Michael Roch's New Afro-Futurist Novel 'Ko Mawon' Explores Caribbean Cyberpunk and Decolonial Themes

Martiniquais author Michael Roch has released his new novel 'Ko Mawon,' an afro-futurist cyberpunk work published by Editions La Volte. The book, launched on March 29, 2026, continues the narrative set in Lanvil, a fictional Caribbean megalopolis introduced in his earlier 2022 novel 'Tè Mawon.' 'Ko Mawon' follows characters in 2074 as they investigate explosions disrupting the city, while grappling with personal dramas tied to memory and genealogy. Roch describes the story as a 'counter-dystopia,' focusing on marronage—a process of emancipation from colonial oppression—through themes of technology and social struggle. The author cites influences from cyberpunk classics like 'Neuromancer' and 'Blade Runner,' as well as Caribbean thinkers such as Édouard Glissant and Patrick Chamoiseau, blending their ideas of creolization with speculative fiction. Roch identifies his work as part of the afro-futurist movement, emphasizing Caribbean specificity by connecting oral traditions with emerging technologies. The novel explores a high-tech yet socially divided urban landscape, critiquing discriminatory structures inherited from colonialism.