Antoine Volodine to release 11 novels via 11 publishers

French author Antoine Volodine, born Jean Desvignes, is concluding his literary career with a massive simultaneous release of 11 novels across 11 different publishing houses. The books, which range from 150 to 320 pages, will be available starting August 24.

To mark this final artistic gesture, the author is using the pseudonym ‘Infernus Iohannes’ on all the covers. The works are part of a series titled ‘Retour au goudron’ and represent the 49th and final volume of a long-term project involving his concept of ‘post-exotisme.’

The collection includes titles such as ‘Ultimes sursauts,’ ‘Mémoire, mode d’effroi,’ ‘Survies minuscules,’ and ‘Malaise chez les plongeuses.’ The author described the project as a way to mark the end of his career, influenced by themes of aging and illness.