After the Fall
Will be published approx. on 18. June 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
304 pages
978-1-83786-749-3 (ISBN)
Description
One hundred and twenty years after The Fall, and a hundred years after the grays swept in to pick over the last dregs of humanity, John has found himself bonded to Martok Barden nee Black Hand, one of the "good" grays. Sure, Martok is broke, homeless, and borderline manic, but he's always treated John like an actual person, and sometimes like a friend.
But when Martok puts John's bond up as collateral against a house in the woods that he hopes to turn into a wilderness retreat for wealthy grays, John learns that there are limits to Martok's friendship. Soon he finds himself caught between an underworld boss, a girl raised by feral humans who has nothing but contempt for John, and Martok himself, whose delusions of grandeur seem to be finally catching up with him.
Oh, and something in the woods has been killing people.
John has sixty days to buy back his life before Martok's loan comes due, all while avoiding getting butchered by feral humans, killed by the thing in the woods or having his head crushed by an angry gray. Easy peasy, right?
But when Martok puts John's bond up as collateral against a house in the woods that he hopes to turn into a wilderness retreat for wealthy grays, John learns that there are limits to Martok's friendship. Soon he finds himself caught between an underworld boss, a girl raised by feral humans who has nothing but contempt for John, and Martok himself, whose delusions of grandeur seem to be finally catching up with him.
Oh, and something in the woods has been killing people.
John has sixty days to buy back his life before Martok's loan comes due, all while avoiding getting butchered by feral humans, killed by the thing in the woods or having his head crushed by an angry gray. Easy peasy, right?
Reviews / Votes
"If John Steinbeck had written a novel of a post-alien invasion, it might very well look like Edward Ashton's After The Fall. It is a story of struggling to survive by wit, luck, and dogged determination. It is also equally as harrowing as it is hilarious-a balancing act that few dare try and even fewer can pull off. I didn't want the book to end. I would've happily followed John and Martok anywhere. I miss them already." -James Rollins, #1 New York Times bestseller of the Moonfall Saga "The best buddy road trip dramedy about a guy and his bumbling alien overlord you'll read all year. Bad decisions and deep existential questions co-exist on this thoroughly enjoyable quest to build a true found family-and maybe even a new sort of civilization." -Tina Connolly, Hugo-nominated author of Ironskin "Enormously engaging. Ashton carefully pieces together a fascinating world full of entertaining characters and intriguing mysteries." -Adrian Tchaikovsky, Arthur C. Clarke award-winning author "Classic Ashton, comedic, bizarre, and thoughtful in equal measure, poking at complicated questions of humanity and our own relationships with one another." -Reactor "[A] thoughtful, compelling story." -Library Journal "Ashton's world-building is flawless, and his characters are delightful... With its unique take on the post-apocalyptic, alien-invasion themes and the unusual, sometimes buddy-comedy style relationship between its lead characters, the book will have Ashton's regular readers cheering, and it'll send newcomers looking for more books by this one-of-a-kind storyteller." ?BooklistMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Nottingham
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Rebellion Publishing Ltd.
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 128 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-83786-749-3 (9781837867493)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Edward Ashton (he/him) is the author of the novels Three Days in April, The End of Ordinary, Mickey7, Antimatter Blues, Mal Goes to War, and The Fourth Consort, as well as of short stories which have appeared in venues ranging from the newsletter of an Italian sausage company to Escape Pod, Analog, and Fireside Fiction. He lives in a cabin on the shore of an inland sea, where he enjoys cancer research, teaching quantum physics to sullen graduate students, and whittling.