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The “untranslatable” book that inspired Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been translated, and you can buy it later this year
Alain Damasio’s cult French science-fiction novel *The Horde of the Counterwind*, a key inspiration for *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33*, will receive its first English translation later this year. Its release matters because the book’s distinctive prose has long been considered exceptionally difficult to translate, allowing English-speaking readers to access a modern French sci-fi classic that influenced the successful role-playing game.
Abrams Books will publish the hardback edition in the US on 13 October 2026, while Amazon currently lists a UK release date of 12 November, pending publisher confirmation. The 2004 novel follows explorers battling a relentless wind to find its source after 33 previous expeditions failed; it won the 2006 Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire and is translated by poet and scholar Alexander Dickow.
In short
- Expedition 33-inspired novel receives its first English translation.
- US hardback arrives on 13 October 2026.
- UK date is listed as 12 November, unconfirmed.
Explained simply
Alain Damasio’s 2004 French science-fiction novel The Horde of the Counterwind follows a group of explorers trying to find the source of a relentless wind. They are the 34th expedition to attempt the journey, after 33 earlier groups failed. The book won a major French science-fiction award in 2006.
The novel is known for its unusual, demanding style, which has made it difficult to translate into English. It also helped inspire the role-playing game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, bringing attention to the book beyond French-language readers. Its English translation gives those readers access to a work that has until now been available mainly in French.