The stability of the time-spanning empire of Chronopolis is threatened when a rogue agent from the past is captured, triggering a conflict that spans centuries. The protagonist, a high-ranking official within the temporal bureaucracy, must navigate the rigid laws of causality to prevent the collapse of the entire timeline. Opposing him are forces that seek to manipulate history for their own gain, challenging the logical constraints of a society built on the regulation of time itself. The narrative utilizes a third-person perspective to explore the complex mechanics of a civilization that treats time as a physical territory to be governed and defended.

Fall of Chronopolis is often regarded as a quintessential example of Barrington J. Bayley's penchant for grand, mind-bending concepts that push the boundaries of traditional science fiction. Readers frequently note the book's dense, intellectual approach to the mechanics of time travel, which prioritizes complex world-building over conventional character development. The narrative is characterized by its cold, clinical examination of a society obsessed with the regulation of history, creating an atmosphere of detachment that mirrors the bureaucratic nature of its setting. While some may find the pacing deliberate and the prose demanding, the work remains a significant entry for those interested in speculative fiction that explores the structural implications of temporal manipulation.