Based on a request from a comment deep in another thread I have a quick review of the novel Katabasis by R.F Kuang
The novel in brief (without any spoilers) is about two magicians, doctoral candidates, who must venture into hell to save their thesis advisor in order to receive letters of recommendation. Its a deep look into academia and our concepts of hell and the underworld.
Overall I would recommend the book especially if you enjoy fantasy, or deep world building. Like other R.F Kuang novels is it well researched, full of real world references and root in her own experiences. In this book the experiences is academia especially the cut throat elite university of a PhD program. The book is about a journey to hell deep with references toward underworld deities and stories from around the world that add a depth and complexity to a hero’s journey. The trip to the underworld is a method to both explore the deep world building including an unique magic system as well as the protagonist personal journey of discovery. The novel is about two similar characters who are both magician going through a personal journey to rescue their advisor for their own personal reasons. Overall, its fascinating, well researched and definitely unique. Overall I would recommend it, especially if you enjoy Babel.
Like some of her other novels it can get long but in this case the multiple layers of hell do provide a direction as well a structure about its length. Like most of her other novels there are multiple themes and ideas that are explored which can seem meandering but I quite enjoyed all the ideas.
I recently finished this and have to agree with your review. Long, but good for the detailed world fantasy folks.
I have a sister in academia who has gone through some rough patches and burnout. I think she would get a giggle out of the comparisons from academia to the circles of hell.
I figured any women in academia would really love this book. Part of the reason is so good because it’s feels so real. Even if you aren’t in academia the asshole boss who is abusive, powerful and somehow you want to impress is something most people can identify with.
For sure. And my sister just told me she already read it and also agrees 😂. Of course she would have found it quicker than me…
Well that makes sense. Good guessing by both of us then
I do think shortening things up a bit would have really benefited it. We had a group discussion of this and some folks were a bit surprised that it didn’t get into the beaurocracy that tends to be a part of the Chinese underworld. I’m not up to speed on Chinese lore, so can’t say much myself.
I enjoyed it mostly. It was not my favorite, but it was a fun twist on grad school life.
I enjoyed the circles of hell instead of a bureaucracy metaphor. I do love the idea that he’ll is filled with bureaucratic slow downs (that’s one of the reasons I love Devils in DnD) but the circles was more familiar and linear. I did enjoy the references to multi cultural underworld myths and deities. I went down a few rabbit holes to understand some of the references
