Alex Trueman is a boy in danger. His adventures in the strange world of Intersticia were recounted in "Caught in a Moment," the first volume in this trilogy and have brought him to the attention of dark powers amongst the angels. Malcolm, Alex's protector in the angelic realm of Elysium, snatches Alex and his friends away, just in time to prevent him from falling into the clutches of those whose intentions are of the most sinister kind. In this second volume, Alex finds himself stranded in a different world, a world that resembles nineteenth century East Africa but one that is threatened by a terrible fate. Alex has been told that he has a special power, a power that makes him unique. Caught between the perils of crazed despots and the servants of malevolent angels, menaced by the threat of a cataclysmic natural disaster, Alex must discover the nature of his power before it is too late.