Nigerian-American Africanfuturist writer Nnedi Okorafor just revealed not one, but two exciting covers for her upcoming fiction novel Death of the Author. The novel will be published by HarperCollins imprint William Morrow in January 2025.
We recently revealed the title for Okorafor’s much anticipated upcoming novel. According to Publisher’s Weekly, the novel is “about a disabled Nigerian American woman who writes a science fiction novel that brings her success at a steep personal cost…a multi-threaded meta drama examining the relationship between a story and its teller, the labyrinth of African diasporic identity, family, and what makes us human.”
However, the two covers definitely give us a sneak peek into what to expect from Okorafor’s novel. The front cover reveals a silhouette of a Black woman looking off to the side with a stunning blue and orange printed background. The back cover features an alternate “Rusted Robots” design printed on top of a robot silhouette with a background of orange trees and blue dolphins.
The cover was first revealed live and in person to the BookTok community at the #ShelvesandtheCity event via puzzle. The photos from the event at the HarperCollins headquarters show a glimpse into how the cover of Death of The Author was revealed in New York as a puzzle that attendees put together.
Okorafor commented on Instagram that the edges of the pages are going to be sprayed blue to match the covers, which will be perfect for her drawings when she signs them. She added she has wanted to write this novel since she started writing long-form stories in 1994, but had to be ready and able to write it first:
DEATH OF THE AUTHOR is both a Naijamerican [Nigerian-American] family saga and a post-human robot tale…which is why it has TWO covers. It’s a braided narrative that laughs at categorization. The title was inspired by the essay “The Death of the Author” by French scholar Roland Barthes.
Okorafor said, “This novel is simultaneously what is expected of me and not what is expected of me,” giving readers a cryptic clue into what to expect. She also noted in her caption, “There is a *lot* of story in the art details.” All these hints may not make sense now but let’s revisit these clues in a few months when the book is out and read between the lines.
Only the deluxe limited-edition hardcover of Death of the Author will feature the two gorgeous cover designs. Why two covers? You’ll have to read the book to find out!
Preorder here.
Check out the stunning photos of the covers and puzzle solving party below:
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