Can artificial intelligence write a novel? In 2174, authors are obsolete. With the exception of a few human "author" titles printed in the small basement and back room libraries, all stories are created by the Artificial Intelligence of the Archive. Most believe the "authors" are only brands to lure people into spending their credits on print. One woman believes that one of them, author Hugh Howey, is real and still alive. Her librarian feeds her belief that Hugh Howey is still sailing around the world, uploading his work to the archive. Convinced she has found clues in his stories as to where he now resides, she and her girlfriend sail to an island where she believes Hugh Howey lives.