In a mythical time, in an unnamed land, the shepherd Joshua is troubled by the harsh code of "an eye for an eye" that governs his world. Called by a dream, he sets off on a journey to find "the new way." Accompanied by Elizabeth, a former slave, and David, a boy who must learn to walk in new shoes, the shepherd knows that "an age of miracles" will come when the new way is found.

The journey is not without incident. On their way, the travelers meet a cast of extraordinary characters, including the Storyteller, the Apothecary, the Blind Man, and the Stranger. Each imparts an important...