
Member Reviews

The Way Up is Death is a reality-bending science fiction thriller that tells the story of a group of people forced to ascend a cosmic tower, after it randomly appeared in the middle of the sky, filled with life threatening challenges in order to get to the top before time runs out.
What started out reading like a sci-fi thriller combining the squid games with escape room puzzles in an ominous tower, slowly became a much more meaningful exploration of the human condition through multiple points of view. Each POV provided a drastically different take on the tasks at hand, making it an interesting read with a lot of group dynamics and existentialism told in a mind-bending sci-fi thriller. By the end of the story, it was a much more emotional and philosophical read than I initially expecting but was pleasantly surprised by. I would recommend this book if you enjoy things like social psychology and existentialism and think it’d be interesting to think about those things through the lens of a sci-fi escape room story packed with video games, movies, and aliens.

When thirteen strangers are teleported to a mysterious tower, they must work together in order to navigate deadly traps and puzzles.
The Way Up is Death by Dan Hanks delivers a propulsive, genre-bending thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.
I’ve got to say, this is a multi-facetted read.
On one hand, it’s an entertaining book that pokes fun at influencers and modern culture.
On the other hand, there’s a definite horror undercurrent as well. I absolutely loved the unsettling, every-changing architecture of the tower that seemed to respond to the characters, forcing them to face their inner demons. In a way, this reminded a bit of Silent Hill or the movie Escape Room (2019)—where the environment is a reflection and manifestation of its visitor’s mind, which allows for a deeper psychological look into its characters.
Overall, I feel like if you’re a fan of video games, complicated group dynamics, and cosmic horror with heart, you’ll have a good time with this one.
Thank you, NetGalley and Angry Robot Books, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

7.5 / 10 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2025/01/14/the-way-up-is-death-by-dan-hanks-review/
I’ve seen this time and again billed as a mashup of Squid Game and the workings of Matt Haig—but seeing as how I’m not familiar with either of those… The Way Up is Death is a totally new and original theme, except it’s not, because I know I’ve read a book like this before. Anyway, skipping over how original it may or may not be, it’s a fairly quick, dark read with a whole lot of elements that you can lose yourself in over and over again.
Although, to be fair, once is probably enough.
The characters are interesting and distinctive, though I didn’t find any of them terribly deep, while a few were just straight-up cannon fodder. The plot is straightforward but not, and impresses to the point where you remember that this whole thing has been done a hundred times over. Still, it’s entertaining, and took me very little time to get into and ultimately get through. A race to the top, the contestants know that they have to find their way UP the tower, in the same ingrained way that they know that to ascend will almost certainly mean their deaths. Although, to remain is pretty much a guaranteed death, so there’s little enough to criticize here.
Honestly, so long as you don’t read too much into it, there’s a lot there to enjoy. It’s dark, a thrill-ride, and somewhat plot-light. More than enough to please you, should you enjoy any of the above. A great one time adventure—though I’m not convinced it’d be a great one to reread. Still, a $10 ebook price isn’t terribly high (nowadays), so either splurge on it, or wait for a sale. Either way, I doubt you'll be overly disappointed.

Some locked room horror vibes coming from this fantastical tale about thirteen random strangers transported to an alien tower in the sky where death waits around every corner.
I loved the fact that the reader was attempting to understand the purpose of the tower at the same time as its victims. The early reveals that the floors of the tower were based on movies or computer games were excellently done, leaving you unsure if it was a twisted Saw-type game, or something else. I was waiting to find a link between the characters that never appeared, and it was slightly more horrifying when the realisation came that the choice of contestants was purely chance - a snapshot of humanity forced to compete.
The Way Up Is Death is full of suspense - we were on tenterhooks along with the characters waiting for the next monstrous creature or grisly death.
No doubt at all that this would make a fantastic movie - part Arrival, part Saw - and it was a great read. I was gripped within the first few pages. I would have liked a smidge more time with our POV characters in the final levels - a little bit more time to sit with their revelations and understanding as I expected a bit more of a heart-wrench. The format was a smidge repetitive as the characters had to traverse each floor, always heading up the tower. but each level was individual and I'd love to see some artwork around the different floors of the tower. Hanks did a wonderful job of making each floor unique, but holding that same level of dread and a dogging menace.
I loved the ending, the fact that we were left with so many questions, just as the players had been. It was left to the reader to find their own acceptance/understanding. If you're looking for a clear and concise conclusion, this is not the book for you - we're instead left wondering about our place in the universe, our roles in society and how we'd react when presented with similar choices.

Dungeon Crawler Carl meets The Contest meets The Sphere in this deliciously plotted atmospheric horror novel that is unputdownable while adhering to group dynamic tropes - interesting choice in the ruminative nature of the book ending

Okay The Way Up Is Death was great and I am going to tell you why: It's obviously dark, as the title and synopsis implies. But. It isn't just dark. It is funny and quirky and even hopeful. And it brings so much to the table in terms of character development and excitement! The world-building itself is fabulous- often it is hard for me to imagine what a fantastical place looks like, but not so here- the author uses just the right of detail for me to imagine it, but not too much to be overkill. The plot, of course, is exciting- what the heck is this thing, and why do these particular people happen to be trapped here?
Which brings us to the characters! Oh, they were a motley bunch indeed, which made for such fun dynamics and interaction. It also provided a ton of thought provoking reflection- what would you do, how would you react, if locked in hell with some of these folks? Some of the characters we get closer to than others, and I really enjoyed each of their stories. I also really found the ending to be fitting, too, and certainly enough to answer your questions. I may have wanted a wee bit more background knowledge, but I think that is just me being picky, honestly. And because I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to know all the things!
Bottom Line: Very exciting and high stakes, but also delivered on the characters and relationships, too!

The Way Up is Death starts when a mysterious tower appears in the sky over an English town. It hangs there doing nothing until the word ASCEND appears over a doorway and 13 people are transported up. What follows is a harrowing trek to the top of the tower.
A lot can be said about this book. It’s an interesting look at the human condition. What people will do in a moment of survival.
But let’s take a look at some other aspects, first.
It is an escape room on acid. A psychological stress test writ large.
The characters moved from one extreme to the next with little to no rest in between them. These tests brought out the best in some and the worst in others.
The tests themselves are creative and extreme.
At the end, there is also a nice callback to a previous Hanks novel.
If you’ve never read Dan Hanks before, you should do yourself a favor and look up his other two. You will not be disappointed.

This is 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
A mysterious tower appears above the English countryside. 13 people are plucked at random and materialise in front of this tower. The only way to escape is to make it to the top by ascending through the various, sometimes horrifying, levels.
I enjoyed the fairly simple conceit and to start with it was like reading a lit RPG which was kind of fun. I did feel that a lot of the characters lacked depth and some of their motivations were fairly simplistic, but I was rooting for them to succeed at the same time. It also seemed like not everything that happened made sense within the world that the book creates.
I think for anyone who loves fast-paced action with fantastical elements thrown in this would be perfect for them.

When an impossible tower materialises in the sky above the UK, it quickly becomes a meme and is then pretty much ignored. Until a countdown begins and a single word, an instruction, appears.
“ASCEND.”
The tower, which cast a shadow over the town of Hope (read into that what you will), vanishes our 13 chosen ones from their everyday lives. Teleported to the base of the tower, their mission is clear. What’s not clear is the why, the who, the how or the what the fuck is going on.
I was anticipating the bloodshed. It is called The Way Up is Death, after all. This is escape room fun with a blend of pop culture and existentialism in a post pandemic world. There’s commentary; government, influencers, famous children’s book authors and AI are all up for grabs.
I’m pretty sure if I were one of the 13, I’d be thinking that if the way up is death, then maybe not ascending equals life. The tower has other ideas, though. Free will is not a constant companion up here.
I wasn’t expecting the bloodshed to be wrapped in a Matt Haig shaped hug. Early reviews warned me of the Matt Haig vibe and my initial thoughts were, ‘Surely not. This is going to be the horror/sci fi blend of my dreams.’
It was some of that but the readers before me were also right and I don’t know what to do with that disconnect, except to try to scrub it from my mind with the bloody entrails of those of the 13 who didn’t make it to the sentimental moments.
Like the tower giving the 13 clues to follow in order to ‘ascend’, I took the author’s descriptions of the characters at the beginning of the book as my own clues. A few characters were described in more detail than the others. They were the ones I paid the most attention to.
There’s Alden, a school teacher by day and musician by night, who’s weighed down by anxiety and grief. Nia is a talented designer that’s constantly spoken over and taken advantage of by her colleagues. Then there’s Dirk. Dirk’s a caricature who loves himself as intensely as you’re supposed to hate him.
The chapter titles sometimes acted as spoilers and although I absolutely adore the concept, the characters and different levels inside the tower weren’t fleshed out enough to entirely suck me in.
Although there wasn’t anyone I connected with enough to mourn, I enjoyed the interplay between the characters. The interactions often reminded me of Survivor, with some characters willing to make sacrifices while others would do whatever it takes to reach the top with a heartbeat.
I loved the connection with nature that flowed through the book and anticipating the dangers our chosen ones would encounter next.
“Go on then, nerds. Lead the way."
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the opportunity to read this book.

A mysterious tower appears in the sky above England. Since neither the military nor any other form of investigation with drones, helicopters, cameras etc reveals anything about the tower, the British do what they do best: Carry on. Then a "countdown" appears on the outside of the tower, as well as the word 'Ascend' and thirteen people from all works of life are beamed onto the base of the tower. It's pretty obvious what is about to happen now, the thirteen have to enter the "dungeon" and work their way up.
The story has good pacing, the action is good too, yet throughout the book I was expecting a different twist on what I had read and seen before. Sadly plot and characters were rather basic, stereotypical even. To me it was a mix of "Arrival", "Saw", "Cube", "Resident Evil",...

Dan Hanks’ The Way Up Is Death delivers a gripping, unsettling adventure with unexpected emotional depth, all wrapped in a story tied to Norse mythology. The novel begins with a chilling premise: a mysterious tower appears in the skies over England, and thirteen strangers are summoned to ascend it. Above its door, a single word marks their fate: ASCEND.
Among the group are a grieving teacher, a reclusive artist, and a self-absorbed children’s author, whose clashing personalities drive much of the tension and drama. As they navigate the tower’s surreal and nightmarish levels - ranging from sinking ships to haunted houses - they’re forced to grapple not just with external threats but also with their own humanity. The stakes are high, as every misstep could cost them their lives, and the question of why they’ve been chosen looms ominously overhead.
The story masterfully weaves elements of psychological suspense, horror, and mythology, creating a unique atmosphere that grips you from the start. The tie to Norse mythology, revealed as the story unfolds, is both clever and unexpected, adding a layer of depth that enriches the narrative. While the plot maintains a fast pace, it also provides space for introspection, allowing readers to connect with the characters’ fears, flaws, and moments of courage.
One standout feature is the emotional resonance embedded in the story. Hanks doesn’t shy away from exploring grief, guilt, and redemption, and a small, throwaway detail near the end of the book lingers with a surprising sadness. It’s these quieter moments that balance the intensity of the plot and make the story truly memorable.
For fans of tense, character-driven speculative fiction with a mythological twist, The Way Up Is Death is a must-read.
For recommendations, the Norse mythology connection and the surreal trials suggest The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith, which also explores themes of redemption and the unexpected places that journeys can take us. On the screen, The Platform offers a similar feeling of ascending tension with its own thought-provoking twist on morality and survival.

I wasn't sure what I'd be getting as I opened this book. Setting aside, it's not a very original idea - I remember seeing 'Cube' years ago, which was the first time such a 'strangers waking up in a room and having to battle philosophical and psychological demons' story was told for me. Since then, it's been done a few times, from Resident Evil movies to escape rooms.
If anything, this felt like a cross between 'Cube' and 'Ready Player One'. The humour was subtle and helped enhance the horror of the scenario. The pace is fast and the main characters easy to pick up on and follow.
Unfortunately though, it felt to me as if I was seeing something that's been done a lot better elsewhere. Given the amount of 'contestants', some are given more personality than others, but they're all pretty basic, with predictable arcs; just a matter of which order they'd die in. The 'baddies' are virtual caricatures, and it soon became frustrating that the frank descriptions of 'dickish behaviour' (quote) covered a pretty two-dimensional Imminent Victim.
It's not a bad book, with action and pace aplenty, and I'm sure many readers will enjoy it. To me, it was like a Blumhouse movie: basic plot, basic characters... I found myself not really enjoying it, sadly. I'd hoped for more.

After a mysterious floating tower appears in the skies over England, thirteen random strangers are plucked from their lives and chosen to fulfill the tower's command: "Ascend." They quickly determine that wherever the seemingly sentient tower came from, it wants them to climb the tower, and will test them along the way.
This book had a really interesting premise that was let down a bit by the execution. I saw several other reviews compare this to Squid Games, which feels accurate--the characters have to work their way up through various (and deadly) "levels" in the tower, which resemble everything from a video game to a bad '70s sci fi movie. The novel is told from three POVs and although those three, and a few other, characters are fleshed out, all the others are a bit flat. Which, to be fair, there are 13 at the start, which is a lot to keep track of. The levels themselves were really interesting as were the realistically depicted dynamics in the group, although the book started to get a little repetitive after the first few and the ending fell a bit flat for me. Nonetheless, it was compelling enough to keep me reading to find out what happened.
Note there is a lot of fairly descriptive gore/violence throughout.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was one of my most anticipated books of 2025, and I was so excited to receive an e-ARC—what a thrill! While it didn’t quite hit the mark for me, I can absolutely see how it could be a favorite for others.
The story is fast-paced and action-packed, diving into the chaos early (around 15%), which means readers looking for thrills won’t have to wait long for the excitement to begin. The concept is undeniably intriguing: 13 people scaling a mystical tower filled with deadly traps—it’s a unique and compelling setup that promises plenty of tension and drama.
That said, I personally prefer stories with slower pacing, heavy atmosphere, and a focus on character development, so this wasn’t quite aligned with my tastes. The characters felt a bit too stereotypical for me, and I found myself rooting for the tower more than the protagonists. But hey, not every story needs to be a character-driven journey, and action lovers will likely find a lot to enjoy here.
Also, a heads-up: there’s more gore than I expected from the synopsis. I didn’t mind it, but readers sensitive to that should be aware.
If you love fast-moving, action-focused stories with high stakes and don’t mind a lighter focus on character depth, this might just be the perfect read for you! While it wasn’t my cup of tea, I’m sure it will find its audience.

Thank you to Angry Robot, NetGalley, and Dan Hanks for giving me an eARC of The Way Up is Death in exchange for my honest review.
This book was not what I was expecting. For some reason I was expecting a mix between science-fiction and fantasy, however, this book very much falls into the horror category. Now this is an important distinction because it is rare that I truly enjoy a horror book. In general, I thought this book was okay. Again, horror is not my genre so this book was outside of my comfort zone. I think the concept is super cool and I did in fact finish the book (which I do not always do when it comes to horror). However, I am not sure this would have been something I would have picked up if I knew it was horror. So yay for getting me out of my comfort zone. On an enjoyment level it is hard for me to really describe how I feel because again I finished it, however, this is not my normal genre.
Here is what I can say and the horror lovers can use this to help them decide if they want to read it. The concept of this book is really unique in my opinion. One day a tower just appears and then a few weeks later, 13 strangers are dragged to the tower and forced to ascend. For there it is a fight for their lives to reach the top, however, the true purpose behind it is not really known. What I liked was that while this was a first contact type story, it is not one that you usually see, where there is very little contact. The plot is fast paced and the characters are really just there as a means to an end. I am not sure how much character development is possible in a story like this if I am being honest, but as someone who normally loves character development I was not mad about it. I liked how even in this survival-esc story, there were still some powerful underlying themes that address humanity as a whole, and tackle some of the bigger issues that as a society we are faced with today. I truly believe that this is a book that horror lovers will enjoy. I am glad I picked it up, even if it was not what I thought I was getting into when I first started the book.

What would you be willing to do for the sake of humanity? That’s the question posed to Alden, a burnt-out teacher in England when he and 12 others are mysteriously pulled out of their everyday lives and transported to the entrance of a tower. Unfortunately for them all, the tower appeared in the clouds, so simply walking away just won’t do the trick.
The group of people chosen to ascend ranges from a seemingly normal father and daughter, to a middle-aged social media star, and everywhere in between. They all bring their own baggage on the way up, and the Tower is determined to see them shed it once they enter. The only message given once they’re at the entrance is “Ascend”, and traveling upwards is quickly realized as their only option.
As the group travels up and up the Tower, each floor (or level) takes the form of one of their deepest fears. Each one of them becomes more surreal and horrifying than the last, and the group has to work together, even while certain individuals are more focused on winning the “game” they believe they’re taking part in, or die. The trials and tribulations that they face on each level can either make or break them, and to be honest I’d have probably died on level 2. Dan does an incredible job at not just showing the issues at a surface level, but has so many intricacies in each underlying aspect of the challenge that it takes more than 1 person alone is capable of. It quickly becomes a work together, or die alone type of story but it’s really much more than that. And as the book reaches its climax, that first question comes roaring back into the forefront.
I think the biggest positive for the book was the characters themselves. Especially two of the main POVs, the aforementioned Alden and Nia, who’s a conceptual artist who has also helped work on video games, which really comes in handy. The main comparison I have to this book is prime Stephen King; on the surface it seems like a bloody labyrinth, full of horrors and death but it really hits home harder in other areas that Alden and Nia are keen to let us view. Existential grief, sexism, inner turmoil and the pain of suffering are all themes that linger beneath the upper layer of horror, and those stuck with me long after reading.
Another aspect of the novel that was incredibly well done was the descriptions of each of the challenges on the levels the group had to face. At face value, it seemed easy to go “oh, well let’s just do this and move on” when in actuality, the answer (and survival) was much deeper. I think that is a perfect analogy for life; where so many things can come up that challenge us, the nuances of each situation can appear differently to every individual person. What I see as the biggest obstacle would probably be different from what 5 other people see, and so on. The ways that Dan goes about putting this theory into words and acting on that idea is so incredible in its thoughtfulness, and it makes each paragraph, not just page, interesting to see how it gets resolved.
Overall, this is a great book. The only downside I have is that one of the characters, Dirk (the social-media star) is so brazen in being an asshole it comes off cartoonish. We all know (for the most part) how obnoxious social media can be in the world and he was a flawless portrayal of that, which can get a bit tiresome but otherwise I have no complaints and only praise. One of the most thought-provoking books I’ve read in years, and I cannot recommend it enough!

The Way Up is Death is such a great mixed bag! Id describe it as a sci-fi thriller with heart.
The story starts by giving us a brief introduction to our main characters and their lives in the moments before they were ascended.
Our FMC Nia was definitely a favourite of mine. The author has done a wonderful job in capturing what life is like for a large majority of women. Nia has to work twice as hard to get recognition/to be heard by men. Her character development is amazing, you see her really take ownership of who she is and what her strengths are as the story progresses.
Another character that I think was written to perfection was one of our MMC's Dirk. But for the total opposite reasons of Nia. Although he does have some of my favourite lines/quotes from the story his character is truly awful. You love to hate him.
“We come in peace,” Earl said. “Fucking Christ,”Dirk muttered. “What B-list piece-of-shit movie is this?”
If you take this story at face value, it's 13 strangers fighting to survive against an unknown entity. But if you look deeper, it's so much more than that. The challenges these characters face are those same challenges we all face in our everyday lives. The author tackles some pretty heavy themes with humour and also such care.
"Maybe it was just about being born into this blip of a life and simply allowing yourself to experience the wonder of it all, while doing your best with what you had. If that was the meaning of life, he felt it a good one."
There is so much more I want to say but I really don't want to spoil anything. I absolutely loved this, I can't wait to check out more of the author's work.

I really like the concept of this book but I had a hard time with the horror/saw aspect of this. 4 stars for the plot, and the writing, but it was a little too dark for me.

Wow, I couldn't put this one down!!
They weren't kidding when they said Squid Games meets Matt Haig. It's a horror-filled game of survival with a lot of human connection and self-realization. The end was so emotional I really wasn't prepared for it!
The Way Up is Death takes a group of 13 random people who have been deposited into a tower that has randomly appeared in the sky over Manchester. They are given no rules and no way out of the sentient tower. I thought this was such a new and interesting plot and ended up finishing this in 24 hours (and that's with a 4 month old and a toddler lol).
Dan Hanks absolutely nailed this - such a fun horror/sci-fi read!

13 strangers show up at the mysterious tower that appeared over UK one day. They have nothing in common but one: ASCEND the tower.
I have been searching for an escape room esque horror and I got that and more in The Way Up is Death. This book is like if Saw and [book:The Midnight Library|52578297] had a baby and gave it to aliens (in the best way). It started out as a fun and gory romp, then hit you with the meaning of life. The characters felt real (frustratingly so), the levels were bonkers, and every once in a while we get a nugget of wisdom about living a good life from one of the characters. This is the most fun I had reading a horror/sci fi in a long time!
I think this would be fantastic to adapt into a movie/mini series!!