Author guide
R.F. Kuang Books in Order
R.F. Kuang is an award-winning Chinese-American novelist and scholar whose work explores war, imperialism, language, race, academia, and publishing. She is the author of The Poppy War trilogy, Babel, or the Necessity of Violence, Yellowface, and Katabasis, as well as the standalone companion short-story collection The Drowning Faith.
FantasyHistorical fictionSpeculative fictionLiterary fictionDark academia
R.F. Kuang's Newest Book
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
The Poppy War
It is the first novel in the completed trilogy and the main entry point to Kuang's fantasy work.
Yellowface
It is a standalone literary thriller and can be read without prior knowledge of the author's other books.
Read in order
Books by series
novel series · complete
The Poppy War
A completed military fantasy trilogy set in the fictional nation of Nikan, inspired by twentieth-century Chinese history. The series also includes The Drowning Faith, a standalone companion collection of scenes from Nezha's perspective.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Frequently asked questions about R.F. Kuang
What is R.F. Kuang’s real name and nationality?
R.F. Kuang is the pen name of Rebecca F. Kuang, a Chinese-American novelist. She was born in Guangzhou, China, and moved to the United States with her parents in 2000.
Sources: rfkuang.com (opens in a new tab)georgetown.edu (opens in a new tab)apnews.com (opens in a new tab)
What did R.F. Kuang study?
She studied international history at Georgetown and later earned an MPhil in Chinese Studies from Cambridge and an MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies from Oxford as a Marshall Scholar. Yale lists her as pursuing a PhD in East Asian Languages and Literatures.
Sources: georgetown.edu (opens in a new tab)eall.yale.edu (opens in a new tab)
How did R.F. Kuang begin her writing career?
She wrote her debut novel during a gap year in China while working part-time as a debate coach, setting herself a goal of 2,000 words a day. Georgetown reported that HarperCollins published it in 2018 as part of a three-book deal.
What historical and cultural influences shape R.F. Kuang’s writing?
Her fiction draws on Asian history and mythology, especially modern Chinese history and the experiences of her family. Georgetown notes that her debut was based on the 1937 Nanjing Massacre and that elements of its protagonist’s story came from her father’s childhood.
What major awards has R.F. Kuang won?
She won the 2022 Nebula Award for Best Novel for Babel. Her official biography also lists Locus, Crawford, and British Book Awards among her honors.
Sources: nebulas.sfwa.org (opens in a new tab)rfkuang.com (opens in a new tab)