The Only Way Out is Up
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The Only Way Out is Up
A small-time scrapper and his pet robot will fight their way out of the junk-heap in a tournament that will either make them richer than gods or rip them apart in the first book of Django Wexler's brand-new tower-climbing, robot-fighting progression fantasy for fans of Cradle and Dungeon Crawler Carl
A small-time scrapper and his pet robot will fight their way out of the junk heap in a tournament that will either make them richer than gods or rip them apart, in the first book of Django Wexler's lightning-paced progression fantasy adventure for fans of Dungeon Crawler Carl.
Taj lives in a junkheap, scavenging scrap to keep his family fed and dodging the monsters who live among the wreckage. His only edge is a smart-ass construct named Star he built himself. Taj dreams of winning big with Star in the construct fighting circuits, but victory always seems just beyond his reach and the debt collectors are at the door.
His world changes forever when someone there makes him an offer that seems too good to be true: a chance to fight in the Ascent, the ultimate fighting tournament, for a prize beyond his wildest fantasies. But things that seem too good to be true usually are, and Taj finds his new benefactor comes with plenty of new enemies. As he ventures beyond the only world he's ever known, he discovers it's not just his money on the line in the Ascent - it's his life.
When you start at the very bottom, the only way out is up . . .
Praise for Django Wexler
'A sarcastic, action-packed, intrigue-filled (mis)adventure. One of the funniest books I've read in a long time' — Matt Dinniman
'Outrageously fun, filled with humour, action and unexpected warmheartedness' — Fonda Lee
'Twisty, pacey and full of reverent irreverence for fantasy. I can't get enough' — Max Gladstone
Also by Django Wexler
How to Become the Dark Lord or Die Trying
Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780356519012
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 29 September 2026
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Orbit
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 22.0mm
Width: 126.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 384
About the Author
Django Wexler graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh with degrees in creative writing and computer science, and worked for the university in artificial intelligence research. Eventually he migrated to Microsoft in Seattle, where he now lives with two cats and a teetering mountain of books. When not writing, he wrangles computers, paints tiny soldiers and plays games of all sorts.
Also by Django Wexler
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