As important as the author in determining whether I’ll read a book. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t, it’s rarely the sole determining factor.
I could do without anything more from Baz Luhrmann. His frenetic style and the anachronisms in movies of his like Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet get on my nerves. His upcoming version of The Great Gatsby will be problematic as a result, although I do like DiCaprio and Mulligan.