In this first chapter of The Road to Athenaeum trilogy, Mark J. Cliff blurs the line between Science Fiction and Classic Western. Hi-tech battles with Steam Technology in a world where airships rule the skies, and mechanized armies roam the landscape. We are shown an America of the year 2296, where two brothers struggle with their family's past. One will bring about drastic changes to ensure his place in history. The other will grapple with his loyalty to what has been left behind. It is in this The Little House on the Prairie meets The Terminator action story, that Mark J. Cliff creates sweeping vistas and humanistic characters which are ready for the silver screen.