Why are we here, What are we striving for?

The novel is celebrated for its complex, multi-layered storytelling that weaves together three distinct time periods:

Nicolas Eymerich travels to Sardinia with King Peter IV of Aragon to suppress a revolt led by Mariano, Judge of Arborea. He encounters a mysterious and ancient deity known as the Sardus Pater .

The Austrian psychologist Wilhelm Reich (a real historical figure) escapes Nazi Germany and makes a revolutionary discovery. While imprisoned, he experiences hallucinations that seem to link him across time to Eymerich.