A virus created for biological warfare is overtaking humanity, threatening the very fabric of society as its victims are transported, by the emotional power of music, to a seductive dream world. Francis Lanier is one of the few "stalkers", a person who is immune to the virus and is able to travel through its dream world in order to rescue others. The book follows him through a series of adventures, as he becomes more embroiled in the politics surrounding the virus and its cure. This is Paul Cook's debut novel, hailed by critics as "an imaginative thriller" (Publishers Weekly) and "readable and intriguing" (The Reference Library).