First published 1997
Dr. Faust stands in his Wittenberg study, feeding his precious books to the flames. His vast learning means nothing against human ignorance and superstition. In this moment of deepest despair, a voice calls his name. Mephistopheles appears with an offer: unlimited knowledge in exchange for his soul. The wisdom this Devil provides extends far beyond medieval understanding. Faust learns the secrets of flight, technology, economics, medicine, and atomic structure. He reshapes the world according to his vision, bringing mechanization centuries early. But knowledge comes with consequences. As Faust's innovations transform civilization, his love for his creations and for a woman named Margarete becomes his downfall. The story follows the ripple effects of his Faustian bargain forward through time, revealing what his premature progress has cost humanity by the dawn of the new millennium.
Genres: science-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, fantasy, 21st-century, alternate-history
Vibes: dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: consequences, downfall, premature-progress
Setting: Wittenberg
Period: Medieval, New Millennium
337 pages · Hardcover · Avon Books
Content warnings: death, violence