Kuang's novel lies in its ability to be both scholarly and ever-reader-friendly, making the language on the pages feel as enchanting and powerful as the wonders that can be achieved with silver.” – Oxford Review of Books “An amazing combination of erudition and emotion. I've never seen anything like it in literature". – Tochi Onibuchi “If you plan to read only one book this year, take “Babel.” Through an incredibly plausible alternate history, Quang has uncovered the truth about imperialism in our world. The depth of the writer's knowledge in the field of history and linguistics is amazing. This book is a masterpiece in every sense of the word, a true privilege to read." – Jesse K. Sutanto