After the mysterious Thomas learns the truth about his identity from a secret letter written by his father, he devotes his life to discovering his father's fate. Thomas's life takes an academic turn after being admitted to Schala Medica Salernitana, where the medical training he receives becomes a priceless gift that leaves even the noblest of men indebted to him. Thomas's adventures continue with the faithful Sukman by his side, but no matter the warriors, battles, or nobles that he and Sukman face, fate constantly reminds him of his father's legacy and the convoluted family roots that make Thomas an outsider even when he finds himself on the inside. As his adventures continue, Thomas recognizes that love, and nothing else, is what is most important. His observations deliver a message for all to heed: "My life would have been so much easier had I understood this long ago."
More than an adventure novel, this book becomes a fictional guide to one of the most misunderstood and least studied historical periods and regions of the world. As Thomas balances the religious and cultural expectations of both Christianity and Islam, he becomes an intermediary between cultures, observing that "Often, all of them worked together and ignored their differences, but cooperation was always temporary." As this book progresses, readers realize that people of different faiths and cultures have often advocated for the same goals throughout history. But because of their ignorance, violence thrives, and conflicts dominate, causing the rifts to grow wider. With his ability to negotiate and his otherworldly wisdom, Thomas will quickly become a hero to all readers, and this book will become one that they are likely to return to over and over again.