When eleven-year-old Etob Sheerbain starts learning about the legendary history of his homeland, little does he know that the stories he will hear are about to change his life forever. As the pageant of good and evil, brave men and women, shared values and family lore comes to life, a cloud is darkening on the horizon. As Etob comes to understand his calling as scribe and historian for his people, events are unfolding that will test him as never before. Warm, beautifully imaginative, rich with detail, this is both a sensitive, insightful coming-of-age story and the first installment in a gorgeously woven epic fantasy.