In a desert world ruled by men, Rifkind has always been one apart. A chieftain's daughter, she has learned to wield a sword while all other women are bound by tribal custom to children and the cooking fire. When her clan is massacred, Rifkind's essential solitude is only confirmed. Alone, prompted by her Deity, she sets forth on a quest for her destiny, a destiny that will shake and shape the world . . .