In Incan legends, the Viracocha were the creators of civilization. They were said to have risen from Lake Titicaca during a time of darkness, wandered as beggars, and taught the people sustainable forestry and agriculture. One day, they disappeared into the western sky and never returned. Andean mythology insists that the Viracocha will re-appear in a time of great trouble.

Archaeologist Eve Barcelon is undeniably living in a time of great trouble. Runaway global warming, poisoned oceans, killer storms, gigantic forest fires, floods, droughts, and insane wars—in every possible way, humanity is courting its own destruction.

Eve cares about the state of the planet, but as an individual feels helpless. She was raised mainly by her mother, her father a remote figure, often away for weeks at a time. His neglect has affected her deeply. Eve was a supremely gifted student, earning her Ph.D. and an assistant professorship at Harvard University by her early twenties. Determined to put the pain behind her, her sole focus is on her academic career.

So, when she is approached by a mysterious philanthropic organization, and asked to lead an expedition to the newly-discovered ruins of an ancient Mayan city, she jumps at the opportunity.

And this is when events spin out of control. She finds herself drawn into a violent journey of discovery, from Belize to the high Andes of Peru, hunted by the implacable leader of a rogue American Army unit, and courted by another military operative she has no reason to trust.

Soon, Eve Barcelon will learn shocking facts about her ancestry.
Soon, she will discover an inexplicable inherited power.
And, soon, she will learn how vital she is to the preservation of humanity.