"In India of the far future, Young Rakesh and the Royal Engineer, Vasant, travel together. Often they quarrel, because their purposes are different. Rakesh must find and kill the famous Baboon Warrior; it is his dharma. Vasant hopes to foil the palace plot of the lewd Kama Sutrans. The two men are being followed by a veteran of the Astrological Wars - followed unerringly though he is blind, deaf, and insane."--BOOK JACKET.

"On their way Rakesh and Vasant encounter the giant god of wood Jagannath, who carves a swath of destruction through Cities; the Pragmatic Monks, who live in a carved-out mountain and perform miracles of meditation; demon cranes, who reduce life to counting; battles where the weapons are spices; and many other wonders."--BOOK JACKET. "Jensen presents rich scenes of an India that might be. He also examines Hinduism, Buddhism, intolerance, and the awesome power of faith."--BOOK JACKET.