Death favors no one.

In the bustling industrial cities of Victorian America, soot clouds darken the skies, plaguing citizens with black lung. Rich or poor, young or old, no matter their station, no one can escape the life-threatening disease, and the West family is no exception.

Struggling to survive, Lizzy's family flees to the New Territories, seeking refuge for her ailing mother, only to discover more devastation awaits them.

As the world crumbles, Marshal Cunningham fights to keep the town of Sagebrush in order and the demons in his past at bay. Lizzy bears scars of her own, and the grim realities of this turbulent world challenge her at every turn. Yet, with each violent storm and gut-wrenching truth, hope sparks anew, and these two strangers find solace in the most unexpected place.

In this gritty, emotional tale of love, perseverance, and second chances, Borne of Sand and Scorn sets the tone for the epic gaslamp dystopian adventures in the Forgotten Lands Series.

Suggested Reading order:

Dust and Shadow

Earth and Ember

Tide and Tempest

Borne of Sand and Scorn (prequel)

Ruined Lands sister series (Folklore and Fairy Tale Retellings):

City of Ruin (Beauty and the Beast)

Sea of Storms (Norse Mythology)

Land of Fury (Norse Snow White and the Huntsman)