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Katabasis

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Katabasis

By: R.F. Kuang
Narrated by: Morag Sims, Will Watt
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About this listen

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

Katabasis, noun, Ancient Greek. The story of a hero's descent to the underworld.

Grad student Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become the brightest mind in the field of analytic magick.

But the only person who can make her dream come true is dead and – inconveniently – in Hell. And Alice, along with her biggest rival Peter Murdoch, is going after him.

But Hell is not as the philosophers claim, its rules are upside-down, and if she’s going to get out of there alive, she and Peter will have to work together.

That’s if they can agree on anything.

Will they triumph, or kill each other trying?

2025’s most unexpected love story is going to be hell in the new No.1 Sunday Times bestselling novel by R.F. Kuang.

'Literary super-stardom doesn't seem too far out of her reach' THE HERALD

‘Mind-bending fantasy’ GRAZIA

©2025 R. F. Kuang (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers Asian & Pacific Islander Creators Dark Fantasy Editors Select Fantasy Gothic Historical Horror Witty

Editorial Review

A descent I longed to stay in
R.F. Kuang has been an auto-download for me ever since The Poppy War trilogy broke my little soul, so I knew Katabasis would hit hard. But I didn’t expect it to stay with me like this. A dark, cerebral descent into the underworld, the story is layered with mythology, philosophy, and academic tension so sharp it hurts in the best way. Alice Law accidentally kills her mentor in a magical mishap and will do anything to bring him back, including venturing into literal Hell. Unfortunately for her, Peter Murdoch—her academic rival and former crush—is on the same path. What follows is a spellbinding blend of dark academia, mythic horror, and enemies-to-lovers romance in which every level of suffering mirrors the sins they are trying to outrun. Narrators Morag Sims and Will Watt deliver powerful performances that amplify the stakes and intimacy. Intense, brilliant, and emotionally consuming, Katabasis has easily become one of my favorite listens of the year.—Patty R., Audible Editor

Critic Reviews

'Rich with allusion and illusion, Kuang crafts a witty, gory, harrowing ride that thoroughly roasts the perils and power structures of academia, while never losing sight of what it means to have a fragile, human heart' Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author

'A spellbinding and poignant story that had me riveted to the pages, R.F. Kuang’s KATABASIS is more than a novel to savor. This book is an experience. I envy those who get to read it for the first time' Rebecca Ross, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals

'This is a book of ideas, and as such, Kuang’s creativity shines, her vehicle for story a prose that’s smooth as butter. Katabasis is a formidable, timeless work, destined to be a modern classic' Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six

'This journey to the underworld is delivered with heretical glee' Guardian

‘Kuang’s latest is a sprawling, erudite tale of magic set in Dante’s Inferno-esque underworld, teeming with intelligence, ideas and humour’ Marie Claire

‘Mind-bending fantasy’ Grazia

‘It’s Dante’s Inferno meets The Secret History and it’s at the top of our read-next pile’ Elle

'The unrolling of a daring concept' Daily Mail

'An arresting and deeply affecting novel' SFX

'A rich novel of romance, history and magic’ i Paper

Katabasis is a Radio 2 Book Club Summer Selection, Elle's Book of the Month, and included in the Guardian's round-up of most anticipated 2025 fiction.

Praise for Babel:

‘Absolutely phenomenal’ Shannon Chakraborty, bestselling author of THE EMPIRE OF GOLD

‘A monumental achievement’ Samantha Shannon, bestselling author of THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE

‘A masterpiece’ Rebecca Roanhorse, bestselling author of BLACK SUN

BABEL WAS A BRITISH BOOK OF THE YEAR, BLACKWELL’S BOOK OF THE YEAR, A WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR FINALIST AND THE DAILY MAIL BEST BOOK OF 2022

All stars
Most relevant
The story is way too drawn out, it turns into a real slog. far too much "woe is me" from the main character

interesting premise, but

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This is an exploration of uni student love, not a book on a journey through hell. It is structured to split the story into the flashback awkwardness of 2 unlikable characters whilst they traverse a very tame hellscape. it's a nice character exploration in a unique set and setting, this is no walk through hell. the walk through hell is listening to spectrum students misidentifying their feelings for each other.

this is young adult fiction

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