Katabasis
by R. F. Kuang · first published 2025
3mentions
2recommended by
3HN commenters
2025–2026first – last mentioned
67% recommend33% neutral
Catabase, nom féminin, du grec ancien katábasis : descente du héros aux Enfers. Alice Law a tout donné pour réussir : son énergie, son temps et sa santé mentale. Doctorante en magie analytique à Cambridge, son unique objectif est d'être titularisée et légitimer ainsi son talent de magicienne. Seul obstacle dans son parcours, son directeur de thèse, l'éminent Jacob Grimes, meurt dans un accident aux circonstances douteuses. De ce postulat découle une solution logique : Alice doit descendre en Enfer retrouver celui dont son destin dépend. Mais elle n'est pas seule à entreprendre ce voyage. S
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For fiction I read a lot of Brandon Sanderson: the second Mistborn series, plus a few of the Secret Projects. I quite liked Tress of the Emerald Sea. Also currently reading R. F. Kuang's Katabasis which I'm really enjoying so far. For nonfiction, I found Amanda Ripley's High Conflict to be excellent and insightful. I also finally got around to reading The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins; I expected…
on “Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?” ↗R. F. Kuang’s Katabasis was a fun look at the hell that is graduate school told through a fantasy lens. That paired with the McSweeney’s snake fight article should be essential reading for all would-be grad students.
on “MIT: 20% drop in incoming graduate students” ↗Currently reading Katabasis by RF Kuang - magicians from Oxford go to hell on purpose And, meatier The language of the night, essays by Ursula Le Guin
on “Ask HN: What are you reading?” ↗