R.F Kuang | Katabasis | Release: August 26, 2025

Release: August 26, 2025

“What does it mean to descend into the abyss, and what do we bring back when we return?”—this haunting question lingers at the heart of R.F. Kuang’s highly anticipated new novel, Katabasis, set to release on August 26, 2025. Known for her incisive storytelling and unflinching exploration of power, identity, and trauma, Kuang once again invites readers into a world where the boundaries between myth and reality blur, and the cost of survival is etched into every page.

Katabasis—a term derived from ancient Greek, meaning a descent into the underworld—promises to be a fitting title for a novel that delves into the darkest corners of human experience. Kuang, the award-winning author of The Poppy War trilogy and Babel, has never shied away from difficult themes, and this new work seems poised to continue her tradition of weaving together history, mythology, and razor-sharp social commentary. Early descriptions suggest that Katabasis will explore themes of loss, redemption, and the cyclical nature of violence, all set against a richly imagined backdrop that blends the fantastical with the eerily familiar.

At its core, Katabasis appears to be a story about journeys—both literal and metaphorical. The novel follows its protagonist, a disillusioned scholar-turned-soldier, as they embark on a perilous quest into a mythical underworld to retrieve something—or someone—irreplaceable. But as with all of Kuang’s work, the surface narrative is just the beginning. Beneath the epic adventure lies a profound meditation on the cost of ambition, the weight of memory, and the possibility of healing in a world that seems determined to break its inhabitants

Kuang’s previous works have established her as a master of blending historical and fantastical elements to illuminate contemporary issues. The Poppy War trilogy reimagined the horrors of 20th-century warfare through the lens of Chinese history and mythology, while Babel interrogated the intersections of language, power, and colonialism in a Victorian-era Oxford. With Katabasis, Kuang seems to be pushing her craft even further, drawing on ancient myths of descent and return to explore timeless questions about resilience, identity, and the human capacity for both destruction and renewal.

What sets Kuang apart as a writer is her ability to balance the epic with the intimate. Her characters are flawed, complex, and achingly human, even as they navigate worlds filled with gods, monsters, and magic. In Katabasis, readers can expect to encounter a protagonist who is both hero and antihero, grappling with the consequences of their choices and the weight of their past. Kuang’s prose, as always, is likely to be both lyrical and unsparing, pulling readers into a story that is as emotionally resonant as it is intellectually stimulating.

As the release date for Katabasis approaches, anticipation is building among fans and critics alike. In the meantime, if you need some books to get you by, visit The Book Box for personalised book subscription boxes!