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The Herero Wind
The land remembers what the empire would erase.
1904. German South West Africa. As an extermination order sweeps across the land, the Herero people face exile, hunger, and death. In this crucible of survival, one scout carries a forbidden message through a country where every shadow holds danger.
With him walks a younger brother still too innocent to believe in death, a missionary’s daughter risking everything to show mercy, and a fierce companion who refuses silence. Together, their courage and memory may be the last defence against extinction.
In the desert, the wind carries more than dust. It carries memory. And memory is the last weapon left.
The Herero Wind is a searing tale of survival and resistance, inspired by true events that scarred a continent. First in The Sands of Empire series, it brings to life a history too often overlooked, with unforgettable characters who refuse to be erased.
1904. German South West Africa. As an extermination order sweeps across the land, the Herero people face exile, hunger, and death. In this crucible of survival, one scout carries a forbidden message through a country where every shadow holds danger.
With him walks a younger brother still too innocent to believe in death, a missionary’s daughter risking everything to show mercy, and a fierce companion who refuses silence. Together, their courage and memory may be the last defence against extinction.
In the desert, the wind carries more than dust. It carries memory. And memory is the last weapon left.
The Herero Wind is a searing tale of survival and resistance, inspired by true events that scarred a continent. First in The Sands of Empire series, it brings to life a history too often overlooked, with unforgettable characters who refuse to be erased.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 29, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 16, 2026
I knew almost nothing about the Herero genocide before picking this up, which made it hit even harder. Colin doesn't pull punches the brutality is right there on the page, but it never feels exploitative. It feels necessary.
The characters are what kept me reading. The scout carrying his message through impossible terrain, the young brother who hasn't grasped the full horror yet, the missionary's daughter crossing every line she was raised to respect they all felt real, flawed, human.
Some sections moved slower than I expected, especially in the middle, but I think that was intentional. You feel the exhaustion, the endless desert, the weight of just surviving another day.
This is brutal historical fiction that doesn't let you look away. If you want something comfortable, look elsewhere. But if you want a story that honors a history most people don't know, this delivers.
The characters are what kept me reading. The scout carrying his message through impossible terrain, the young brother who hasn't grasped the full horror yet, the missionary's daughter crossing every line she was raised to respect they all felt real, flawed, human.
Some sections moved slower than I expected, especially in the middle, but I think that was intentional. You feel the exhaustion, the endless desert, the weight of just surviving another day.
This is brutal historical fiction that doesn't let you look away. If you want something comfortable, look elsewhere. But if you want a story that honors a history most people don't know, this delivers.
January 17, 2026
A Story the Desert Refuses to Forget
This book stayed with me long after I finished it. The Herero Wind doesn’t just tell a story, it carries memory, grief, and quiet resistance on every page. Through its characters, I felt the weight of survival, the cost of silence, and the strength it takes to endure when erasure is the goal. It’s haunting, restrained, and deeply human, giving voice to a history that deserves to be remembered rather than buried.
This book stayed with me long after I finished it. The Herero Wind doesn’t just tell a story, it carries memory, grief, and quiet resistance on every page. Through its characters, I felt the weight of survival, the cost of silence, and the strength it takes to endure when erasure is the goal. It’s haunting, restrained, and deeply human, giving voice to a history that deserves to be remembered rather than buried.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews