The War of Fire

Deprived of fire after an enemy attack, the Oulhamr tribe is in great danger. Naoh, accompanied by Gaw and Nam, embarks on a long journey to recover the lost flame. Through savannas and forests, they face hunger, thirst, and wild beasts. Pursued by an enemy horde, they find refuge among a herd of mammoths. Exhausted, they continue their quest until, one morning in the mist, a silhouette appears on the horizon: a woman, spear in hand, silently observing them. Will this encounter bring them a glimmer of hope? 

This adaptation of The War of Fire breathes new life into a classic, rendering it more fluid and accessible while preserving its primal force. The illustrations, inspired by cave art, extend this immersion into a raw and powerful world. Far from being just an adventure tale, this book explores the transmission of knowledge and the boldness that drives humanity forward. By restoring the original intensity of the text, it offers readers a sensory and narrative experience that resonates between past and present. 

• A modern adaptation of a classic tale of prehistoric adventure
• Evocative illustrations inspired by cave paintings
• Large format for a beautiful book-object 
• A story for all audiences, a mythical adventure reminding us of the dawn of humanity 

Keywords: prehistory, survival, tribe, quest, evolution, nature, conflict, transmission, myth 

Author & Illustator:

JÉRÉMIE DECALF is a researcher in biology, specializing in immunology, but he is also an author and illustrator. In his children’s books, he infuses his stories with the spirit of discovery and curiosity that drives his scientific work. He currently resides in San Francisco. 

J.-H. ROSNY AÎNÉ, born Joseph-Henri Boex, was a Belgian-born French writer, a pioneer of science fiction and the prehistoric novel. Initially influenced by naturalism, he distinguished himself with Les Xipéhuz (1887), an avant-garde work in which humanity confronts a form of non-organic intelligence. Alongside his brother, and later on his own after 1908, he explored the origins of humankind with Vamireh and La guerre du feu, while also imagining fascinating futures in Les Navigateurs de l’infini and La Mort de la Terre. A founding member of the Académie Goncourt, he became its president in 1926 and devoted his life to defending literature and narrative innovation. He died in 1940, leaving behind a lasting legacy at the crossroads of archaeology and scientific imagination.