Katabasis
- 560
- Pages
- about 10 h
- Reading time
- NYT bestseller · 4 weeks on the list, peaked at #1
Affiliate link: buying through it supports BookRank at no extra cost to you.
Our view
“Katabasis” is a novel about academia dressed as a descent into hell, and its premise is both the joke and the argument. Two doctoral candidates in magic go below to rescue their advisor because they need letters of recommendation. It is steeped in philosophy, yet some readers find it more approachable than its reading list suggests. It speaks most to anyone who has spent time around a university.
The view of the BookRank editors, written from readers’ ratings and comments. It does not affect the score or the book’s place in a ranking.
About the book
Katabasis is a 2025 fantasy novel by American writer R. F. Kuang. It was released on August 26, 2025. The novel follows two magicians, doctoral candidates, who must venture into hell to save their thesis advisor in order to receive letters of recommendation.
Where the score comes from
The sources average 7.2 across 654 ratings. With that many, the reader vote carries 82% of the weight and the score stays at 7.3 — the Fantasy average of 8.0 barely moves it.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 8.0 | 5 | 1% |
| Hardcover | 7.2 | 649 | 99% |
Frequently asked
How long is Katabasis?
It has 560 pages — longer than 55% of the ranked books in Fantasy.
In this book
Themes this book shares with others — each leads to the best books on it.
If you liked this
Same shelf — Fantasy — with scores between 7.3 and 7.4, closest to this book.
