Set in the mid-15th century, Gutenberg’s Apprentice fictionalizes the invention of the printing press through the eyes of Peter Schoeffer, Johannes Gutenberg’s apprentice. Torn between loyalty to his foster-father Johann Fust and awe for Gutenberg’s revolutionary but noisy press, Peter initially resists the idea of mechanical printing as blasphemy. Over time, he embraces the craft, improving the technology and helping produce the first printed Bibles. The novel explores innovation, faith, art, and commerce amid political and religious tension, culminating in the fallout between Gutenberg and Fust. Told as a reflective memoir decades later, it captures a transformative moment in history with meticulous detail and emotional depth.
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