Katabasis

Prepare for one hell of a journey. Katabasis is a bold fantasy that follows a hero’s descent to the underworld. Grad student Alice Law aims to become the brightest mind in analytic magick, but the man who can advance her dream lies dead in Hell. With her fiercest rival, Peter Murdoch, she pursues him into a realm where the rules are reversed. To escape alive, they may need to set aside their rivalry and cooperate—if they can agree on anything. This novel promises a dark, spellbinding voyage full of danger, wit, and unexpected alliances, framed as a timely, spellbinding love story.

Rebecca F. Kuang’s Katabasis ( published 26/08/2025 by HarperCollins UK ) blends high-stakes fantasy with a modern romantic twist. It has been described as a “big, bold fantasy romp” and a “mind-bending fantasy,” with critics noting its fresh take on a timeless myth and its gripping hero’s journey. The narrative invites readers to question what rules govern power, knowledge, and desire, all while following a witty, gorey, harrowing ride through a world where hell is not what philosophers described.

• Katabasis is a descent to the underworld
• Protagonists: Alice Law and Peter Murdoch
• Analytic magick as central theme
• Hell with upside-down rules
• Dark, witty, harrowing fantasy with romance
• 2025 publication by HarperCollins UK, author: Rebecca F. Kuang