When an ancient manuscript with disastrous sociological and religious implications is shoved into the hands of a desperate doctoral student on the verge of being thrown from Stratford University for failing to complete his dissertation, a race begins to publish the discovery to the world ... or perish in the attempt. Meanwhile, a secret organization bent on maintaining the status quo and the balance of political power will do everything necessary to send the unwanted codex back into the earth from whence it came. Assassins. International intrigue. Warfare in the academic arena. All because John Porter wanted to graduate? Well ... it's more than that. Much more ...