A Path of Ashes: The Path of Ashes, Book 1 by Brian Parker was an enjoyable book. The book starts with an elderly man talking to children, including his grandchildren, and telling the story of how the family got it’s name. The family name is Traxx. As he tells his story, the book goes back in time, to before, the before the apocalypse.

The two main characters are freshmen at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas. Both boys were signed to play baseball for the University. Aeric is from Springfield, Missouri and is glad to escape his overprotective parents. Tyler is from Lincoln, Nebraska and is hoping to escape the homophobia from his family. The two boys hit it off and settle into a routine of classes and baseball practice. Around them the world is sinking into chaos with various terror groups mounting weekly attacks but it does not really penetrate the boys’ lives.

One night the terror attacks are led by a local quasi-religious group called the Vultures. They manage to destroy most of the campus, take down the electrical grid and kill thousands of people in fires and violence. Aeric and Tyler decided to leave Austin while they can and head to Missouri and what they think will be the safety of his parents.

The story follows Aeric and Tyler as they change, not always for the better, in response to the dangerous world around them. When nuclear weapons take away any hope of return to normalcy, it becomes a darwinian struggle to survive and find a safe haven.

Stephen Bel Davies does a nice job narrating. His voice is a consistent level so there is no fiddling with the volume necessary. The production values are good. All in all, it is an enjoyable listen and a nice introduction to what looks to be a good series.

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