It is about Horth Nersal, who, as a language-impaired child, learns to compensate for his shortcomings with an inborn "talent" ... which turns out not to be only useful in achieving his personal conquests but also for settling family disagreements - often with fatal results. In Horthas world, bio-engineered humans (Sevolites) dominate the rest of humanity in a curiously neo-feudal socio-political system. Horthas genius for combat and reality skimming dog-fights (called "shake-ups") are only surpassed by his unique talents on the dueling floor (and dueling is surprisingly important under Sword Law where it is used by Sevolites to settle disputes without damaging rare and valuable possessions ... such as planets.) Horth finds it difficult to understand his family's conflicts over power and religion and in the end his "skills" force him to make some very difficult decisions, including those in which his loved ones must die