John Adamson awakes in an alien environment with almost all his memories intact except how he got there. All he knows is that he now appears to be in a semi-medieval land where magic and wizards rule. A world of strange powers and great extremes, yet seemingly stricken by the very forces that sustain it. Is he dreaming, brain-damaged or mad? The people he meets either fear him or regard him as some sort of saviour, yet nothing makes sense. Why do some people not understand one another when to him they all speak perfect English? Why does the strange bag which arrived with him keep supplying helpful items of 21st century technology in moments of crisis? What is the mysterious source of magic hidden in the icebound north? Adamson must travel to the ancient Crystal City, the fabulous potential seed markets and the Island of Scholars before finally discovering the answer under a no longer frozen north pole. A revelation beyond anything he has imagined and which turns all his previous perceptions inside out. Not just a science fiction fantasy but also a political satire and environmental fable for our times, with a devastating denouement. 10% of all net profits accruing to the author will be donated to Greenpeace.