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The Silver Sahara
It has been nearly twenty years since the end of the Chrome War. The century-long conflict left the world in ruins, limping along a fragile road to recovery. Tattered governments and towering megacorporations now divide the wounded Earth between them. Crime festers. Outlaws return to the only way of life they've ever known. Even under the "protection" of mercenary giants like Kranos Incorporated, peace remains a distant dream. In this broken world, survival is no different than it was during the war.
Amid the newly terraformed West Saharan Steppe, 21-year-old wayfinder Jay Harlow scrapes together a living with his aging Uncle and adopted sister, Kiera. Uncle, once a legendary war vet and wayfinder himself, is too old to keep up—but Jay has plans. Big ones. With charm, grit, and reckless ambition, he's preparing for a heist that could change enough credits to buy safety, freedom, and a place in history.
On a job in the neon tourist sprawl of New Marrakesh, Jay crosses paths with Richard Willon, an overly enthusiastic outsider with deep pockets and bigger dreams. The bastard son of a wealthy technocrat, Richard wants to live like the old-world cowboys he read about in books. Jay, sensing an opportunity, reluctantly agrees to show him the frontier. Neither realizes how far this deal will carry them—or what it will cost.
Meanwhile, a deadly assassin begins to question everything she's ever known. Raised inside the walls of Kranos Incorporated, she's been forged into a weapon—efficient, obedient, inhuman. But with every mission, her armor cracks. As her path converges with Jay's, something a flicker of connection, the possibility of something more than survival.
Silver Sahara is a soulful, character-driven cyberpunk western—a tale of outlaws, corporate killers, and forgotten lands where the future is still up for grabs. Brutal, tender, and rich with philosophy, it asks what it means to find your place in a world built to keep you lost.
"It's a masterpiece... an adrenaline rush of high literary tact and unprecedented subtlety..."
"Familiar in the sense that your characters are timeless--utterly timeless! That is the word I keep coming back to that I felt echoing in my mind while reading..."
Amid the newly terraformed West Saharan Steppe, 21-year-old wayfinder Jay Harlow scrapes together a living with his aging Uncle and adopted sister, Kiera. Uncle, once a legendary war vet and wayfinder himself, is too old to keep up—but Jay has plans. Big ones. With charm, grit, and reckless ambition, he's preparing for a heist that could change enough credits to buy safety, freedom, and a place in history.
On a job in the neon tourist sprawl of New Marrakesh, Jay crosses paths with Richard Willon, an overly enthusiastic outsider with deep pockets and bigger dreams. The bastard son of a wealthy technocrat, Richard wants to live like the old-world cowboys he read about in books. Jay, sensing an opportunity, reluctantly agrees to show him the frontier. Neither realizes how far this deal will carry them—or what it will cost.
Meanwhile, a deadly assassin begins to question everything she's ever known. Raised inside the walls of Kranos Incorporated, she's been forged into a weapon—efficient, obedient, inhuman. But with every mission, her armor cracks. As her path converges with Jay's, something a flicker of connection, the possibility of something more than survival.
Silver Sahara is a soulful, character-driven cyberpunk western—a tale of outlaws, corporate killers, and forgotten lands where the future is still up for grabs. Brutal, tender, and rich with philosophy, it asks what it means to find your place in a world built to keep you lost.
"It's a masterpiece... an adrenaline rush of high literary tact and unprecedented subtlety..."
"Familiar in the sense that your characters are timeless--utterly timeless! That is the word I keep coming back to that I felt echoing in my mind while reading..."
412 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 27, 2025
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 5, 2026
The Silver Sahara by Jonathan Miner is a striking and atmospheric title that suggests themes of mystery, contrast, and discovery. The imagery of “silver” against the vast “Sahara” creates a strong visual tension, hinting at a narrative that may blend harsh environments with something rare, valuable, or hidden.
What stands out most is the evocative symbolism in the concept. The Sahara often represents isolation, survival, and endurance, while “silver” introduces ideas of value, rarity, or revelation. Together, they suggest a story that could explore hidden truths, personal journeys, or survival in challenging circumstances. It is a compelling and imaginative work with strong potential for readers who enjoy mysterious, atmospheric, and concept driven storytelling.
What stands out most is the evocative symbolism in the concept. The Sahara often represents isolation, survival, and endurance, while “silver” introduces ideas of value, rarity, or revelation. Together, they suggest a story that could explore hidden truths, personal journeys, or survival in challenging circumstances. It is a compelling and imaginative work with strong potential for readers who enjoy mysterious, atmospheric, and concept driven storytelling.
Displaying 1 of 1 review