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Harper's Justice #0.25
Ashes and Oaths
Four siblings. An outlaw father. One purifying fire sparked their thirst for justice.
The Harper name once struck fear in honest folk across the Arizona Territory. Now it strikes terror in outlaws.
Galen Harper’s children escaped his brutal reign and forged a new legacy—as Pinkerton agents, U.S. Marshals, Rangers, and prosecutors. They hunt down men just like the one who raised them.
But how does a family transform from shame to honor? From survival to purpose?
Retired Arizona Ranger Shane Harper sits by the fire with his grandchildren and tells them the truth. Stories about Christmas Eve 1880, when he was thirteen and responsible for keeping his younger siblings alive. About the blood-soaked rescue that finally set them free.
And finally, about one night when four siblings chose justice that would echo through three generations.
This is the origin story of the Harper's Justice series—where you'll discover the oath that changed everything.
"When justice is executed, it is a joy to the righteous but a terror to evildoers." —Proverbs 21:15
The Harper name once struck fear in honest folk across the Arizona Territory. Now it strikes terror in outlaws.
Galen Harper’s children escaped his brutal reign and forged a new legacy—as Pinkerton agents, U.S. Marshals, Rangers, and prosecutors. They hunt down men just like the one who raised them.
But how does a family transform from shame to honor? From survival to purpose?
Retired Arizona Ranger Shane Harper sits by the fire with his grandchildren and tells them the truth. Stories about Christmas Eve 1880, when he was thirteen and responsible for keeping his younger siblings alive. About the blood-soaked rescue that finally set them free.
And finally, about one night when four siblings chose justice that would echo through three generations.
This is the origin story of the Harper's Justice series—where you'll discover the oath that changed everything.
"When justice is executed, it is a joy to the righteous but a terror to evildoers." —Proverbs 21:15
Audible Audio
Published October 29, 2025
About the author
R.J. Sloane
6 books9 followersR.J. Sloane captures the raw spirit of the American frontier in action-packed westerns that don't shy away from the harsh realities of territorial justice. Drawing inspiration from modern classics like Longmire, Yellowstone, and Murdoch Mysteries, R.J.'s stories blend historical authenticity with the timeless struggle between law and lawlessness.
A passionate student of Southwest history, R.J. spends countless hours researching the legendary lawmen of the region—from the Arizona Rangers to the territorial marshals who tamed pivotal frontier towns like Phoenix, Tombstone, Prescott, and beyond. Growing up watching John Wayne, James Garner, and Clint Eastwood westerns with dad on lazy Sunday afternoons instilled a deep appreciation for authentic frontier storytelling. This combination of classic western influence and dedicated historical research brings depth and authenticity to every story.
The Harper Justice series follows a family of territorial lawmen as they navigate the dangerous transition from frontier chaos to civilized order, where doing what's right often means defying what's legal.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 4, 2026
8/03/26 Review:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
THIS IS NOT A STORY ABOUT ADVENTURE OR GLORY BUT A STORY OF THE STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL OF SIX KIDS
Ashes and Oaths by R.J. Sloane is the prequel to The Rustler Hunter: A Traditional Western Adventure (Harper Justice 1) and The Maverick Marshal: A Traditional Western Adventure (Harper Justice 2), a Christian Western Action Thriller that will touch your heart, hold your interest throughout, and inspire you to strive to be a better person even when faced with unbelievable evil and neglect brought on by those who should be providing, protecting, and showing compassion and love. It's a story of six neglected and abused kids who are determined to stand together to survive.
Shane Harper at thirteen years old is faced with becoming the man of the house to provide and protect his five siblings, Lilian twelve, Justine ten, Flynn four, and Ike who is under two years old. Sounds pretty bad right? It's worse than it looks just having to step up and support your younger siblings when you yourself are years before becoming a man. The Harper children aren't abandoned, so to speak, their father and his gang of criminals are around quite often though that doesn't mean Galen Harper, their father provides for them when he's at home, just the opposite. He and his gang stay in the barn, steal the limited food and resources from the children, physically abuse them, and as the girls mature the abuse gets worse.
Shane does everything in his power to provide and protect his brothers and sisters from their father. This is a well-written story of how Shane and the rest of the kids work together to keep each other alive through hunger, cold, and the evil that is brought into their lives by their father. The determination to grow into adults that are unlike their father who preys on the innocent stealing, rustling cattle and horses, murdering, and every other form of violence you can imagine. The six children chose to grow into adults that seek to serve "justice over vengeance", "protection over profit", and "they choose to fight for the way they wished someone had fought for them". The oath they take to live by is taken right out of the Bible; "when justice is executed, it's a joy to the righteous but a terror to evildoers". Through the hardships they faced as children, they grow into an unstoppable face that sets out to take on the evil of the world.
This is a story that I truly enjoyed reading and even though this book is the prequel to the Harper Justice series, it's a great book even if it's read out of sequence. I am usually more into action packed stories and it's not that this wasn't, generally I haven't spent much time reading Christian Westerns and though this is classified as one, it has its action, suspense, heart touching moments, and you'll find yourself wishing to step in yourself to help these kids out and beat the shit out of their father.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
THIS IS NOT A STORY ABOUT ADVENTURE OR GLORY BUT A STORY OF THE STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL OF SIX KIDS
Ashes and Oaths by R.J. Sloane is the prequel to The Rustler Hunter: A Traditional Western Adventure (Harper Justice 1) and The Maverick Marshal: A Traditional Western Adventure (Harper Justice 2), a Christian Western Action Thriller that will touch your heart, hold your interest throughout, and inspire you to strive to be a better person even when faced with unbelievable evil and neglect brought on by those who should be providing, protecting, and showing compassion and love. It's a story of six neglected and abused kids who are determined to stand together to survive.
Shane Harper at thirteen years old is faced with becoming the man of the house to provide and protect his five siblings, Lilian twelve, Justine ten, Flynn four, and Ike who is under two years old. Sounds pretty bad right? It's worse than it looks just having to step up and support your younger siblings when you yourself are years before becoming a man. The Harper children aren't abandoned, so to speak, their father and his gang of criminals are around quite often though that doesn't mean Galen Harper, their father provides for them when he's at home, just the opposite. He and his gang stay in the barn, steal the limited food and resources from the children, physically abuse them, and as the girls mature the abuse gets worse.
Shane does everything in his power to provide and protect his brothers and sisters from their father. This is a well-written story of how Shane and the rest of the kids work together to keep each other alive through hunger, cold, and the evil that is brought into their lives by their father. The determination to grow into adults that are unlike their father who preys on the innocent stealing, rustling cattle and horses, murdering, and every other form of violence you can imagine. The six children chose to grow into adults that seek to serve "justice over vengeance", "protection over profit", and "they choose to fight for the way they wished someone had fought for them". The oath they take to live by is taken right out of the Bible; "when justice is executed, it's a joy to the righteous but a terror to evildoers". Through the hardships they faced as children, they grow into an unstoppable face that sets out to take on the evil of the world.
This is a story that I truly enjoyed reading and even though this book is the prequel to the Harper Justice series, it's a great book even if it's read out of sequence. I am usually more into action packed stories and it's not that this wasn't, generally I haven't spent much time reading Christian Westerns and though this is classified as one, it has its action, suspense, heart touching moments, and you'll find yourself wishing to step in yourself to help these kids out and beat the shit out of their father.
April 23, 2026
If you love westerns, you will love this story. The author definitely gives it his all in a story about the Harper's who gave it their all.
It's a story of survival, trust, reliance and belief told around the fire to the grandchildren. This is a story which sets the background for the Harpers - who they are and the legend they become because of their start in life. It will tear your heart out and slam it back through the tears you shed for the stories that are told.
This is a story of the Harpers which should be on your must-read list, and must read now.
It's a story of survival, trust, reliance and belief told around the fire to the grandchildren. This is a story which sets the background for the Harpers - who they are and the legend they become because of their start in life. It will tear your heart out and slam it back through the tears you shed for the stories that are told.
This is a story of the Harpers which should be on your must-read list, and must read now.
January 28, 2026
Ashes and Oaths by RJ Sloane
Harper’s Justice Series Origins
A very unique story written from Shane Harper’s view. At thirteen, Shane realized he was responsible for keeping his five siblings alive. Mom died. Dad was a no-good-for-nothing criminal who brought his gang home. Bad men. Shane had three sisters whom he had to protect from those men. Shane also had to keep them all fed; his three sisters and two brothers, the youngest only two years old.
Shane is telling this story to his grandchildren. Letting them know where they came from. Their grandpa and three of his siblings were protectors: a ranger, a marshal, a Pinkerton agent, and a lawyer, because they wanted to be the opposite of Galen. Protectors and justice seekers.
I’m enjoying the series, and this background story filled in some of the details of their past that made them who they were in the books.
https://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com...
Harper’s Justice Series Origins
A very unique story written from Shane Harper’s view. At thirteen, Shane realized he was responsible for keeping his five siblings alive. Mom died. Dad was a no-good-for-nothing criminal who brought his gang home. Bad men. Shane had three sisters whom he had to protect from those men. Shane also had to keep them all fed; his three sisters and two brothers, the youngest only two years old.
Shane is telling this story to his grandchildren. Letting them know where they came from. Their grandpa and three of his siblings were protectors: a ranger, a marshal, a Pinkerton agent, and a lawyer, because they wanted to be the opposite of Galen. Protectors and justice seekers.
I’m enjoying the series, and this background story filled in some of the details of their past that made them who they were in the books.
https://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com...
March 30, 2026
I did enjoy this book, it is a very powerful story about six children surviving a cruel, uncaring father, ruthless men, and starvation. The story is told from the point of view of the oldest boy, 13 at the time of being abandoned, recounting everything that happened in his young years to his grandchildren in a cosy comfortable home, in front of the fire with his loving wife beside him. I could easily have given this book 5 stars - except that for me, the fact that it revolves around religion, prayer and faith to an extent that set my teeth on edge. Like book 1 in the series, the story is great, and a bit of religious faith would be understandable but it figures so much in these books they could be bible study stories or parables.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews