Texas Book Festival and BookPeople Present R.F. Kuang at First Baptist Church of Austin – Austin, TX

Texas Book Festival and BookPeople welcome R.F. Kuang to celebrate the release of her new novel, Katabasis.

All guests must have a ticket to attend this event. Each ticket includes a special edition pre-signed copy of Katabasis.

• Doors open: 5:15 PM
• Start time: 6:00 PM
• Run time: 60 minute book discussion, followed by a signing line*
• Location: First Baptist Church of Austin, 901 Trinity St, Austin, TX 78701
• Moderator: Ali Hazelwood
  *Note: Ali Hazelwood will not be signing books at this event. The signing line is for R.F. Kuang only.

Following the speaking portion of the event, attendees are invited to join the signing line to have their books signed/personalized by the author. Please note, due to time constraints, the author is only able to sign/personalize one book per attendee. This can be the pre-signed Katabasis copy received at the event or a backlist title purchased on-site. Candid photos only.

Guidelines:

• Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

• If you have any other questions, please visit our Eventbrite FAQ. If your question isn’t covered in the FAQ, feel free to email us at online@bookpeople.com.
• Texas Book Festival & BookPeople reserve the right to cancel or postpone this event if necessary.
• There will not be a live stream or recording available.

About the book:

Blending elements of fantasy, philosophy, and academic satire, Kuang takes readers deep into the underworld with Cambridge graduate student Alice Law, who ventures there to rescue her deceased advisor, Professor Grimes. Set in a world where Magick seamlessly intertwines with philosophy and science, the novel explores themes of academic ambition, the burden of guilt, and the nature of discovery.

With KATABASIS, Kuang examines the hyper-competitive world of academia, blending philosophical debates about sin and redemption with the manipulation of reality through magic. Her imaginative depiction of the underworld balances moments of humor and terror, offering a unique lens through which readers can reflect on human ambition, relationships, and the pursuit of knowledge. The result is a provocative narrative sure to captivate fans of fantasy, philosophy, and dark academia.

KATABASIS is a richly layered and intellectually stimulating novel poised to be one of the year’s most talked-about releases.

About the author:

R.F. Kuang has established herself as one of contemporary literature’s most compelling voices. A New York Times bestselling author, her groundbreaking novel Babel not only reached the #1 spot on the bestseller list but was also named Blackwell’s Book of the Year for Fiction in 2022. It earned the prestigious 2022 Nebula Award for Best Novel, cementing its place as a modern literary masterpiece. Following this success, her provocative novel Yellowface delivered a sharp commentary on the publishing industry, further enhancing her reputation as a trailblazing writer.

About the moderator:

Ali Hazelwood is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically and The Love Hypothesis, as well as a writer of peer-reviewed articles about brain science, in which no one makes out and the ever after is not always happy. Originally from Italy, she lived in Germany and Japan before moving to the US to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. When Ali is not at work, she can be found crocheting, eating cake pops, or watching sci-fi movies with her three feline overlords (and her slightly-less-feline husband).

Purchasing a ticket to this event helps support both Texas Book Festival and BookPeople, the largest independent bookstore in Texas.

Thank you for your support!