When soldiers destroy Derin's home, he sets out on a puzzling and difficult journey in search of his missing father. But Derin's people are caught up in a war between the people of the mountains and the people of the plains, and his private quest takes him into the very heart of the conflict - to a confrontation with the powerful Master of the Grove. This is the story of a young boy's search for truth - and a sorcerer's misuse of knowledge . . .