Something very odd is happening on the university planet of Dellah, home to Bernice Summerfield, famed archaeologist, adventurer, raconteur and barfly. A long-ignored religion is rapidly gaining recruits. The faithful rejoice and talk of their God walking the land once more. And in secret rooms on campus, arcane arts are practiced with dangerously successful results.

Behind these apparent absurdities, something far darker is going on, something that has consequences for everyone. The most powerful races of the universe are running scared, withdrawing to their own strongholds, and leaving the lesser people to their fate.

But what can have warped reality in this way? And why? Has the time of the gods finally come? As Bernice and her friends begin to investigate, they soon realize that in the terrible conflict to come each of them will have to choose sides.