▁on ▁multiple ▁characters ▁and ▁plot lines . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁large ▁ones ▁is ▁Ra if , ▁who ▁becomes ▁dis en ch anted ▁with ▁his ▁position ▁in ▁life . ▁Ab andon ed ▁by ▁friends , ▁feeling ▁he ▁has ▁nothing , ▁he ▁goes ▁wand ering , ▁only ▁to ▁join ▁up ▁with ▁a ▁new ▁group ▁called ▁the ▁Ma im ed ▁Men . ▁ ▁Plot ▁summary ▁A ▁Fort ress ▁of ▁Grey ▁Ice ▁represents ▁a ▁greater ▁division ▁of ▁story lines ▁than ▁was ▁present ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁book . ▁The ▁novel ▁opens ▁rather ▁dram atically ▁with ▁new ▁characters ▁and ▁settings , ▁then ▁moves ▁quickly ▁to ▁Ash ▁March ' s ▁ab rupt ▁and ▁cover t ▁departure ▁from ▁Ra if ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁S ull . ▁Left ▁with ▁the ▁List ener , ▁Ra if ▁finds ▁himself ▁alone , ▁now ▁abandoned ▁by ▁cl an ▁and ▁friend , ▁cut ▁off ▁from ▁everyone ▁and ▁everything ▁that ▁he ▁lov es . ▁Em bit tered ▁and ▁res ent ful ▁of ▁the ▁l ore ▁that ▁claims ▁him ▁as ▁Watch er ▁of ▁the ▁Dead , ▁Ra if ▁will ▁w ander ▁the ▁edge ▁of ▁the ▁W ant ▁until ▁he ▁finds ▁the ▁only ▁group ▁willing ▁to ▁accept ▁an ▁out cast ▁and ▁ren eg ade , ▁the ▁out law ▁Ma im ed ▁Men . ▁Else where ▁Ash , ▁already ▁le agues ▁away ▁from ▁Ra if , ▁will ▁become ▁initi ated ▁into ▁the ▁myster ious ▁blood ▁lett ings ▁of ▁the ▁S ull , ▁all ▁the ▁while ▁r iding ▁in ▁has te ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁safety ▁of ▁the ▁S ull ▁lands