Ashes

by Joshua Rutherford, Virtual Voice (Narrator)

In the not-too-distant future, conflict after conflict has ravaged what was once the United States. Fractured into confederacies, this once Promised Land is now the breeding ground for armies hell-bent on war. Among the soldiers of this landscape is Darren Avery, a decorated Army captain who has risen to the status of hero over the course of a dozen deployments. Despite the praise and honors bestowed on him, Darren finds himself questioning his purpose after returning home from his latest engagement. In the midst of his self-examination, he comes across a handful of underground activists that preach a concept he has never before peace.

Audible Audio

Published March 27, 2025

About the author

Joshua Rutherford is an American fantasy-fiction novelist devoted to delivering to his readers spellbinding, action-packed plots with rich culture and epic character description. He gained praise for his deep narrative and intriguing world-building in his first book, Sons of Chenia. In 2018, he released two more feature-length fantasy titles: Midnight and Kinghood.
As a graduate of University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in Film & Digital Media, Joshua has crafted several feature film screenplays and television pilots. When Joshua is not indulging in his prolific writing, he enjoys spending quality time with his family in Austin, TX.

Joshua loves to interact with his readers. Follow his official author page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorJKR/.

Reviews

[Andy Peloquin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating! You start the story with one expectation, but by the end you walk away with a totally new perspective on one of the world's oldest controversies: war vs. peace.
The character was fascinating—my only complaint about this story is that it's too short—and the world rich, vivid, and well-built. I was truly not expecting the ending, and it left me very thoughtful. Definitely a short story worth reading!