Thomas Senlin is a bookish headmaster from a fishing village who has always wanted to see the Tower of Babel for himself. The Tower is as immense as a mountain and as diverse as a nation. Lured by the grand promises of a guidebook, Senlin takes his new bride, Marya, on the honeymoon of their dreams. But no sooner do they arrive at the Tower than Senlin loses Marya in the teeming throng. Senlin's search for his wife carries him through madhouses, ballrooms, and burlesque theaters. He must survive betrayal, assassination, and the long guns of a flying fortress. But if he hopes to find his wife, he will have to do more than just survive. This quiet man of letters must become a man of action.