On the run from an unfortunate indiscretion, young Conrad Rasmussen finds refuge in the North Island of New Zealand under the employ of the famousĀ -- or notoriousĀ -- Dane, Bishop Monrad. Conrad's story stretches across new lands, old songs, seafaring, war, and the search for love, eventually leading him to the unusual woman, Anahuia. And as the free, human spirit is pitted against the forces of tradition, Conrad finds he cannot escape his own past. Through compelling events and vivid communities, the Faroe Islands and Denmark's early connection with New Zealand are also explored.