12/05/2022
Roman’s debut is an apocalyptic story of anarchy and chaos upending America. Will Watson and Mark Mercotti are Vietnam vets and good friends, with a shared interest in UFOs and government secrecy—and at least one long-ago betrayal between them soon to be revealed. When Will lands a teaching job at Swenson College in Springvale, New Hampshire, he’s attracted to Kimiko Tanimoto, the new Korean-Japanese teaching assistant, in spite of the difference in their ages. With the government threatening to tighten gun laws, the residents of Springvale form the Liberty Militia to defend their right to own firearms, as the federal government lurches toward becoming a police state amidst a global conflict. The novel finds this trio, circa the turn of the millennium, striving to survive as their world dies.
Distinguished by sparkling prose and an immersive narrative style, Roman’s story of liberty and revolution offers readers more than a vision of an American dystopia and a terrifying global conflict, reflecting the faultlines of real-world politics. His descriptions of the state’s increasing encroachment on civil liberties have persuasive power, as does his plausible portrayal of the failure of governance and a gradual descent into anarchy. The subtle hints of Mark’s attraction for Will and Kimiko’s understated disapproval, perhaps instinctively sensing him as a rival, highlight a nuanced, even elegant portrayal of a relationship. Also delightful is the author’s depiction of petty rivalries in the English department.
“This is the story of survival, consummate survival,” narrator Watson announces early on, and Of Ashes and Dust assuredly is that, though its interests range widely, digging into UFO conspiracies, shocking secrets from the Vietnam era, and the urgent pain of facing grief and guilt. The novel's unclassifiable, memorable, and offers, by its jolting end, surprisingly definitive answers about great coverups of the late 20th century. Will’s not always likable, but he is compelling.
Takeaway: A realistic and captivating novel about three people and their struggle to survive an apocalypse.
Great for fans of: Ben H. Winters’s The Last Policeman, Omar El Akkad’s American War.
Production grades Cover: A Design and typography: A Illustrations: N/A Editing: A Marketing copy: A
