1899. The mood of fin-de-siècle Paris is one of the old order crumbling away, as ancient superstitions are replaced by scientific discoveries. The director of the Théâtre Tragicomique is intent on staging an updated version of Faust to usher in the new century -- and stave off bankruptcy. But some supernatural agency is determined to rewrite the play, striking dead every actor playing the part of Faust. Is it a manifestation of the Devil, as the superstitious believe, a bizarre side-effect of the universe making ways for new laws, as the positivists proclaim, or merely the magic of the theater? Brian M. Stableford has been a professional writer since 1965. He has published more than 60 science fiction and fantasy novels, as well as several authoritative non-fiction books. He is also translating the works of Paul Féval and other French writers of the fantastique for Black Coat Press which also published his most two recent fantasy novels: The Wayward Muse and The Stones of Camelot.