Recommend books Katabasis (Deluxe Limited Edition): A Novel

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Katabasis (Deluxe Limited Edition): A Novel

★★★★

8

R. F Kuang・・Ended

Updated: August 26, 2025

Content length: 560 pages

language: English

Source: amazon

8

Score

5★

8%

4★

25%

3★

33%

2★

8%

1★

25%

Synopsis

Dante’s Inferno meets Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi in this all-new dark academia fantasy from R. F. Kuang, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Babel and Yellowface, in which two graduate students must put aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul—perhaps at the cost of their own. Katabasis, noun, Ancient Greek: The story of a hero’s descent to the underworld Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality: her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world. That is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault. Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams…. Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the very same conclusion. With nothing but the tales of Orpheus and Dante to guide them, enough chalk to draw the Pentagrams necessary for their spells, and the burning desire to make all the academic trauma mean anything, they set off across Hell to save a man they don’t even like. But Hell is not like the storybooks say, Magick isn’t always the answer, and there’s something in Alice and Peter’s past that could forge them into the perfect allies…or lead to their doom.

Nanpin (male-oriented) novels adventure action Fantasy Ended

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📚 Why We Recommend It

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang is a dark academia fantasy that reimagines the underworld through the lens of academia. Set in 1980s Cambridge, the story follows Alice Law and Peter Murdoch, two graduate students and rivals, who must journey into Hell to rescue their deceased professor's soul. The novel blends elements of Dante's Inferno and Piranesi, exploring themes of ambition, identity, and the human condition within a fantastical framework.

Kuang's prose is rich and layered, offering a narrative that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant. The world-building is intricate, with each level of Hell reflecting different facets of human experience and societal structures. The characters are deeply developed, their personal struggles and growth adding depth to the overarching plot.

For readers who appreciate thought-provoking narratives that challenge perceptions and delve into complex themes, Katabasis offers a compelling journey into the depths of both the underworld and the human psyche.