When Alex met Nick

The books Ashfall and Everlost are quite different in terms of genre. Ashfall is dystopian fiction, while Everlost  is more magic realism. However, the main characters in both, Alex and Nick respectively, both could be considered epic heroes. They are similar because they both go on journeys. Alex goes on a journey through the ash to his family in Warren, Illinois, while Nick goes on a journey with his friend Allie to explore the land of Everlost. Also, while on their journeys, they meet ladies that they begin to like. Alex meets Darla, a simple farm girl who lives out in the fields trying to survive the ashfall. Nick meets Mary, a seemingly innocent lady who is the self-proclaimed Queen of Everlost (but really she's not). So beneath the ash, these characters are actually quite similar.