There have been three wars in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in the last thirty years, but everyone pretends nothing weird has ever happened here. No wars, no "Materialist Magicians" doing evil, and certainly no "elves" working to stop them. Divorced and finally working again after losing his last job, Jerry August just wants to live an ordinary life. He's met a girl named Leda. She's a friend of the elves, but Jerry's willing to overlook that. Why, Jerry wonders, does his wealthy Uncle Quincy want him to visit the powerful beings who rule a world that is not Earth? When Jerry refuses the Old Gods' summons, their Myrmidon warriors kidnap Leda. Who else but Jerry can go to the other world to get her back? Who else but the elves can help him do it? Jerry learns things he would be happier not knowing. How his uncle plans to use his wealth to steal from the poor and give to the rich-- on Earth as in the Other World. How his aunt and uncle plan to use the power of the god and goddess to steal life and youth from Jerry and Leda-- by stealing their bodies. Sometimes war just finds people, especially in Portsmouth where the walls between the worlds are thin. Jerry finds himself caught up in the latest chapter of the secret history of the Earth.