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Written with the grace and beauty of a true poet, this book offers stunning imagery and a highly complex, well-developed medieval-style world. The story follows the character Dogalas Borlel as he pursues his quest to become a full wizard. It is clear the author spent time understanding the full depth of her topic. For example, readers are provided with a full calendar of agrarian village celebrations, including the types of events that took place and what degree of relative importance each event had in shaping the character's understanding of the world around him.
Dogalas' journey is followed from his farming village all the way to the wizard tower where he gains apprenticeship and embarks upon a rigorous training through multiple, sometimes surprising, topics. As it is depicted throughout the book, the training emphasizes balance of mind, body, and spirit with science, nature, and community to achieve a greater connection with creation and thus become capable of practicing magic. By providing this kind of detail, the author offers her readers a map toward improving their own inner serenity and sense of fulfillment by sincerely and diligently following a similar course of study and balance.
Be prepared to spend some time with this book. You'll want to give yourself some space to absorb the intricate details provided and envision the beautiful scenery. Not to mention the book in paperback form is just over 750 pages long. Thus, you're essentially getting two books in one. However, in the end, it will be the ideas contained, the journey toward inner and outer peace and the obstacles that stand in the way, that will occupy your time.