Septimus Swift is the possessor of an extraordinary trait - the Sight, which allows him occasional glimpses into the future and into other people's minds. In all honesty, Septimus feels he could do without this dubious gift, which makes him feel like a badly tuned radio station. It is this unusual ability, however, that might give him a chance to save his best friend's sister from mortal illness. Like his father Nicholas had done two decades before, Septimus finds himself crossing the border between the mundane and the magical as the Gates to the Other World open once more. Meanwhile, the saga of Tilir continues. Savages threaten the stability of the realm, the king is under pressure from allies across the sea, and a group of rebels stirs the kettle to make sure the proceedings don't end with a peaceful outcome. Throw some court intrigue and backstabbing into the mix, and you've got the makings of disaster. What will happen to Septimus when he is thrust headfirst into this mysterious foreign world?.