Scablands (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780578948119)

In the post-apocalyptic ruins of Midwestern America, former military man Ashur Stanton finds steady pay as an expeditionary soldier, taking the jobs others aren't crazy enough to take. He's become something of a folk legend, earning himself a reputation in the badlands for being brutal, cunning, and an all around expert at life in the wastes.

In the ten years since the global holocaust, he has gone from being a government goon, to a wasteland ranger, to a freelance expeditionist. He spends his days in the bars of Tavern Springs, waiting for work to come in. Things change when he rescues a hapless youth. She's heard the campfire stories about his time in the Rangers and she's spellbound. She wants to lead a life like his. They endure dangers from raiders, rogue lawmen, mercenaries, and the inhospitable wasteland all while he imparts to her the trade skills he's learned throughout his life as an adventurer.