The Boulevard: Volume One (anthology)

 was the first anthology in the Faction Paradox: Worlds of the Spiral Politic series. It was published by Obverse Books on 1 June 2022.

Publisher's summary
The Boulevard (Faction Paradox: Location Unknown)

More formally, The Boulevard of Alternate Brutalities, the Boulevard is a Faction Paradox prison.

Physically, the Boulevard is, as the name suggests, a single broad street, stretching for an unknown distance in both directions, and lined on one side with a dense forest of oak trees.

Facing this forest is the prison itself, which is comprised of buildings lifted from throughout history at the moment of their destruction. This lifting extends to the street immediately outside each building, giving the Boulevard a patchwork appearance, and leading one time travelling visitor to describe the Boulevard as a 'funky Frankenstein's Monster of a place'.

Behind each doorway on the Boulevard there is a cell, containing a single prisoner. Each cell can extend to encompass anything from the traditional square concrete enclosure with barred windows, to an entire planet. It is believed that the Boulevard is controlled by an appointed Godfather and a cadre of Cousins, assisted by guards taken from certain of the more aggressive Lesser Species.

Although there has never been any formal proclamation regarding the purpose of the Boulevard, it is believed that the environment of each cell is tailored to the punishment – or, possibly but implausibly, the rehabilitation – of the individual imprisoned.

[from Apocrypha to The Book of the War]