Description

THE #2 SUNDAY TIMES AND #1 NYT BESTSELLER

‘One for Philip Pullman fans’

THE TIMES

‘This one is an automatic buy’

GLAMOUR

‘Ambitious, sweeping and epic’

EVENING STANDARD

‘Razor-sharp’

DAILY MAIL

‘An ingenious fantasy about empire’

GUARDIAN

Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.

Oxford, 1836.

The city of dreaming spires.

It is the centre of all knowledge and progress in the world.

And at its centre is Babel, the Royal Institute of Translation. The tower from which all the power of the Empire flows.

Orphaned in Canton and brought to England by a mysterious guardian, Babel seemed like paradise to Robin Swift.

Until it became a prison…

But can a student stand against an empire?

An incendiary new novel from award-winning author R.F. Kuang about the power of language, the violence of colonialism, and the sacrifices of resistance.

‘A masterpiece that resonates with power and knowledge. BABEL is a stark picture of the cruelty of empire, a distillation of dark academia, and a riveting blend of fantasy and historical fiction – a monumental achievement’

Samantha Shannon, author of THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE

R.F. Kuang’s book ‘Babel’ was a New York Times bestseller w/c 11-09-2022.

Publisher Review

PRAISE FOR THE POPPY WAR:

‘An outstanding debut’
DAILY MAIL

‘A book that will go down as one of the best grimdark/military fantasy debuts of all time’
BOOKNEST

‘A masterpiece by grimdark’s newest and perhaps darkest daughter’
FANTASY BOOK REVIEW

‘A wholly unique experience’
THE WASHINGTON POST

‘R.F. Kuang’s fresh approach to magic and hard-hitting story is a punch to the gut fantasy has needed for a long time. I can’t wait for THE DRAGON REPUBLIC’
Peter V. Brett, bestselling author of The Demon Cycle

‘Enthralling from start to finish … I thought myself prepared. I was now. R.F. Kuang’s debut is a masterful must-read, and I’ve no doubt the best is yet to come’
Nicholas Eames, author of KINGS OF THE WYLD

‘A blistering, powerful epic of war and revenge that will captivate you to the bitter end’
Kameron Hurley, author of THE LIGHT BRIDAGE

‘Fresh, assured, character-driven fantasy that’s choc full of magic, war, and betrayal. I loved it from start to finish’
Peter Newman, author of THE VAGRANT

‘A powerful, emotional journey, compellingly written’
Adrian Tchaikovsky, award-winning author of THE CHILDREN OF TIME

‘An original and engrossing tale of the coming of age of a talented young soldier amid the horrors of invasion and genocide’
Anna Stephens, author of GODBLIND

‘I so enjoyed The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang … It is all about survival, and how a person’s will and determination can change the course of their life. I loved the central character, felt her pain and her far-too-brief moments of joy, and just loved how Kuang breathes fresh life into the warrior training school … Highly recommended’
John Gwynne, author of MALICE