Vivre: Le compte à rebours

In this novel, Boualem Sansal presents a chilling countdown to the end of the world. Paolo is one of the Chosen, a select group tasked by a mysterious power to deliver a grim ultimatum: humanity has exactly 780 days left on Earth.

The Chosen must decide who is worthy of boarding a massive spacecraft to found a new civilization on a distant planet. However, a desperate struggle ensues: how can they prevent the "scum of humanity" - corrupt politicians, mobsters, and religious extremists - from infiltrating the ship?

Sansal uses this high-stakes sci-fi premise to deploy his signature caustic wit and sharp social critique, questioning whether humanity is truly capable of shedding its worst instincts, even when faced with total extinction.

Author: Boualem Sansal

Boualem Sansal is a distinguished Franco-Algerian novelist and essayist. Before becoming a writer, he had a successful career as an engineer and economist, even serving as a senior official in the Algerian Ministry of Industry.

He began writing fiction in his late 40s, making a significant impact with his debut novel, Le Serment des barbares. Since then, he has become internationally recognized for his courageous and sharp literary voice.