Coming 12 October 2026
Praise for Blot
'De Villiers's hero comes from a long line of petty bureaucratic tyrants, but his Nabokov-flavoured prose is a joy to read.'
— J. M. Coetzee
'An impressive debut. Rick de Villiers brings a fully formed voice to South African literature. The novel places itself within a rich literary heritage from Orwell to Coetzee.'
— C. A. Davids
'A highly original novel, simultaneously playful and serious, mysterious and clarifying.'
— S. J. Naudé
'A love letter to literature from the most unlikely of candidates: the retiring director of a censorship bureau.'
— Bongani Kona
‘An incredible feat! In his debut novel, de Villiers manages both to pay homage to a particular literary tradition and be original at the same time. An absurdist and intriguing tale of succession.’
– Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu
'Blot will appeal to those who delight in language. Its Kafkaesque protagonist may work for the Bureau of Dead Letters but his story is lively, artful and full of surprises. Rick de Villiers’ debut novel is invigoratingly original.'
– David Medalie
'A playful tale of textual manipulation, a satisfying narrative spun from censorial uncertainty, deceptive consultation and professional subterfuge.'
– Hilary White
The directorship of the Bureau of Dead Letters is changing, and not everyone is happy about it — especially the outgoing Director. Despite promising first impressions, the country's new chief censor has been acting strangely. Is he too unstable to be trusted with the nation's most sensitive materials? What is the new Director's private, puzzling agenda?
A tale of trysts, paranoia, poetry and state secrets, Blot is an audacious and original debut novel, filled with unquenchable desires and clandestine messages. It asks the nagging question on every page: can anyone trust the words they read?