Death of the Author

A Novel

By: Nnedi Okorafor

Narrated by: Liz Femi, Anthony Oseyemi, Jason Culp, Chris Djuma

Recommended by New York Times Book Review • People • NPR • Rolling Stone • Los Angeles Times • Reader's Digest • and more!

“This one has it all.” — George R.R. Martin • “As delicious as it is disorienting.” — Zakiya Dalila Harris • “Suspenseful, timely, and heartfelt.” — People • “Mind-bending.” — New York Times Book Review

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 listened 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.

“An ambitious, inventive tribute to the power of storytelling itself.” — Nikki Erlick, New York Times bestselling author of The Measure

“A deeply felt dazzle. A blaze. It is true deep to the bones.” — Luis Alberto Urrea, Pulitzer Prize finalist and bestselling author of The House of Broken Angels

""There’s more vivid imagination in a page of Nnedi Okorafor’s work than in whole volumes."" — Ursula K. Le Guin

©2025 Nnedi Okorafor (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers

Wow. This novel within a novel is amazing.

We have broken through a meta wall - author and character collaborating creatively. Brilliantly taking the novel to a whole new place. Everything about this is perfect.

The ending took me by surprise

I like the use of a story within a story and the timely AI material.

Really good book

I love the twist at the end. Equal doses of science fiction anazingness and African relativity. I really enjoyed it

Brilliant!

I'm such a super-fan of Nnedi Okorafor. I love all her books, and this one is no exception!

I Didn't Want it To End!

This book is beautifully written and performed. I found myself gasping, groaning, laughing, and making facial expression throughout. Always sure of what was going to happen next, and shocked at what ACTUALLY happened. The realization at the end (which I won't give away) caused me to clap my hand over my mouth in surprise. This is one of those books that makes me wonder how a mind can be so intricate, so brilliant, that it could create a story like this. I'll be thinking about this for days and will likely listen to it again and again.

Great story , surprise ending

Loved the story , it was easy to invest yourself in the characters of each story. The twist at the end was amazing . Never once did I question who was really creating the story .

Just Read it.

I usually understand people's criticisms of books even when I don't agree. This one I have no negative criticism. It's a perfect novel with such a perfect ending had to back up and listen to it again to make sure I had it right. I loved this book from start to finish. I usually tear through a book in a day or two. This one I had to savor at 1-2 hours a day.

Just REad it. Even if you don't agree with my review it'll be worth it.

unique storyline and beautifully imaginative

I enjoyed this escape! the characters were engaging, the suspense fun, and the voices were lovely.

Lost in imagination

I loved the way I moved from reality the present to the book the future. Loved it.

For the misunderstood artist

This is a beautiful story,
It tells three stories all mixed together in a way that is easy to follow and also great at keeping your attention. It’s all connected and when it comes together you feel it in your heart. I don’t want to say what you will feel, for art is subjective and I don’t wish to give spoilers. Give it a chance, I’ve been looking for a book that made me feel something for awhile and this did it.