pˈɔːl hˈæɹəl, ɐ tˈɛɹən kˈɑːnvɪkt, fˈaɪndz ðæt hiː hˈæzbiːn tˈɛlᵻpˌoːɹɾᵻd tʊ ɐn ʌnfəmˈɪlɪɹ wˈɜːld kˈɔːld dˈɑːɹkoʊvɚ baɪ ɐn ɐɡɹˈɛsɪv wˈɔːɹlɔːɹd nˈeɪmd bˈɑːɹd di ɐstʃɚɹˈiən.
Paul Harrell, a Terran convict, finds that he has been teleported to an unfamiliar world called Darkover by an aggressive warlord named Bard di Asturien.