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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

One of the BBC's 25 best books of 2025

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

©2026 R.F. Kuang (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers Action & Adventure Dark Fantasy Editors Select Epic Fantasy 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

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

'A novel to savour … I envy those who get to read it for the first time' Rebecca Ross

'A witty, gory, harrowing ride' Leigh Bardugo

'A formidable, timeless work, destined to be a modern classic' Olivie Blake

‘A sprawling, erudite tale of magic … teeming with intelligence, ideas and humour’ Marie Claire

'The unrolling of a daring concept' Daily Mail

'An arresting and deeply affecting novel' SFX

' A rich novel of romance, history and magic’ iPaper

'An immersive, worldbuilding adventure … I devoured it' Red

'Profound … Linger[s] on the mind' New Statesmen

'Bitingly funny dark academia' Arts Hub

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.

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 book was saved by the redemption arc & love story. But it couldn't get around the defanging of hell & the massive exposition. It tried to be clever but it doesn't ground it in the narrative. Go and read The Thought Gang of you want decent philosophy in a novel.

The Redemption Arc

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The narrator’s attempts at different voices completely spoilt it. Could not even understand Gertrude. Frustrating.

Poor Narration

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It was an emotional journey, joining Alice and Peter on their quest that at times seemed impossibly lofty, but at others intimate and tender. RF Kuang is a genius

Underrated

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This book was beautifully written and I did really enjoy it but Alice was frustrating and to begin with,  I didn’t like her, then her revelation broke me a little, then her reason for giving up half her life made me cackle, but it wasn’t enough, which made her so complex.
We have all met a professor grimes and sometimes it takes a lot to understand the mediocrity of bully’s. 
Peter, elspeth and Archemedes were more endearing. 

A solid book

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An amazing novel. The descriptions of the various levels of hell and their interactions are intriguing. My only criticism would be the long winded expression of Alice's thought processes

The overview of Hell

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