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Ascension: The Dust series: Book one
They thought they were humanity’s last survivors.
Many millennia ago, magick faded from our world and died, lost to legend.
Beneath the dead surface of the world lies Tor’ Vestas, a pit-city whose people believe themselves the final remnant of civilisation, hidden from a lifeless wasteland above.
But now something stirs, ancient dust, awakened by the nuclear fires that scorched the earth centuries past, begins to rise, breathing forgotten magick back into the world
Aaron works the forges, content to keep his head down and earn his coin. Pieter, a quiet scribe, is tasked with transcribing a strange and ancient book. Emily, a seamstress's apprentice, finds herself drawn into secrets hidden even from the Highborn.
When strange glyphs begin to make sense, and forgotten pathways open beneath the city, the three are pulled together by forces they barely understand. Whispers of old magick, buried truths, and a world far larger than they were ever told begin to rise.
But Tor' Vestas guards its secrets jealously, and the cost of knowledge may be more than any of them are willing to pay.
Many millennia ago, magick faded from our world and died, lost to legend.
Beneath the dead surface of the world lies Tor’ Vestas, a pit-city whose people believe themselves the final remnant of civilisation, hidden from a lifeless wasteland above.
But now something stirs, ancient dust, awakened by the nuclear fires that scorched the earth centuries past, begins to rise, breathing forgotten magick back into the world
Aaron works the forges, content to keep his head down and earn his coin. Pieter, a quiet scribe, is tasked with transcribing a strange and ancient book. Emily, a seamstress's apprentice, finds herself drawn into secrets hidden even from the Highborn.
When strange glyphs begin to make sense, and forgotten pathways open beneath the city, the three are pulled together by forces they barely understand. Whispers of old magick, buried truths, and a world far larger than they were ever told begin to rise.
But Tor' Vestas guards its secrets jealously, and the cost of knowledge may be more than any of them are willing to pay.
432 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 29, 2025
About the author
Stafford Vance
12 books5 followersHello, I'm Stafford Vance,
The author of Max and the creator of the Dust series. A dystopian post industrial fantasy, A gritty, immersive world where survival hangs by a thread and the magick of our legends is returning to the world in the form of a strange purple dust. It’s a story of unlikely friendships, ancient secrets, and the long climb from darkness toward something like hope. Book One: Ascension has just released, and it’s just the beginning of a much larger journey. I can’t wait to share it with you. I’ve always had a vivid imagination.
As a child, we moved house constantly, which made forming lasting friendships tough. But it also pushed me inward, into stories and make-believe worlds. Books became my escape, and by the time I was in my twenties, I’d already started writing my own. I began countless novels but never finished any; until something dreadful happened to a close friend that shook me to the core. That moment forced me to take stock and ask myself what I was waiting for. Life is short, and stories are meant to be told. That’s when I really started writing.
Before turning to fiction full-time, I spent 21 years in VIP aviation, travelling the world and collecting stories of a different kind. Along the way, I somehow survived not one, but two crashes, one in a plane, the other a helicopter. They say truth is stranger than fiction, and in my case, it’s true. Those moments changed me. They gave me a deeper appreciation for life, and perhaps an even darker imagination.
These days, I live in Crawley, West Sussex, where I write surrounded by cluttered notebooks, old horror and sci-fi paperbacks, and the ever-watchful eyes of my Manchester Terrier, Dino. He keeps me on my toes, dragging me out for daily walks and offering the kind of companionship only a dog can.
When I’m not writing, I’m usually gaming, messing about with IT, or building custom computers. I’ve always loved tech, and there’s something satisfying about solving digital puzzles when I’m not solving story ones. I do enjoy a good cigar and a glass of spiced rum. I like to joke that I must have been a pirate in a past life. My friends say it’s more likely just a storyteller’s way of indulging the senses.
Anyway, it's nice to have met you and I hope that you enjoy the journey that I am creating.
The author of Max and the creator of the Dust series. A dystopian post industrial fantasy, A gritty, immersive world where survival hangs by a thread and the magick of our legends is returning to the world in the form of a strange purple dust. It’s a story of unlikely friendships, ancient secrets, and the long climb from darkness toward something like hope. Book One: Ascension has just released, and it’s just the beginning of a much larger journey. I can’t wait to share it with you. I’ve always had a vivid imagination.
As a child, we moved house constantly, which made forming lasting friendships tough. But it also pushed me inward, into stories and make-believe worlds. Books became my escape, and by the time I was in my twenties, I’d already started writing my own. I began countless novels but never finished any; until something dreadful happened to a close friend that shook me to the core. That moment forced me to take stock and ask myself what I was waiting for. Life is short, and stories are meant to be told. That’s when I really started writing.
Before turning to fiction full-time, I spent 21 years in VIP aviation, travelling the world and collecting stories of a different kind. Along the way, I somehow survived not one, but two crashes, one in a plane, the other a helicopter. They say truth is stranger than fiction, and in my case, it’s true. Those moments changed me. They gave me a deeper appreciation for life, and perhaps an even darker imagination.
These days, I live in Crawley, West Sussex, where I write surrounded by cluttered notebooks, old horror and sci-fi paperbacks, and the ever-watchful eyes of my Manchester Terrier, Dino. He keeps me on my toes, dragging me out for daily walks and offering the kind of companionship only a dog can.
When I’m not writing, I’m usually gaming, messing about with IT, or building custom computers. I’ve always loved tech, and there’s something satisfying about solving digital puzzles when I’m not solving story ones. I do enjoy a good cigar and a glass of spiced rum. I like to joke that I must have been a pirate in a past life. My friends say it’s more likely just a storyteller’s way of indulging the senses.
Anyway, it's nice to have met you and I hope that you enjoy the journey that I am creating.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 6, 2025
The story line and subject are gripping but it is Stafford's writing style that brings this book to life, I felt like I was with the main characters sharing their experiences and adventures; as a result I read the whole book in just two sittings.
The book is a fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic era. Don't worry if you're not a fantasy fan as the world building starts normally (for post-apocalyptic) and gradually builds throughout the book, taking you on a fantastic, enjoyable and captivating journey along the way.
The main characters are normal young adults who discover their world is not as they thought. Stafford's descriptive writing makes it easy to visualise each character and relate to them almost on a personal level.
The strength of this book is the unique story line combined with Stafford's descriptive writing style. As I said, it takes you on an enjoyable journey of discovery with our young hero's and some fascinating additional characters drawn from the fantasy realms. I know there are lots of books about fantasy and magick (you need to read the book to understand this spelling) but this is very different. My only disappointment is that I have to wait for the 2nd book to be published - I have reached out to Stafford and he is hopeful it will be available late September this year.
Make no mistake; I rate this book very highly. Although it is probably aimed at 13-30 age range, don’t let that put you off, I am way past that and will happily recommend it to my friends, family and anyone taking the time to read this review.
The book is a fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic era. Don't worry if you're not a fantasy fan as the world building starts normally (for post-apocalyptic) and gradually builds throughout the book, taking you on a fantastic, enjoyable and captivating journey along the way.
The main characters are normal young adults who discover their world is not as they thought. Stafford's descriptive writing makes it easy to visualise each character and relate to them almost on a personal level.
The strength of this book is the unique story line combined with Stafford's descriptive writing style. As I said, it takes you on an enjoyable journey of discovery with our young hero's and some fascinating additional characters drawn from the fantasy realms. I know there are lots of books about fantasy and magick (you need to read the book to understand this spelling) but this is very different. My only disappointment is that I have to wait for the 2nd book to be published - I have reached out to Stafford and he is hopeful it will be available late September this year.
Make no mistake; I rate this book very highly. Although it is probably aimed at 13-30 age range, don’t let that put you off, I am way past that and will happily recommend it to my friends, family and anyone taking the time to read this review.
August 12, 2026
I started reading Ascension quite a long time ago, but due to several life changes it had fallen down the priority list.
I decided to restart it; boy, am I pleased I did! Added bonus, the subsequent books are now also available, so I don't have to wait.:)
This book fits right into my 'comfort' zone of other-wordly-yet-very believable stories, with the location being our planet, yet a grim and foreboding one...
So, on to the review:
This book is a top-notch dystopian fantasy: a grim and gritty vision of some apocalyptic Earth.
It is a post-industrial fantasy set in the oppressive, pit-city of Tor' Vestas (the mental imagery is stunning) and introduces a world where humanity believes it is surviving on the remnants of a dead Earth.
But ancient magical forces, and mysterious nuclear ash, create an immersive narrative of survival. dark secrets and hope.
The story follows 3 people: Aaron the forge labourer, Pieter the quiet scribe (to whom I feel a strange personal sense of affinity) and Emily the seamstress.
The mystery accelerates into a tense thriller as forbidden pathways are unlocked, and the unique concept of "The Dust" is stunning in its effectiveness and originality.
I won't go into any more depth to avoid unintentionally leaking any secrets/spoilers, but will say that with Ascension the author delivers the perfect balance between character-driven drama and high-concept world-building.
I am looking forward to the next 3 books in this series!
I decided to restart it; boy, am I pleased I did! Added bonus, the subsequent books are now also available, so I don't have to wait.:)
This book fits right into my 'comfort' zone of other-wordly-yet-very believable stories, with the location being our planet, yet a grim and foreboding one...
So, on to the review:
This book is a top-notch dystopian fantasy: a grim and gritty vision of some apocalyptic Earth.
It is a post-industrial fantasy set in the oppressive, pit-city of Tor' Vestas (the mental imagery is stunning) and introduces a world where humanity believes it is surviving on the remnants of a dead Earth.
But ancient magical forces, and mysterious nuclear ash, create an immersive narrative of survival. dark secrets and hope.
The story follows 3 people: Aaron the forge labourer, Pieter the quiet scribe (to whom I feel a strange personal sense of affinity) and Emily the seamstress.
The mystery accelerates into a tense thriller as forbidden pathways are unlocked, and the unique concept of "The Dust" is stunning in its effectiveness and originality.
I won't go into any more depth to avoid unintentionally leaking any secrets/spoilers, but will say that with Ascension the author delivers the perfect balance between character-driven drama and high-concept world-building.
I am looking forward to the next 3 books in this series!
August 11, 2025
This book was so good! The concept, world building and characters are amazing.
As I was reading the book, I found that I couldn't stop talking to people about it - about the characters that I was meeting and especially the concepts.
Even though this is sci-fi/fantasy, there are so many parallels to our world at the moment it just really grabs you. How do we know what's really happening around us? Who controls the narrative? And why?
I love how the world building at the start strikes the perfect balance between being detailed enough to emerge you, but not going on for page after page.
Vance is a new author and his work has developed in style and complexity since his first book.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series now!
As I was reading the book, I found that I couldn't stop talking to people about it - about the characters that I was meeting and especially the concepts.
Even though this is sci-fi/fantasy, there are so many parallels to our world at the moment it just really grabs you. How do we know what's really happening around us? Who controls the narrative? And why?
I love how the world building at the start strikes the perfect balance between being detailed enough to emerge you, but not going on for page after page.
Vance is a new author and his work has developed in style and complexity since his first book.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series now!
September 17, 2026
Amazing book, the way your introduced to the world, before meeting the in depth personalities of the main characters, is just chef kiss. It really sets the tone for the series. The book is a dystopian fantasy blending parts of reality and history with a fantastical world could be the heart of why this book is quite possibly one of the best fantasy novels written that i've read. I look forward to seeing where the story goes in the next books and highly recommend to anyone who is looking for a blend of dystopian, fantasy and a small hint of sci fi esque elements.
September 2, 2025
What a wonderful story to read, I was totally hooked learning about the characters and then reeled in by the gripping story. I am honestly not one to read many books, but found this first book in the series totally unputdownable, and if that is not a word, it should be!
I now have a copy of book two in the series; "Revelation" and am very much looking forward to finding out what is next on the adventure...
Maybe this author will turn me into a proper book reader yet!
I now have a copy of book two in the series; "Revelation" and am very much looking forward to finding out what is next on the adventure...
Maybe this author will turn me into a proper book reader yet!
September 2, 2025
A superb, must read book!
The first chapter helps you visual the pit (hot, dirty, oppressive), and from then on the action and tension builds.
Masterfully crafted to envelop you in the world of Tor’ Vestas, somewhere I’m glad I don’t live but am championing the gang to save…
And oh what a gang! ❤️
One thing that kept occurring to me, was just how good this would be as a movie - probably due to the wonderful descriptive writing of the author.
The first chapter helps you visual the pit (hot, dirty, oppressive), and from then on the action and tension builds.
Masterfully crafted to envelop you in the world of Tor’ Vestas, somewhere I’m glad I don’t live but am championing the gang to save…
And oh what a gang! ❤️
One thing that kept occurring to me, was just how good this would be as a movie - probably due to the wonderful descriptive writing of the author.
September 24, 2025
So enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next one in the series. Dystopian style with magic and mystery. Loved getting to know the main characters and the story really builds up making it hard to put down as need to know what happens next. Bring on book number 2.
September 3, 2025
Brilliant read, fantastic writing, looking forward to reading the next one
September 4, 2025
Full of twists, very engaging book! I couldn’t put it down!!!
September 2, 2025
A superb, must read book!
The first chapter helps you visual the pit (hot, dirty, oppressive), and from then on the action and tension builds.
Masterfully crafted to envelop you in the world of Tor’ Vestas, somewhere I’m glad I don’t live but am championing the gang to save…
And oh what a gang! ❤️
One thing that kept occurring to me, was just how good this would be as a movie - probably due to the wonderful descriptive writing of the author.
The first chapter helps you visual the pit (hot, dirty, oppressive), and from then on the action and tension builds.
Masterfully crafted to envelop you in the world of Tor’ Vestas, somewhere I’m glad I don’t live but am championing the gang to save…
And oh what a gang! ❤️
One thing that kept occurring to me, was just how good this would be as a movie - probably due to the wonderful descriptive writing of the author.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews