"A narrative grappling with student uprisings, resistance against colonial rule, and the manipulation of language and translation as instruments of control wielded by the British empire.
Traduttore, traditore: Every act of translation inherently involves a form of treachery.
In the year 1828, Robin Swift, orphaned due to cholera in Canton, finds himself transported to London under the guardianship of the enigmatic Professor Lovell. There, he dedicates years to mastering Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he will enter the esteemed Royal Institute of Translation at Oxford University, famously known as Babel.
Babel stands as the global hub for translation, and even more significantly, for magic. The art of silver working—employing enchanted silver bars to unveil the essence lost in translation—has rendered the British supremely dominant, as this knowledge propels the Empire's relentless pursuit of colonization.
For Robin, Oxford embodies a utopian haven dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. However, the distribution of knowledge conforms to the dynamics of power, and as a Chinese youth raised within the borders of Britain, Robin becomes acutely aware that serving Babel equates to betraying his homeland. Progressing through his studies, Robin finds himself entangled between the clutches of Babel and the enigmatic Hermes Society, an underground faction committed to thwarting imperial expansion. When Britain embarks on an unjust war against China involving silver and opium, Robin is confronted with a critical decision...
Is it possible to reform deeply rooted institutions from within, or does the pursuit of revolution invariably demand acts of violence?"