The Book of Bill


The Book of Bill is a teen- and adult-audience science fiction book published by Hyperion Avenue Books, based on the children's animated television series Gravity Falls. Written by series creator Alex Hirsch, the book retells its story from the perspective of primary antagonist Bill Cipher, extending before and after the events shown in the series.
First announced in December 2023, the book was released on July 23, 2024. An exclusive edition with 16 extra pages of behind the scenes production art and drawings is available from Barnes & Noble. The Book of Bill was generally positively received by fans and the media. The book appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list in July 2024, and remained through January 2025.

Publication history

In interviews regarding Gravity Falls after its finale, Alex Hirsch mentioned that he considered writing books based on the series, using various ideas that were not used for the show because they were considered too short, "weird", or "specific".
The Book of Bill was first announced in December 2023, as the first Gravity Falls book not to contain "Gravity Falls" in the title, and is intended for an adult audience. The book was released on July 23, 2024, with Barnes & Noble releasing a special exclusive edition as well, which includes 16 extra pages of content.

Limited Collector's Edition

A limited collector's edition was announced on June 18, 2025, containing a glow-in-the-dark slipcase and special extras. This edition was released on September 23, 2025.

Critical response

The Book of Bill has been generally well-received. Oliver Curry of Comic Book Resources wrote that the Book of Bill managed to explain some of the most important mysteries left in the series in an engaging manner and added that the book "is also full of more jokes and details about fan-favorite characters". Kate Bove of Screen Rant wrote that the book revealed new lore about Bill Cipher and the town of Gravity Falls. Bove also said the book offered "a humorous and fourth wall-breaking installment that allows Bill Cipher to tell his version of the story." In July 2024, The book appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list, and was still there twenty-four weeks later as of January 2025.