The boy Joshua comes of age in a blistering conflict between the love of power and the power of love. As the precursor of the next stage of human evolution, he must confront more than the forces arrayed against him: the greater danger is the dark side of his evolving self. Joshua's baby sister Eva is the first true Nova sapiens-an Earth Mother, a potential Messiah for troubled humanity. She is kidnapped by the darkest of beings, a brilliant psychopath masquerading as a pious Muslim cleric; he wants the power of the Novas all to himself. A mysterious young Muslim woman, Elia, is accidentally rescued from the cleric by Joshua. She helps him on his mission to rescue Eva, using her strange rapport with psychic forces. They fall in love, a thing forbidden to her and unwise for him. Joshua is slowly stripped of his resources, then Elia is captured. Joshua now has only his mind and soul to rely on to rescue Eva, and the cleric's power nibbles away at his mind.