The Northern Winds

About the Book

After their mother is killed by a stray bullet, twin Chilean brothers Benjamin and JC Piñera are swept up in their country’s infamous Cold War-era crisis, which culminates in a coup and a dead president. The boys and their embittered father flee to California, only for the twins to see their refugee life jettison them into another civil war, as naturalized citizens drafted and sent to Vietnam. The boys become Special Ops soldiers, mercenaries stalking the Viet Cong through the dark-hearted jungles of Southeast Asia, until they must escape to save themselves and their best friend. Told through Benjamin’s eyes—now an immigrant grandpa living in the California hills, yet haunted by ghosts from the past—our poignant narrator finally returns to Chile to search for any signs of the family, and the woman he loved, that were left behind.

About the Author

Ian Randall wrote the first draft of The Northern Winds while traveling in Chile, Vietnam and Cambodia, and conducting primary research for the novel. Sundry drafts (and years) later, he is publishing this debut novel. Ian's previous publications include peer-reviewed research articles, white papers, Op-Eds, and essays, including a piece exploring how mass protests in Chile are linked to the country's violent political history. Ian holds a PhD in Health Economics from and teaches at the University of Washington in Seattle.