The Mechanical Crown: coming soon
Embark on a new fantasy adventure from Simon K Jones
A lost explorer. A child slave. A princess.
An ancient shame to be kept secret.
A society on the edge of collapse.
The Mechanical Crown takes you to Lagonia, a huge valley hidden within a ring of impassable mountains. Cut off from the rest of the world, it is about to receive its first visitor for centuries.
How this works: This weekly serial is free to read or listen to. Subscribe to receive new episodes to your email inbox or within the Substack app. The reading experience is closer to watching a television show or reading a comic than it is to the classic novel. Episodes are accompanied by behind-the-scenes author notes and you get to witness the story coming together in real time.
About the author
Hi! I’m Simon and I’ve been writing serial fiction since 2015. That means I publish my stories week-by-week, to your inbox. Previous works include A Day of Faces, No Adults Allowed and Tales from the Triverse. I publish the weekly Write More newsletter about writing, productivity, technology and others bits and pieces.
This is the Reforged edition of The Mechanical Crown. If you’ve read an earlier version, if you think you know the story…expect the unexpected.
Season 1: ‘Harbinger’
Survival / Relics: 2-episode premiere, 7 August 2026
Before the drop
Machinery of state
Cry of the worker
Ring of chalk
The city on the hills
Appearances
Promises and favours
Melt
All seasons end
The Ice Runner
Blind Faith
Harbinger
Rumours and lies
Arranging the board
More of my stories
Tales from the Triverse story index
If you’re looking for my non-fiction writing guides, video tutorials and community discussions, you can find the most popular articles here!