Published by La Volte, this epic tale tells the story of a horde advancing on a land swept by the winds. Between fantasy and science fiction, philosophy and poetry, this 600-page text remains masterful in its evocative power and its language. Through this adventure, the novelist advocates the need for the collective in the face of difficulties.
Alain Damasio tells in the Bookmakers podcast that he was inspired by Ray Bradbury, the father of the Martian Chronicles.
As the press was not there, La Horde du Contrevent mainly established itself through word of mouth to the point of becoming cult.
At first, everything started badly.
Just imagine, nobody wanted Alain Damasio. The Horde of the Counterwind was rejected by many publishing houses. Many considered this text unpublishable. Only Jacques Chambon, legendary editor of Flammarion, was interested, but no luck! He died before finishing reading the manuscript.
The disenchantment with the author had started as early as The Outside Zone, his previous novel. Mathias Echenay was not yet Alain Damasio’s publisher but he just wanted his friend to be published. He decided to launch La Volte to publish “La Horde du Contrevent”. This text inspired comics, essays, immersive shows, plays and soon a role-playing game.
