Review: The Way Up Is Death, by Dan Hanks

When a mysterious tower appears in the skies over England, thirteen strangers are pulled from their lives to stand before it as a countdown begins. Above the doorway is one word: ASCEND.

As they try to understand why they’ve been chosen and what the tower is, it soon becomes clear the only way out of this for everyone is… up.

And so begins a race to the top with the group fighting to hold on to its humanity, through sinking ships, haunted houses and other waking nightmares. Can they each overcome their differences and learn to work together or does the winner take all? What does the tower want of them and what is the price to escape?

My Review

Thanks to the team at Angry Robot for my copy of this novel. I’ve had it for a couple of months and I’ve been waiting to see if Angry Robot would arrange a blog tour, but they haven’t. It’s the BFS Book Club book for April, so I decided to go ahead and read it. I think there’s a plan to interview Dan for the book club at some point after Eastercon, but that depends on the BFS Secretary getting organised (Hi Dave!).

Alden, a grieving teacher/singer-singwriter on a date; Nia, an artist frustrated by the games and films industries; Earl and Rakie, father and daughter from Wales who love games; Dirk, a narcissistic influencer pretending to be a children’s book author; Kim, an elderly lady missing her long-dead husband; Monique, a French flight steward; Bryan, a slightly dodgy 80s children’s TV presenter; Dev, a young man from Manchester; Mel, a gammon in a badly fitting suit; Mason, a quiet model; Chase, also possibly a model but not quiet and slightly dippy; an unnamed priest.

These thirteen, unconnected to each other (other than Earl and Rakie, obviously), appear on a tower that hangs in the sky over the Peak District. Some think it’s a reality TV show, the Rapture, or that they’ll be rescued soon, but the Tower is insistent. ASCEND.

People start dying immediately. Through each level one more has to die until they get to the top and save the world. Each level is personalised to the people in the group, helping them develop as people. Before they dies horribly, that is. The characters form cliques as their personalities are brought out during events and those with empathy lead the way despite the shallow, cowed, or empathy-limited.

The inclusion of alien characters adds another element to the plot, as the group realise they’re not just fighting to get to the top of the tower, but so are other teams. They can decide to work together or fight the other teams. They make different decisions depending on the situation, although Nia and Aldon try to lead with empathy.

It was quite moving to see the development of the relationship between Alden, Nia, Earl, and Rakie, and the sacrifices they make. Nia’s realisation at the top of the Tower is a surprise but it’s built up subtly. It’s an explosive ending, and I loved it.

The characters were varied and recognisable, and the POV characters go through their own character growth as they either make peace, or don’t, with their lives, and the events in the Tower.

I enjoyed this story, it was engrossing and unexpected. Excellent deaths, very creepy at times.

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(The photo is from the Angry Robot website; the one on the press release is more accurate, from what I remember of seeing Dan around the BFS Discord and other social media – his hair is much more untidy.)