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Ashes of the Earth

A Mystery of Post-Apocalyptic America
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Set thirty years after a global holocaust, Ashes of the Earth follows the colony of Carthage as it struggles to rebuild amid early industrial advancements and pervasive social strife. The story centres on Hadrian Boone, a fallen colony founder battling despair and tyranny, who is drawn into a deadly mystery following the murder of the colony's leading scientist. Joined by a young policewoman, he ventures through dangerous undercurrents and outcast camps to uncover chilling secrets that threaten the colony’s fragile future, while confronting his own inner turmoil.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$5400

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers who enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction with deep psychological insight, atmospheric world-building, and intricate mystery elements. Fans of thoughtful dystopian narratives and morally complex characters will find this an engaging and provocative read.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Thirty years after a global holocaust, the colony of Carthage still struggles to build its new world. While steam engines and other early industrial technology have empowered its economy, the fragile society is undermined by secret crimes, rifts between generations, government censorship, and a legacy of casting out those who suffer from radiation sickness.

Embittered survivor Hadrian Boone—once a revered colony founder—has been hounded by despair and the ghosts of his past into a life of drunkenness and frequent imprisonment for challenging the governor's tyranny. But when a gentle old man, the colony's leading scientist, is murdered, Hadrian glimpses chilling secrets behind the killing that could destroy the colony. Realising that he may be the only one able to expose the truth, Hadrian begins a desperate quest through the underbelly of the colony into the wrenching camps of the outcasts, escorted by a young policewoman who struggles to cope with the physical and emotional remnants of the prior world. Ultimately, Hadrian's journey becomes one of self-discovery.

In his search to find justice, his greatest challenge is navigating the tortuous path of the human spirit in a world that has been forever fractured.

Ashes of the Earth is a riveting tale of survival and moral complexity in a post-apocalyptic world. As Hadrian unravels the web of deceit and treachery, readers are drawn into a story of resilience and the enduring struggle for truth.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Starred reviews acclaim the novel's vivid grim setting, compelling characters, and inventive, tense action. Booklist praises its exploration of the psychological impact of mass destruction and the importance of upholding values for societal rebirth. Publishers Weekly compares its bleakness and mystery to The Road, highlighting it as a brilliantly crafted thriller.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781582438160

Publisher: Counterpoint

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 10 April 2012

Country: United States

Imprint: Counterpoint

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 143.0mm

Height: 220.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 400

About the Author

Eliot Pattison is the author of The Skull Mantra, winner of the Edgar Award and finalist for the Gold Dagger, Water Touching Stone, Bone Rattler, and most recently Eye of the Raven. Pattison resides in rural Pennsylvania with his wife, three children, two horses, and two dogs on a colonial-era farm.

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