Ashchronicles : Volume 1 Sanctuary 17

by Edward Grey

When civilization burned, survival became the only law.

The world ended in ash and silence.
Those who endured built sanctuaries in the ruins — fragile havens where humanity still remembers what it means to be human.

But within Sanctuary 17, the lines between safety and control blur.
One man discovers that the true enemy might not be the wasteland outside, but the system meant to protect them.

Ashchronicles Vol. 1 – Sanctuary 17 is a haunting post-apocalyptic survival thriller set in the aftermath of global collapse — perfect for readers of Metro 2033, The Road, and The Last of Us.

Prepare for a journey through fire, fear, and fragile hope — where the ashes hide more than memories.

64 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 16, 2025

Reviews

[J Martinell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The earth is in ruin. Firestorms rage across the surface, and a terrifying group known as the Burned roams the barren wasteland. Sanctuary 17 lies deep underground, protected from the devastation, but its supplies are dwindling. When two men and one woman venture to the surface in search of anything that might help them survive, they discover something unexpected. Something that could secure their future.


Ashchronicles is a quick, easy read. I found it interesting and engaging, though it left quite a few questions unanswered. Since it’s subtitled Volume 1, I suspect it’s the beginning of a series, and it shows promising potential so far.

[Indie Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the underground shelter of Sanctuary 17, young Liam joins security operatives Tara and Kane on a scavenging run into the ash-choked wasteland above. Their objective: supplies rumored to survive in a ruined city to the northwest. What they find instead is a buried pre-collapse laboratory, its experiments and a still-active container forcing the settlement's council to weigh salvation against catastrophe.

Edward Grey promises post-apocalyptic survival “perfect for readers of Metro 2033, The Road, and The Last of Us” – and makes good on that promise. From the opening scene, we’re in familiar wasteland-fiction territory: sun-scarred mutants called the Burned, wind-powered scavenger vehicles, and survivors huddled in underground sanctuaries ruled by elders with their own agendas. The delivery is competent, rather than distinctive. The prose relies on dialogue to carry plot and theme, and a lot of the heavy lifting is done by council-room scenes. What’s different about “Ashchronicles” is the ending: instead of yet another grim cliffhanger, we get cautious optimism and grass growing from dead soil. A gentler, more elevated note than most entries in this genre aim for.

[Fiction and Tea :D · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a fan of post-apocalyptic survival stories, Ashchronicles: Volume 1 – Sanctuary 17 is an enjoyable read. I liked the idea of humanity being forced underground while the surface of the Earth has become an unforgiving wasteland filled with firestorms and terrifying Burned creatures. The mystery surrounding the old experiments kept me turning the pages, and I wanted to find out what the team would discover next.

The book focuses more on adventure, exploration, and world-building than deep character development, but it lays a solid foundation for what feels like a much bigger story. Liam, Kane, and Tara make a likeable team, and I'm interested to see where their journey takes them in future books.

Overall, this is a promising start to a new post-apocalyptic series with plenty of action, mystery, and potential. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story develops.

[sureshot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definitely had its strong points. The world building was outstanding. People have to live underground and only venture out at night or else the sun will burn them. But the sun is only part of part of the danger moving about the surface. Burnt people, who seemed to have gone out of their minds, dwell there. I really enjoyed the actions scenes. The author did a good job bringing the tension there. I felt this book would have been better with less head hopping. I would have rather the author stuck with one perspective and kept me questioning the motives of the other characters. Also, at time there were references to things that could only be known by an omnipresent perspective. Overall, this is still an interesting and exciting read, and I recommend it for a young adult audience.

[R.E. Hollis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author accomplishes something that isn't easy. He creates a believable post-apocalyptic world without spending pages describing it. Even though Ashchronicles: Volume 1 – Sanctuary 17 is short and fast-paced, I never felt like I was missing the setting. The writing is economical, but the imagery is strong enough that I could clearly picture the ash-covered landscape and the fragile world the characters inhabit. The story moves quickly and leaves you wanting to know more. At times I wished there had been a little more character development or time to explore the world in greater depth, but that's also the nature of a short story.

[Collin Bolton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main reason I'm giving Ashchronicles a 4-star rating is that the author has serious writing potential; however, I felt that their storytelling was lacking. The story just took off too fast with no meaningful character introduction, so I didn't particularly care about what happened to Liam and his new team. I also felt that the entire concept of heat waves scorching the earth and "the Burned" was just a little too close to The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials. Like I said, though, the author has skill in writing, and if you like post-apocalyptic reads, this is an easy one to check out.

[Matthew Tompkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

The post-apocalyptic setting of this short work was terrific, with the dried seas and land. I also liked the twist on why it was really like that. Hidden plotlines are always a plus. The Burned were a scary foe, and the chase scenes built up a great deal of tension. It was simply too short for me, though, with a quick resolution. I think with a bit of polish, this can become a longer book series; it has great potential!

[Ken Morvant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read about a group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic scenario, trying to learn about their past to affect their future lives. It is a good start to what could become a series if developed further. The ending is left open so a sequel seems appropriate. It is a great read, but needs a conclusion. You will enjoy.

[Alex Harb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here comes the Fallout/War-Z style post-apocalyptic novelette. Vivid, sharp, and dystopian as hell. Daylight kills, rain comes down as acid, and remaining humans live in tunnels under the ash. Best bit: a whole generation down there has never seen the sky - blue is just a story the old ones tell.
I’d love to see that story evolve to a bigger book from the same world.