The work is centered around the bearer of a white gold ring that possesses magical qualities. Thomas Covenant experiences life in two worlds, a modern American one and another that he wakes up to after suffering an impact from an automobile in the street. What makes this story compelling and appropriate for readers 12 years and older, is how Covenant deals with leprosy. This semi-contagious disease attacks and erodes skin, muscle tissue and bone and can lead to gangrene. He is shunned by his community as unclean and is an outcast. A major side-effect leprosy brings to Covenant is impotence. This fact becomes greatly important as Donaldson's story develops and Covenant, after the traumatic incident with the car that struck him while crossing the street, wakes to find himself in another realm of existence where he does not have leprosy and is regarded as a figure out of legend to the new world's inhabitants. He possesses a white gold wedding band from his failed marriage: in this new realm the ring is regarded as magical. Eventually he discovers that without leprosy he is also no longer impotent. This newfound vigor causes many interesting twists in the saga.