Killernova

by Omar Musa

The island of Borneo was once the most heavily wooded in the world, and its people have always carved wood beautifully. In Killernova, grappling with his heritage, Omar Musa remixes this ancient art form with fiery poetry forged in the stars.

With equal parts swagger, humour and vulnerability, Musa charts a journey through the colonial history of Southeast Asia, environmental destruction, bushfires, race in Australia, the isolation and addiction of COVID lockdown, family, lost love and, ultimately, recovery.

Relentlessly on beat, visually captivating and deceptively intimate, this is a collection of words and art that burns blindingly bright.

2023, ACT Book of the Year Award (Australia), Short-listed

2022, ACT Notable Book Awards, Winner

PLEASE When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Genres: Poetry, Graphic Novels

Audible Audio

First published November 30, 2021

About the author

Omar Musa is a Malaysian-Australian rapper and poet from Queanbeyan,
Australia. He is the former winner of the Australian Poetry Slam and
the Indian Ocean Poetry Slam. He has released three hip hop albums,
two poetry books (including "Parang"), appeared on ABC's Q&A and
received a standing  ovation at TEDx Sydney at the Sydney Opera House.
His debut novel "Here Come the Dogs" was published by Penguin Australia in July 2014.

Reviews

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh absolutely gorgina. I love the way the artwork was intergrated in and its just so beautiful and moving. I have seen omar perform and his work has always been really powerful but I haven't seen anything as raw and emotional like this. I really loved it. I think it is really representative of the sort of more free and eclectic poetry scene and the shift we are finally having towards respecting diverse cultures and art forms. It is the future.

[Amy :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this amongst the vast collection of books tucked away in Michael's Parents house. The way this piece breathes and is so delicate and raw was mesmerising.

[Deb Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous, multimodal anthology. Omar Musa's voice is fresh and the artwork is stunning.

[Louise]

Tried it on audio before realising it was poetry, not for me. I need to try it in print.

[Sarah Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love the woodcuts and poems in this book and how they work together to give a real insight into the poet's journey through his world.

[Emily Mcleod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big fan of Musa’s spoken word skills and having read KillerNova I am now a fan of his carving artistry also.

As always Musa finds the punchy brutal words to string together in scathing analysis of the world around him. There was a nice reverence for family, culture and love lost in the poems. A broader existential look at the universe and creation towards the final poems was a lovely way to end the collection.

There is also interesting perspective on pre/ during covid days that were hard to read (still processing).

I’d show this work to Stage 6 English or SaC students, students who are interested in exploring their cultures and dual modalities. Also adults who like other cool adults and their world views.

[Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Musa is a really interesting writer, who comes from a hip-hop and poetry slam background but writes excellent work for print, including a novel that made the Miles Franklin shortlist. This latest book also showcases his endeavours with woodcut artworks and centres around a trip to Borneo, where his family comes from. Recommended.

[Malcolm · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF, finally admitted not going to finish this one. Neither the poetry or wood cuts resonated with me. Suspected that but gave in and bought a signed copy at the National Portrait Gallery anyway. Sent on to find another reader now …

[Brendan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw, earthy and, at times, utterly magical.

[Lana Broadbent-Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

In summary: Killernova is an absolutely gorgeous book, both aesthetically and lexically. Musa weaves a tale of introspection through the lenses

[Ronnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poems, prose and woodcuts that fizz and pulse

[Leila M. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kitschy mumbo jumbo.
The one star is for the artwork only. The rest is unedited drunken rambling that pretends to be deeper than it is