Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero as he attempts to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, Kvothe is put on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, forced to reclaim the honor of the Edema Ruh, and travels into the Fae realm where he meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist.

In December 7, 1941, five brothers exploring a shaft on an island off the coast of Washington State make an extraordinary discovery, but a tragic accident suspends further investigation. In the present, Juan Cabrillo and his Oregon team, chasing the remanants of a crashed satellite in the Argentine jungle, stumble upon a shocking revelation. His efforts to untangle the mystery lead first to that island, and then much farther back, to an ancient Chinese...