Sitam, a young man who’s crazy about both jazz and books, falls in love with a gamine called Capu. She has only a temporary roof over her head, lent by a friend. And he, Sitam, doesn’t have a penny to his name. Still, they enjoy a few marvelous days together. Then comes an explosive night filled with terrorism, sirens, explosions and gunshots; police and soldiers overwhelm the capital. Overnight, the city turns into a terrifying place.

Deeply shaken, Sitam and Capu decide to get out of town, and leap – in extremis – onto the last night train?heading for the zone, where Sitam was born. It is the first step in their odyssey. Living hand to mouth, together they will spin away from the projects and wander across Europe…

Fast-paced, edgy, incisive and musical, K.O. is an incredible journey to the end of the night. This debut novel, born from a radical sense of urgency, deals with themes ranging from poetry, sickness and death to friendship and wanderlust. Waiters, homeless musicians and OuLiPo printers all make appearances in it. Filled with both splendor and fantasy, yet chaos reigns supreme.

In a world that might well be our own, the story of a young man who flees death while the everyone else seems to be rushing headlong towards it. Music, poetry and rage. This amazing debut novel will grab you and not let go!