The narrator of this story, Baltasar Embrico, a Genoese from the East and a merchant of rare objects, takes to the roads in 1665, searching for a book that is supposed to bring Salvation to a world heading towards destruction. He also seeks something that will give meaning to his own existence. During his journey through the Mediterranean and beyond, he encounters crumbling countries, burning cities, fear, deceit, and disappointment. But also love, when he least expects it.