Author on Tour: Alain Damasio
About Alain Damasio
Alain Damasio is the author of three bestselling French novels: La Zone du Dehors (1999 and 2007), winner of the European Utopiales Prize 2007, the Imaginales high-schoolers Prize 2006 and adapted for the stage in 2016; Horde of the Counterwind (2004), winner of three literary prizes, including the 2026 Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire in the “Francophone novel” category and adapted into a graphic novel in 2017; and Les Furtifs (April 2019). Damasio is a three-time recipient of the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire, France’s most prestigious science fiction award, and his most recent novel was voted best overall book of 2019.
About Horde of the Counterwind
(Abrams, translated by Alex Dickow, 2026)
France’s defining fantasy/science fiction odyssey of the 21st century, published in English for the first time, celebrates twenty-three brave warriors of the wind.
Twenty-three adventurers––some trained since birth, some joining over the course of a long journey––climb endlessly against the wind that plagues their desolate 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.
In this masterwork whose epic scope and visionary worldbuilding are commonly compared to the universe of Dune, author Alain Damasio moves between narrators, giving voice to each member and alternating between breathtaking descriptions of the unique and bewildering world he has invented––ruled by seven types of wind, classified by their forces––and gripping, rhythmic dialogue.
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.
Horde of the Counterwind has ignited the imaginations of more than a million French fans and was voted the best book of the 21st century by readers of Sens critique and the twelfth-greatest book of all time by Le Monde‘s subscribers. English-speaking audiences have been clamoring for the opportunity to read Damasio’s œuvre for years, and now they’ll have their chance to shoulder their packs and join the adventure.
Horde of the Counterwind was released in October 2026.
Find more information here.
Schedule
Alain Damasio’s public schedule will include:
- Tuesday, October 20, 7pm: Participation in the Litquake Festival: Conversation with Edward Gauvin and Alex Dickow @ Telegraph Hills Books, San Francisco, CA – event in English. RSVP here.
- Wednesday, October 21, 2pm: Talk @ Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA – event in English.
- Thursday, October 22, 4:30pm: Talk @ University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA – event in English.
- Saturday, October 24, 6:30pm: Conversation with Alex Dickow @ Village Well Books, Culver City, CA – event in English. More info here.
- Tuesday, October 27, 6pm: Conversation with Emily Hockaday @ Villa Albertine, New York, NY – event in English. RSVP here.
For more information, please email Noémie Jornet: noemie.jornet@villa-albertine.org.