Horde of the Counterwind

A bestselling modern French fantasy novel about twenty-three brave warriors of the wind, published in English for the first time.

Twenty-three adventurers––some trained since birth, some gathered up over the course of an interminable journey––climb endlessly against the wind that plagues their desert homeland. Their only purpose: to make it to the Upper Reaches and identify the wind’s mysterious source. Thirty-three hordes before them have tried and failed over the course of 800 years.

The brave warriors of this wildly imaginative universe must learn to coexist and fight to survive. Each Horde member has a unique personality and a precise duty, and collaborating as a unit is their only hope.

Author Alain Damasio skillfully moves between narrators, giving voice to each member of the Horde. The writing alternates between breathtaking descriptions of the unique and bewildering world he has invented––ruled by seven types of wind, classified by their forces––and intense, rhythmic dialogues that make the reader as much a participant in the story as any of the characters.

As the tale progresses, the suspense intensifies around Golgoth the trailbreaker, Erg the defender, Oroshi the aeromaster, and the rest of the group, who must face not only the unpredictability of nature, but also enemies from other clans determined to see their defeat.

With more than half a million copies sold in France and a dedicated cult following, Horde of the Counterwind is sure to enchant English-language readers.