Summary
In The Knights of Arthur, Frederik Pohl crafts a satirical and darkly humorous science fiction tale set in a grim, post-apocalyptic America.
The story follows Bill, a drifter and scam artist navigating a fractured society ravaged by war, economic collapse, and social decay.
In this future, society has degenerated into loosely governed zones populated by con artists, outcasts, and the desperate. Bill stumbles upon an eccentric band of survivalists calling themselves “The Knights of Arthur,” led by a quirky, delusional man who believes himself to be the reincarnation of King Arthur.
Their mission?
To bring order and morality back to a world gone wrong—even if they don’t always understand the meaning of their ideals.
As Bill becomes entangled with this group, he’s torn between exploiting them and the possibility that perhaps, despite everything, there might still be hope for some kind of nobility—even in a shattered world.