Death of the Author (Deluxe Limited Edition)
A Novel
by Nnedi Okorafor
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Pub Date Jan 14 2025 | Archive Date Mar 11 2025
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Description
Preorder now and receive the stunning DELUXE LIMITED EDITION while supplies last―featuring a special alternate cover design on the hardcover case, gorgeous sprayed edges, and exclusive endpapers. This breathtaking edition is only available on a limited first print run.
"Her best work yet. . . This one has it all.” — George R.R. Martin
In this exhilarating tale by New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor, a disabled Nigerian American woman pens a wildly successful Sci-Fi novel, but as her fame rises, she loses control of the narrative—a surprisingly cutting, yet heartfelt drama about art and love, identity and connection, and, ultimately, what makes us human. This is a story unlike anything you’ve read before.
The future of storytelling is here.
Disabled, disinclined to marry, and more interested in writing than a lucrative career in medicine or law, Zelu has always felt like the outcast of her large Nigerian family. Then her life is upended when, in the middle of her sister’s lavish Caribbean wedding, she’s unceremoniously fired from her university job and, to add insult to injury, her novel is rejected by yet another publisher. With her career and dreams crushed in one fell swoop, she decides to write something just for herself. What comes out is nothing like the quiet, literary novels that have so far peppered her unremarkable career. It’s a far-future epic where androids and AI wage war in the grown-over ruins of human civilization. She calls it Rusted Robots.
When Zelu finds the courage to share her strange novel, she does not realize she is about to embark on a life-altering journey—one that will catapult her into literary stardom, but also perhaps obliterate everything her book was meant to be. From Chicago to Lagos to the far reaches of space, Zelu’s novel will change the future not only for humanity, but for the robots who come next.
A book-within-a-book that blends the line between writing and being written, Death of the Author is a masterpiece of metafiction that manages to combine the razor-sharp commentary of Yellowface with the heartfelt humanity of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Surprisingly funny, deeply poignant, and endlessly discussable, this is at once the tale of a woman on the margins risking everything to be heard and a testament to the power of storytelling to shape the world as we know it.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780063391147 |
| PRICE | $30.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 448 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Kathryn M, Reviewer
Nnedi Okorafor always does a fantastic job in writing a interesting and unique concept and world. I thought the use of drama about art worked with what I’ve come to expect from the author. The characters in this worked well and were beautifully done with the story, I thought the use of metafiction worked overall and glad it continued to had that element that I was expecting. I’m glad I got to read this and left me wanting more from Nnedi Okorafor.
Rachel W, Reviewer
I love Nnedi Okorafor and when I saw she was writing a lit fic with both an Afro-futurism plot AND contemporary plot following the author, I knew it would be amazing.
Grace L, Media/Journalist
This was great!! I loved all the characters, especially Zelu. Zelu's family, ethnicities, life experiences, and disability all contribute to her personality, and this book does a wonderful job depicting such a complex, interesting character. The novel depicts sexism, ableism, and racism showing up in job discrimination, condescension, judging personal choices, and much more. I understood why Zelu made all the choices she did. Feeling overprotected pushed her already brilliant, adventurous personality to prove herself repeatedly. In a well-constructed novel like this, choices need not be inevitable to suit the character perfectly.
With metafiction, I sometimes get bored with the story within a story, but not in this case. Zelu's narrative is interspersed with her novel, Rusted Robots, and I loved even the robot characters by the end. All the best scifi has fascinating themes and ideas. Here, these include bodily autonomy, technology helping or hurting disabled people, whether AI will ever create its own stories, and much more. This is a great balance of character, plot, and ideas. Although mostly serious, some characters have realistic senses of humor. The novel has allusions to Doctor Who, Douglas Adams, and Roland Barthes. At least, those were some that I picked up on.
Evan G, Reviewer
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.
This was such a compelling read that I read the entire book in one sitting. At its most basic, the MC is trying to find out where she fits - in her family and society at large. She isn't always likeable but is completely relateable.
I found the story within a story added another layer of complexity and interest to an already fascinating book.
I highly recommend this book
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