Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

Prepare for one hell of a journey with Katabasis, the instant No.1 SUNDAY TIMES best-seller from R.F. Kuang, author of Yellowface and Babel. This novel plunges into the ancient Greek concept of Katabasis—the story of a hero's descent to the underworld. Follow grad student Alice Law as she pursues her goal of becoming the brightest mind in analytic magick, a goal that requires retrieving someone from Hell. She must team up with her rival, Peter Murdoch, in a realm where the rules are upside-down, forcing them to cooperate to survive.

• The No.1 Sunday Times bestselling novel from R.F. Kuang.
• Features grad student Alice Law and her rival Peter Murdoch on a descent into Hell.
• Explores themes of cooperation and survival in a world with inverted rules.
• Described as a truly original and spellbinding hero's-journey story.
• One of the BBC's 25 best books of 2025.

• Author: R.F. Kuang
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Language: English
• Print Length: 576 pages
• Publication Date: 21 May 2026
• ISBN-13: 978-0008501907
• Dimensions: 129 x 40 x 198mm
• Weight: 270g

Dive into this mind-bending fantasy that critics have hailed as a big, bold fantasy romp. Will Alice and Peter triumph in their quest, or will they kill each other trying? Discover the story critics are calling 2025’s most unexpected love story.