In the West, even silence has a cost.

In the shadow of the Davis Mountains, fifteen-year-old Emory Cade's quiet life is shattered when her brother vanishes as the Texas National Army is taking over the town. What begins as a desperate search for family leads Emory into a world of secrets buried beneath the desert stone-where soldiers guard a strange machine and rumors of something called Aether run like wildfire.

Drawn in by a woman who seems to know more than she says, Emory discovers that her bond with her brother is only the beginning of what ties her to the struggle. As reality begins to blur and the lines between truth and illusion bend, Emory must decide who she can trust-and how much of herself she's willing to risk.

The Westerners, prequel to West of Nowhere, is set in the uneasy years before the collapse.
For readers of Stephen King (The Dark Tower), Cormac McCarthy (No Country for Old Men/The Road), Emily St. John Mandel (Station Eleven), and for fans of The Last of Us -- a gritty blend of Western survival, military tension, and emerging sci-fi intrigue. A standalone novella that ties into the upcoming larger saga.

Read Next: West of Nowhere, the high velocity opening to a larger story in Emory's world (though she is not a character): lean, volatile, and unfinished by design. This first book drops readers into a collapsing world and doesn't stop to explain everything -- because judgment waits, and it will not be simple. The mystery deepens, the relationships evolve, and the true shape of the conflict only begins to reveal itself as the series unfolds -- the prologue to an epic modern western with dystopian and post-apocalyptic edges.

Content Advisory: This book contains strong language, graphic and sexual violence, and sexual content. It is intended for mature adult readers aged 18 and older. Certain language, attitudes, and depictions reflect the time period, setting, and perspectives of the characters -- not the beliefs or values of the author or press. These elements are included with care to portray authenticity, complexity, and the realities of prejudice, never to endorse them. Some scenes may be distressing or emotionally intense. Reader discretion is advised. All content is presented to serve character, theme, and truth -- to illuminate human experience, not to glorify harm.

Published by Death Do We Party Press
www.deathdoweparty.com

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• Literature & FictionGenre FictionWesternsContemporary
• Literature & FictionContemporary FictionContemporary
• Literature & FictionGenre FictionWesternsScience Fiction
• Literature & FictionShort StoriesSingle Authors

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• Print Length: 85 Pages
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