From The Ashes

by Caitlin McColl

In an alternate war-torn Victorian-era world, a young girl and her guardian seek the Emperor to ask him to stop the ten year civil war: A war between those who are for, and those who are against new technologies, and between the non-religious versus those that still believe. This short story is a prelude to my steampunk novel The Clockwork Universe.

ebook

Published April 1, 2011

About the author

Caitlin McColl has been writing stories as soon as she learned how to read and write. As a young girl and in her teenage years she wrote many short stories, mostly fantasy - with dragons and wizards and other fantastical monsters. Now she also writes Steampunk and post apocalyptic stories.

She lives in beautiful Vancouver, BC with her husband and her dog

Reviews

[Sarah (Workaday Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't read many steam punk stories. It's not a genre that really appeals to me, but I did enjoy the small glimpse into a steam punk world that this story offered. The story centers mostly on the characters, with the world only seen in the background.

I did find the plot to be a little too easy. There seem to be no obstacles or conflict to slow down the characters. They wanted something, so they ran out and did it. With everyone and everything around them acquiescing to their desires.

As a prequel to a novel, this short story serves the purpose to introduce the world and some characters.

[Imogen Ashford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully layered steampunk tale with heart, grit, and purpose

From The Ashes isn’t just a prelude, it’s a statement. In a world fractured by war, where faith and progress clash in brutal, aching ways, Caitlin McColl gives us a haunting reflection of our own time, cloaked in brass, fog, and fire.

This novella pulled me in with its richly drawn alternate-Victorian world, but what truly captivated me was the emotional core. The young girl and her guardian aren’t just figures in a steampunk landscape, they’re carriers of hope, of rebellion, of quiet courage. Their journey is one of resilience, of seeking peace in the wreckage of ideology and invention. Every page felt like a whisper of something deeper, a longing for meaning in a crumbling empire.

McColl’s writing is atmospheric and sharp, with little bursts of humor and melancholy that catch you off guard. It’s a rare thing: a short read that leaves a lasting mark.

If you love stories that balance world-building with heart, that give you gears and grime and soul, From The Ashes is your next read.

[Mary Beeson · Rating 5 out of 5]

this short is such a tease!!! But i think its the begining of something great!!!

[Eden Steffey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the emporer was very easily swayed.