Book cover of Katabasis

Book description

Prepare for one hell of a journey...

'A big, bold fantasy romp' GUARDIAN

'R.F. Kuang is making magic' ELLE

'[A] truly original and spellbinding hero's-journey story' VOGUE

'I devoured it' RED

One of the BBC's 25 best books of 2025

Katabasis, noun, Ancient Greek.…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Katabasis as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Image of Joyce Sherry
Joyce Sherry
Author

I love fantasy. I love contemplating the afterlife. One of my favorite plays that I've directed is Eurydice by Sara Ruhl. Weave all of these together, add magical incantations, two clueless and wonderful main characters, and a thorough understanding of the mythology of hell, and you've got one extraordinary read. R.F. Kuang is an extraordinary writer with an depth of intelligence, emotion, and imagination that is unparalleled. She's a gift to us all.

From Joyce's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Image of Ellen Hampton
Ellen Hampton
Author

Building on the classics, the author takes the reader into a fabulous new direction, and makes you wonder if we've been there all along. Tremendously original, beautifully written.

From Ellen's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

If you love Katabasis...

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Cygna is the king’s fairy get, born with a swan wing in place of an arm. Something monstrous to hide away. But when a monster from the Underworld appears, they’re all too happy to sacrifice her life for theirs. The kingdom is withering into a wasteland, and the Lindworm is…

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