Babel, or, The Necessity of Violence

R.F. Kuang Press Reviews

'Absolutely phenomenal. One of the most brilliant, razor-sharp books I've had the pleasure of reading that isn't just an alternative fantastical history, but an interrogative one; one that grabs colonial history and the Industrial Revolution, turns it over, and shakes it out'

Shannon Chakraborty, bestselling author of THE EMPIRE OF GOLD

'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, bestselling author of THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE

'A masterpiece. Through a meticulously researched and a wholly impressive deep dive into linguistics and the politics of language and translation, Kuang weaves a story that is part love-hate letter to academia, part scathing indictment of the colonial enterprise, and all fiery revolution'

Rebecca Roanhorse, NYT bestselling author of BLACK SUN

'Kuang has outdone herself. BABEL is brilliant, vicious, sensitive, epic, and intimate; it's both a love letter and a declaration of war. It's a perfect book'

Alix E. Harrow, bestselling author of A THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY

'A book that confirms Kuang as a major talent'

SFX

'A brilliant and often harrowing exploration of violence, etymology, colonialism, and the intersections that run between them. BABEL is as profound as it is moving'

Alexis Henderson, author of THE YEAR OF THE WITCHING

'BABEL is a masterpiece. A stunningly brilliant exploration of identity, belonging, the cost of empire and revolution - and the true power of language. Kuang has written the book the world has been waiting for'

Peng Shepherd, bestselling author of The Cartographers