Rise from the Ashes: Book 1 in the From the Ashes seriesThe old legends spoke of an age when countless worlds were linked by the stars-until a devastating war against a mysterious enemy shattered an interstellar civilisation and plunged every surviving colony into darkness. Most dismissed the stories as myth.They were wrong.When an experimental propulsion engine accidentally opens a path to another star, the crew of the exploration vessel Pathfinder become the first humans to leave their home system in four millennia. Expecting to find barren worlds, they instead discover something impossible.Another Home. Another humanity.A forgotten colony where civilisation has slowly risen from the ashes of the ancient collapse.Their mission is simple: observe, learn, and make peaceful contact.Their intentions are noble.Their compassion is genuine.Their mistake is believing that good intentions are enough.A single repaired tool changes an economy. A life-saving medicine reshapes society. A handful of gifts sparks political upheaval. Invisible diseases cross between worlds. Ancient fears awaken. Within a few short years, an entire civilisation begins to collapse-not through conquest or malice, but through the unintended consequences of first contact.As humanity watches in horror from orbit, the greatest discovery in its history becomes its greatest tragedy.Rise from the Ashes is the powerful opening novel in an epic new science fiction series that combines the wonder of classic space exploration with the moral complexity of first contact. Blending sweeping hard science fiction, archaeology, lost civilisations and unforgettable human drama, it explores one haunting question:What if the greatest danger to an emerging civilisation... is us?Perfect for readers who enjoy thoughtful science fiction in the tradition of The Expanse, Children of Time, The Forever War, Rendezvous with Rama, and the exploration-driven storytelling of Star Trek-this is a story of discovery, responsibility, and the terrible price of knowledge.The stars are waiting.Some doors, once opened, can never be closed.
