About

The experiment

Since June 2026 I have been working through the debut novels of 100 celebrated writers, one at a time, over three years. Plenty of people have read the famous books; far fewer have read the first ones. Every one of these writers began unknown, with a single book nobody was waiting for — and this is an attempt to look at that moment 100 times in a row.

Reading is only half of it. I take what each debut is doing and use it in a novel of my own, which I intend to enter for a literary newcomer's prize at the end of the three years. There is no guarantee it works. I am publishing the whole attempt anyway, in order, with nothing skipped.

What's on this site

• The Journey — one entry per debut, in the order I read them.
• The Anatomy — deep dives that take stories apart.
• The Story — short fiction and other made things.

Who writes it

Hovinci, a writer in Japan working under a single rule — make something every day: write it, draw it, build it. Alongside this project I post daily on note and build small apps of my own. The running commentary lives on Threads.

Advertising

As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Every book covered here is a book I have actually read; the commission has no say in what gets written about. Full details are in the privacy policy.

Elsewhere

• Threads@100debuts
• hovinc.github.ioPortfolio
• noteDaily blog, in Japanese
• contact@100books.appContact