The apocalypse happened 4000 years ago; now, a wild forest covers the world. Albert Todorov, an immigrant military prodigy, lives on an island, in the shadow of the forest. He loves Thomas Newton, a boy he can never marry. A new island civilization is blossoming, led by strange monks called the Adepts—who have power over matter and the mind—and their holy figures, the mysterious Old People. They plan to storm the forest, to tame it for civilization. The forest doesn't care. It is patient and vast. This is what happens. Walter Basho's first novel extends the patterns and practices of genre fiction to explore perception, identity, and culture. It is a science fantasy adventure, a coming-of-age story, a romance, and a meditation on what it means for the world to end.