R.F. Kuang Books
5 books on our shelf. Average spice 0.6/5, average darkness 4.4/5.
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The books
-
Babel
Robin is taken from Canton as a child and raised to study at Oxford's translation institute, where silver bars powered by mistranslation run the British Empire. Long, footnoted and furious about colonialism. The friendship at the center is the part that hurts.
- Dark Academia
- Found Family
- Morally Gray
- Revenge
Content warnings
Murder, Graphic violence, Death of a loved one, Physical or emotional abuse
-
Katabasis
Alice Law's advisor dies in a lab accident, and she wants that recommendation letter enough to go down into Hell and bring him back. Her rival Peter insists on coming. Hell turns out to be a lot like grad school. Clever, dense and very angry at academia.
- Dark Academia
- Demons
- Forced Proximity
- Slow Burn
Content warnings
Suicide or suicidal thoughts, Physical or emotional abuse, Graphic violence, Drug or alcohol abuse
-
The Poppy War
It starts as a school story about a war orphan who aces the exam into a military academy. Then the war arrives. Based on the Second Sino-Japanese War, including the Nanjing Massacre. Read the warnings, seriously.
- Academies and War Colleges
- Gods and Mythology
- Grimdark
- Revenge
Content warnings
Genocide, War, Sexual assault, Drug or alcohol abuse, Graphic violence, Torture
-
The Dragon Republic
Rin is addicted, guilty and working as a mercenary for a warlord she doesn't fully trust. More politics and naval battles than book one, and Kuang still doesn't let anyone off easy.
- Grimdark
- Morally Gray
- Gods and Mythology
Content warnings
War, Genocide, Drug or alcohol abuse, Graphic violence, Physical or emotional abuse
-
The Burning God
Rin goes home to the south and starts winning, which is somehow worse. Bleak from start to finish and the ending is one people argue about.
- Grimdark
- Morally Gray
- Gods and Mythology
Content warnings
Genocide, War, Graphic violence, Gore, Drug or alcohol abuse, Death of a loved one
