Medieval-horror sci-fi? Say no more!

A theatre troupe is tasked with transporting a terrifying artifact across a medieval dystopian France. Technology is long dead, but hubris is still very much alive. Alastair Reynolds has written a novella that will be especially effective for anyone who shares anxieties about the rise of artificial intelligence and the potential downfall of civilization.

A good measure of my enjoyment is whether I’m motivated to read more from an author, and I can say without hesitation that I am shamefully late to the Reynolds party.

We follow a troupe of actors as they travel via horse drawn wagons to various taverns and towns to put on their shows. In their travels the group happens upon a dying man with a priceless possession in a box, he tasks the troupe with taking it on to the Imperator but warns them to never open the box.

Our narrator Rufus is a young man who holds his master in high regard, the master is an elderly playwright who is struggling to create new works.
From the publisher description: "When Rufus overhears strange conversations between his Master Guillaume and the thing in the box, he must choose between his loyalty to the man who saved him from the noose and fear of the ancient intelligence working in their midst."
This right here is what caught my attention and was the reason I wanted to read - this part did NOT disappoint! I loved this reveal and the backstory of it.

This was a really interesting START to an epic world build. I would have loved for this book to be longer so we could uncover some of the mysteries of the world which seems to be earth but 700+ years into the future where things have reverted back to an almost medieval time.

Mostly, I just wanted MORE from this book. I know it's a novella and maybe I'm realizing that I'm just not into novellas. But this book had POTENTIAL. I enjoyed though, it was a quick easy read. The sci-fi elements blended with a fantasy setting was really fun. I'd love for Alastair Reynolds to come back to this future world again in a more epic size, the troupe of actors were be really interesting characters but I didn't have enough time to develop a love for them here.

Thank you NetGalley and Subterranean Press for this ARC!

My Goodreads review: 4.5. A delightful surprise—I requested this from net galley because of the title, and because I’d liked reynolds earlier works, even though his later books attracted me less. But this is a fabulous novella! A somewhat dark mystery set in a medieval France of the future, slightly reminiscent of Gene Wolfe, which is high praise indeed. I can only wish he’d fleshed this out into a full novel—or returns to this setting in the future.

I saw the description for this story and I knew I had to try it out. I'm not a big scifi fan but if you throw a really cool concept with it then I'll at least take a peak at it. And I'm so glad I did because this was a fun little read!

I haven't read any of Reynolds' other books but I have seen them in my local bookstore so I know he writes a lot of scifi epic style novels so when he blended genres with medieval fantasy I wasn't so sure how I would like it. But he really delivered with this story. I enjoyed the writing and the language; it felt like I was reading a classical medieval folk tale with futuristic weaponry and terms sprinkled throughout. The way he uses casual allusion for the scifi elements made it feel more natural and flowed smoothly so as not to break the immersion in the world.

I liked the characters, I would have liked more from all of them but they serve their purpose in this short story. I would have liked to see more from Bernard and Guy before the tension builds later on; it feels like there could have been more of their relationship before things take a turn.

And with the nature of novellas I'm left wanting so much more. I don't want to spoil anything but there's so many things introduced to us that I'm dying for an expanded series in this world we were presented with.

Thank you NetGalley and Subterranean Press for this ARC, I really enjoyed this one!

A very quick read--almost too quick. I felt that I was unable to connect to a lot of the characters and was not really invested in the plot or main story points. It felt that a lot of situations went in the protagonists character, which is probably a main factor in why the book is so short. It felt a little too convenient for the characters. There was not a lot of major character growth because the solutions to a lot of the problems in the book were all but handed to the characters. If you are looking for a quick book to read at the beach or on a flight, this is pretty good, but otherwise, I would probably pass on this book.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for early copy for review*

Unfortunately this novella did not have interesting enough characters or plot to satisfy me.

I really loved the idea and premise of this book. The traveling theatre troupe in a future world that feels like medievals times. I think ultimately I wanted to live in this world longer and needed more world building. The characters were hard to connect with, but I still loved the story.

I am not quite sure what to think of this book, it was enjoyable to read but I was confused a lot of the time! I thought it was going to be more of a Sci-Fi twisty-bendy time traveling romp, but instead it was more of a straightforward "adventure" of a traveling group of actors, some intrigue with a head that gives people special writing prowess, and then a murder by dagger in order to save the head and it's special powers. I liked that it was a quick read and atmopspheric, but it was so short that some exposition would have been helpful just to know what was going on!

This is such a fun short read. Fast-paced, plot is fun and great, there’s no confusing areas - loved it!!

The Dagger in Vichy is a short novel in a blended genre (medieval vibes sci-fi) about how people will change themselves to make their dreams come true and what they lose when they do.

It's Alastair Reynolds. The writing is quick, textured, a bit touched with horror. Think Avi's Crispin: The Cross of Lead. Reynolds writes mostly sci-fi, but the best I've seen of him is his cross-genre stuff (reading Eversion is a before/after moment in my life), and this little book is another gem.

I'm trying to write around spoilers here, so this is a bit vague, but I think it's actually the coolest thing going on in this book: the discussion of dependence on technology to make come true what should not come true is so sharp. It's not heavy-handed, but it's the heart of the story, and I found this a valuable contribution to my ongoing thinking about the role generative AI plays in the collapse of how we understand what it means to be human.

I received an ARC for this book (can't believe my fortune!) via NetGalley. It releases Oct. 31, 2025. Read it if you can!

Flat characters, weird allegory for the dangers of AI, all around did not enjoy this. My favorite part was my brain casting Sean Bean as Guillaume and Eddie Redmayne as Rufus.

The beginnings of this novella are seemingly innocuous: members of a medieval future theater troupe need to stop for a piss. There, they find a wounded, dying soldier who entrusts them with a box for the Imperator. Master Guillaume finds himself enraptured by the mysterious contents it holds. Rufus, the thief Guillaume saved from punishment of his crimes, finds himself a conflicted participant in his savior’s questionably moral plot with that mystery within. The troupe travels their performance route, and other than narrator Rufus, they remain unaware of their trusted leader’s entrancement with the contents not meant for his, or any of their, eyes.
A story that begins simply quickly evolves into a complex story of loyalty amidst betrayal, of mortal folly, of the intensely human desire to be remembered. This story holds a glorious weight, an enthralling, timeless energy I won’t soon forget.
In all honesty, I struggled to keep track of the roles of side characters (such as Ida, Rosemary, and Faustin, members of the troupe not-so-instrumental or central as Guillaume, Rufus, and Bernard); however, this may largely have to do with my devouring this novella with fervor and wouldn’t give much complaint to this regard. Each character has their role to play, after all.
A heartfelt thanks to @SubPress via NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read this beautiful work of fantasy-laden science fiction. I give this one a solid five stars. I look forward to reading it again sometime in the future and happily recommend it to my fellow bookworms.

The Dagger in Vichy is a masterfully written tale of resistance, betrayal, and the high cost of loyalty. With vivid prose and meticulous historical detail, the novel immerses the reader in a world where every glance carries danger and every choice could mean life or death.

The protagonist is compelling—complex, courageous, and constantly torn between survival and sacrifice. Through their journey, the novel explores the moral ambiguity of war and the quiet heroism of those who choose to resist from the shadows. Each chapter builds with slow-burning tension, leading to moments that are as heartbreaking as they are unforgettable.

What sets The Dagger in Vichy apart is its ability to balance personal intimacy with the sweeping weight of history. Love, loss, and the human capacity for resilience are all woven seamlessly into the narrative, making this more than just a war story—it’s a deeply human one

This is a quick, exciting read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction AND sci-fi. Set in a far distant future wherein humanity has regressed to a more medieval way of life, and what we currently consider 'modern technology' is viewed as some sort of magic, this fast paced novella leaves you wanting more.

Personally, it reminded me a little of Station Eleven, but with a lighter tone, with richly developed characters, and world building. I would love to see this fleshed out into a novel series — one that I would be very interested in reading!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to enjoy this ARC.

Thank you so much for approving me for this arc. I really enjoyed the setting of this story and how fast paced it was! I enjoy the blend of futuristic sci-fi and medieval France and found myself immersed in the world right from the beginning. Even though it was short I am eager to read the final version when it’s released. I think it’s much more difficult to get the reader engaged and interested in characters when it’s a shorter novel but I had no trouble with finding myself enjoying their dialogue and interactions throughout the story.

This was a very quick paced, short read set in a future society that has regressed to something resembling medieval times. I really appreciated how unique this setting was, as it was cool to see the vestiges of current technology feel like magic. I’ve never read medieval science fiction before, so if anyone has additional recs like that.

Importantly, despite this being a novella, the characters felt well developed and compelling, and the plot felt full. The troupe of actors, the mystery of the dying soldier’s box, and the setting culminated in a really enjoyable read. I look forward to reading the final published version this fall, and highly recommend this to folks looking for an exceptionally well-written, short sci fi.

The Dagger in Vichy was such an interesting read. Set in a time when technologies have been lost. When the world feels so old and yet so far in the future. I enjoyed the characters and the dynamics they had. It was fast paced, but didn't feel rushed. Being a novella felt like just the right choice for this story. It was interesting piecing together the clues throughout the piece. Overall a really good read!

Well this was a delight. I have been asking the universe for something to follow up Nicked by MT Anderson, and The Dagger in Vichy manages to capture the irreverent, goofy tone and medieval (ish) setting I've been looking for.

Young actor Rufus serves as narrator and observer of events befalling his travelling theater troupe after a chance encounter saddles them with a quest to deliver a mysterious package. I had a lot of fun reading this. I didn't know much about the setting to start beyond my assumptions based on the cover, so I had fun picking up the cues that this was not, in fact, taking place in medieval France, despite the similarities. The characterizations were not very deep, but I didn't mind because the pacing was good. In fact I thought the archetypal characters lent themselves to a stage play sort of feel, which I appreciated. The story touches a little bit on plagiarism and generative AI, but in my opinion is best enjoyed for the medieval sci-fi romp that it is.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was really compelling for a novella. The length actually did credit to the story. It didn't feel overly drawn out, like it would've as a novel, nor was it too short or feeling like it was missing something. It was fast paced with an eery feeling as a troupe travels through France in the far future. I loved the blend of the sci-fi, post apocalyptic world with an almost medieval feel to it. It felt whimsical and fresh, but also nostalgic, like a story you heard as a child. I couldn't put it down. I'll be keeping an eye out for Alastair Reynolds in the future.

[Thank you to Net Galley for the advance copy of this book.] This novella opens with a troupe of performers traveling through what at first appears to be medieval France, what with the presence of knights and traveling by horse-drawn wagon. But once their playwright agrees to transport a mysterious object, the story tip-toes into both fantasy and sci-fi to tell a story spanning centuries that culminates in a tragedy that, even with all the foreshadowing, feels like a punch to the gut. Our characters, the players in their own play, reckon with the consequences of greed and betrayal. All the while, in the background and eventually within grasp, a magical forest rapidly encroaches and threatens to overtake the land. It reminded me a little of Ser Gawain and the Green Knight. This was a great little afternoon read with a lot of world building and messaging that I would definitely recommend to lovers of sci fi, fantasy, and horror alike!