Traduttore; traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal. Oxford; 1836. The city of dreaming spires. It is the centre of all knowledge and progress in the world. And at its centre is Babel; the Royal Institute of Translation. The tower from which all the power of the Empire flows. Orphaned in Canton and brought to England by a mysterious guardian; Babel seemed like paradise to Robin Swift. Until it became a prison… But can a student stand against an empire? An incendiary new novel from award-winning author R.F. Kuang about the power of language; the violence of colonialism; and the sacrifices of resistance. 'A masterpiece that resonates with power and knowledge. BABEL is a stark picture of the cruelty of empire; a distillation of dark academia; and a riveting blend of fantasy and historical fiction – a monumental achievement’ Samantha Shannon; author of THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE