"Imagine that you sit warming yourself by a fire in a tiny settlement lying deep in snow. Sweet peat smoke scents the chill breeze and an old song-maker raises a keening cry for summer's long absence. Here amongst folk who call themselves the Feni was a young lad born and there passed his first years on Earth." "Raised as the son of a blacksmith, Mawn, this very lad, knows little of the world outside his sleepy village." "But Eirinn, his island home is in turmoil. Black-robed monks have made their way across the tempestuous sea from Rome and have set the people at war with one another." "The High-King and his Druid Council know they cannot survive the furious might of the Roman Empire so they must find other ways to save their ancient magical traditions from the evils that threaten to engulf them." "For this great task the Council has named a young boy who amongst the Feni was born and there passed his first years on Earth."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved