About this book
Frederik Pohl's "The Knights of Arthur" is a delightfully inventive science fiction novella that asks an audacious question: what if the future's most powerful tool fit inside a suitcase?
When sailors Sam Dunlap and Arthur check into a New York hotel, they become targets of interest for city officials desperate to recruit their unusual companion. Arthur isn't human—he's a sophisticated artificial intelligence that can run an entire city's operations through nothing more than typewriter keys. But in a world where such power is concentrated in one portable device, everyone wants a piece of the action, and Sam must navigate a treacherous landscape of competing interests, corporate schemes, and government pressure.
Originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction magazine in January 1958, this witty novella captures Pohl's signature blend of satirical social commentary and imaginative worldbuilding. Through Sam's wry narration, Pohl explores themes of technological dependence, power dynamics, and what it means to possess something everyone else desperately needs. The story's clever premise—that the most valuable asset can literally be carried away in luggage—serves as a commentary on mid-century anxieties about automation and control.
Perfect for fans of classic science fiction who appreciate sharp dialogue and thought-provoking premises, "The Knights of Arthur" remains a fascinating artifact of the Golden Age of science fiction that still resonates today.
