In this kaleidoscopic voyage through the past, present, and future of the United States, a young girl uncovers a secret society, a middle-aged man searches for his lost first love, a group of teens invent a role-playing game, protests threaten to topple the government, and an eccentric lawyer and his young Vietnamese protégée re-open a dormant case.

This atmospheric tale, at turns gothic, poetic, cerebral, and funny, ranges from rural Upstate New York to the far reaches of the Zebulon Galaxy, from the 1700s to the fourth decade of the 21st century.

Includes 66 full-page b&w illustrations by the author, maps, an appendix with a timeline, and a reading group guide.

In a near-future America, on the eve of revolution, a message pops up on a screen, “Can you help me?”­ Then it, and its sender, June, disappear.

June’s disappearance prompts a visit back to the narrator’s rural, Upstate New York hometown, and a reconstruction of their shared past in the early 90s, when he and his group of friends created their own roleplaying adventure in a clubhouse on a dilapidating farm. It was June’s entry into their group that made all their game-playing real, and embroiled the teens in a great mystery, starting with the strange, serpent-headed key that flashed gold on custodian Clyde Duane’s copious key ring, and spiraled outward—connecting their town’s hidden past to a movement that could change everything about the way we live.

Populated by a fantastic cast of characters, this captivating book stands at the intersection of philosophy and adventure.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.