Author Dan Williams

As World War II collapses into its final days, American colonel Holger Toftoy is ordered to secure the German scientists and technology behind Hitler’s deadly V-2 rocket before the Soviets can reach them. But beneath the race lies a darker truth: the rockets were built by prisoners worked to death inside the tunnels of Mittelwerk. Pursued by Soviet intelligence and a fanatical SS officer, Toftoy must decide whether America’s future—and its path to the moon—can be built with knowledge born from unimaginable suffering.

4-Star Major General David Petraeus, U.S. Army

“"A riveting, beautifully crafted novel that captures both the drama and the moral ambiguity of one of history's most extraordinary moments. With vivid characters, meticulous research, and exceptional storytelling, Dan Williams brings Operation Paperclip and the race for Germany's rocket scientists to life in a way that is both gripping and profoundly thought-provoking. Always the Stars, Never the Ashes is an outstanding work of historical fiction that illuminates not only the origins of the Space Age, but also the enduring tension between scientific achievement, national security, and moral responsibility."

General David Petraeus, U.S. Army, former Commander of the Surge in Iraq, U.S. Central Command, and Coalition Forces in Afghanistan; former Director of the CIA; co-author of the best-selling Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Gaza.