Full Description
An Allegory of Survival, Greed, and Humanity's Destiny
Desert Hunters is an Eastern fable-like novel set in a small oasis called Pig's Belly Well, in the very heart of the desert. It follows the story of an old hunter, Meng Baye, and a young herdsman, Mengzi, as they track down poachers. Through the perspectives of both humans and wolves, the novel exposes the destruction of the natural environment caused by human actions, driving readers to reflect on their ecological responsibilities. It portrays the struggle for survival between humans and wildlife, explores the conflicts among people themselves, and, more importantly, serves as a kind warning about human greed and its potentially tragic consequences.
The English edition was co-translated by Howard Goldblatt and Sylvia Li-Chun Lin, acclaimed translators of Nobel Prize-winning authors.
The German edition was translated by Hans-Peter Kolb, a student of the famed sinologist Wolfgang Kubin.
Xuemo, born in 1963 as Chen Kaihong, is a renowned writer from Gansu, China. He has written over 80 books, published in more than 200 editions, with translations available in over 20 languages.
His novel Into the Desert won the 2022 Excellent Translation Award by the China International Communications Group (CICG), 2024 NYC Big Book Award for Women's Fiction and the 2024 Independent Press Award for Literary Fiction. His novel Curses of the Kingdom of Xixia won the 2024 NYC Big Book Award for World Literature. The novel Wild Fox Ridge won the 2024 International Impact Book Award and the 2025 NYC Big Book Award, and was honored with the 2025 International Book Awards. He topped the International Media Spotlight List at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2022, even surpassing the Guest of Honor, Spain, became the most remarkable and memorable events of the Frankfurt Book Fair 2022. The e-book editions of Desert Rites, Desert Hunters, White Tiger Pass, Love Letters from the Goddess, Eternal Love and Reclaim the Throne of Your Heart have repeatedly ranked No. 1 on Amazon's bestseller lists.
