Saved from death at the hands of the Emperor Ddwng, would-be lovers Colene and Darius and their companions—Provos, a woman who remembers only the future, and Sequiro, a telepathic horse—stumble into yet another dangerous reality where despots rule with a cruel and heavy hand. Held captive, the friends must combine their unusual talents in a daring escape that leads them on adventure after adventure with the most intriguing characters - some threatening, some friendly - ever to grace the page. Among them, Angus, the adorable flying giant; Nona, the lovely and magical 'ninth of the ninth;' Slick, the gangster with a death sentence; and the megaplayers, mysterious musicians of old whose giant instruments still dot the landscape.