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.