Reviewing the Helvetican Renaissance

Imagine if there was only one copy of a book as vital as the Bible or the Koran or the Torah are to their cultures. In “Events Preceding the Helvetican Renaissance” by John Kessel, The Abandonment is the Caslonian Empire’s Bible. The Abandonment is a series of plays documenting mankind’s rebirth after a temporary extinction. And yes, there is only one copy. There are no recordings of The Abandonment’s performances and actors prepare for the play through special methods which cause them to forget the parts they played after the performance ends.

The Pujmanian Order on the enslaved world of Helvetica sends the monk Adlan on a mission to Caslonian home world where The Abandonment’s only copy resides in the Imperial Archives. Adlan believes that he hears the gods’ voices in his head. Often the voices prove right, but even when their advice seems doubtful, there is room to believe they might have been right after all. For instance, as Adlan attempts to slip off the Caslonian home world, the voices tell him to run through the Imperial City, which draws attention. Then they tell him to dawdle at the city’s space port. Yet that advice gets Adlan to a weapon and a hostage. Adlan is highly trained in martial arts and infiltration. He uses these abilities to break into the Imperial Archives. Further special training allows Adlan to memorize The Abandonment. After doing so, he destroys the written copy. Thus Adlan becomes the only copy of the Caslonian Empire’s sacred text.

If Adlan can reach the Pujmanian monastery on Helvetica, the Order would have him (and The Abandonment) as a hostage, giving them the leverage to demand Helvetica’s freedom. However, someone close to Adlan questions the mission’s purpose. They tell Adlan that even if it causes the Caslonians to destroy Helvetica in retaliation, mankind would be better off if it were freed from the gods. This freedom could result from the permanent loss of The Abandonment. Adlan must make a quick decision which he’ll wonder about years later. “If I have done wrong, it is not for me to judge.” (The Year's Best Science Fiction 27, 54)

On final note: During Adlan’s flight, there are scenes in an underground city which reminds me of an underground city which appeared in one of Harry Harrison and Dan Barry’s stories for the Flash Gordon newspaper strip. If I manage to unearth the story one day, I’ll either edit this post or add further information in the comments section.