The Animals of Troyes

There are places where you would like to stay. Troyes is one of them.

Eleven thousand years after the fall of humanity, Europe has once again become a land of dense forests, clear rivers and vast landscapes. Nature has reclaimed the world. Humans exist only as a distant memory.

On this new Earth, canids, horses, mice, eagles and many other animal peoples live side by side. They speak the same language, learn from one another and share the belief that every living being is part of a greater whole. Their coexistence is sustained by Gaia - the living memory of the Earth, which connects all creatures with one another.

For sixteen-year-old canid Dunny, this world seems perfect. But one day, mysterious fish creatures emerge from the sea. At the same time, Gaia falls silent. Without her unifying power, even peaceful neighbours begin to quarrel, mistrust and fear spread, and the harmonious balance starts to crumble.

Together with his friends, Dunny sets out on a journey that takes him as far as the Arctic Circle, across the Mediterranean and to the Pyramids of Giza. Along the way, they encounter ancient traces of vanished humanity, mysterious beings and a world that has become as beautiful as it is dangerous. Yet their journey is not only about the struggle against an unknown enemy, but also about the question of whether friendship, trust and compassion are strong enough to hold an entire world together.

The Animals of Troyes is an unusual novel for adults. It combines fantasy, adventure and philosophical questions in a story about responsibility, hope and the value of a peaceful community. Around 200 specially created watercolour illustrations accompany the story, bringing text and image together to form a single narrative.

The novel also marks the beginning of an international journey into the world of Troyes. Alongside the original German edition, French, English and Spanish editions will be published at the end of September 2026.