In a far-future France reverted to medieval ways, a traveling theater troupe is tasked with delivering a mysterious box to the Imperator, only to discover it contains an ancient intelligence that tests their loyalties and humanity. Blending science fiction and fantasy, the novella explores the dangers of forgotten technology, the power of stories, and the moral costs of creative ambition in a world haunted by its own past.

Reader Review Summary

Set in a distant, post-apocalyptic future where society has regressed to a quasi-medieval state, the novella follows a troupe of traveling performers as they journey across France, performing plays in various towns. The story begins when the group encounters a dying soldier who entrusts them with a mysterious box, instructing them to deliver it to the Imperator in Avignon. The troupe’s leader, Master Guillaume, becomes increasingly obsessed with the box’s contents, while Rufus, a young thief-turned-actor indebted to Guillaume, is drawn into a web of secrets, manipulation, and ancient technology. The world is depicted as one where remnants of advanced technology are treated as relics or even magical artifacts, and the encroaching, supernatural Wald forest and the enigmatic Empty Knight add a sense of threat and atmosphere. The narrative is told primarily from Rufus’s perspective, blending elements of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and coming-of-age, with themes touching on loyalty, the dangers of unchecked ambition, and anxieties about artificial intelligence and creativity.

Readers frequently praised the novella’s atmospheric worldbuilding, noting the effective blend of medieval and science fiction elements, such as the presence of mammoths, dodo birds, and advanced technology perceived as magic. The pacing was described as quick and engaging, with many finding the story easy to read in a single sitting. The central mystery surrounding the box and its ancient intelligence was highlighted as a compelling driver of tension and intrigue. Several reviewers appreciated the focus on the theater troupe’s dynamics, the nuanced exploration of technological anxieties—especially regarding generative AI—and the way the narrative gradually revealed the setting’s history through small details and offhand comments. The prose was often described as smooth and evocative, and the novella drew favorable comparisons to works like Station Eleven, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and the Dying Earth subgenre.

Some readers expressed disappointment with the novella’s brevity, feeling that the short length limited character development, especially for secondary members of the troupe. Several reviews noted that the side characters felt flat or underdeveloped, and that the story left many aspects of the world and its history unexplained. A few readers found the ending unsatisfying or abrupt, wishing for a more impactful conclusion or greater narrative closure. There were also comments about the writing style being too plain or lacking the whimsical, descriptive quality expected from the setting, and some found it difficult to visualize the world or fully grasp the timeline due to sparse exposition.

The book is scheduled for release on July 22, 2025, by Subterranean Press, with a cover illustration by Andrew Davis. It has received an average rating of 4.05 out of 5 from 86 ratings and 57 full reviews. The novella is categorized under fantasy, science fiction, and fiction, and is written by Alastair Reynolds, who is known for his space opera and hard science fiction but here explores a cross-genre, post-technological setting. The narrative structure, use of unreliable narration, and focus on themes of creativity, memory, and the consequences of technological legacy are frequently mentioned. Multiple reviewers expressed interest in seeing more stories set in this universe, and the book’s release has generated discussion about its relevance to current debates on AI and creative industries.