The novel is set in the Northeastern United States some centuries after an atomic war ended high-technology civilization. The novel follows its title character, Davy (who grew up a ward of the state and thus has no last name) as he grows to manhood in a pseudo-medieval society dominated by a Church that actively suppresses technology, banning “anything that may contain atoms.” Davy begins as an indentured servant in an inn, but escapes, and most of the novel is concerned with his adventures. The book is written as though Davy himself were writing his memoirs, with footnotes by people who knew him.

Nominated for Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1965.