For hundreds of years, Appalachian forests have drawn wanderers, away from lights, comforts and everyday life, into unchanged, less familiar and even mysterious places. Hogan Harrison's life was without form, and void, entirely ordinary. His favorite spot overlooked the Nolichucky River's emergence through the mountains as it snaked alongside the railroad tracks into Erwin, Tennessee. Hogan sat atop the rock scrabble ridge and closed his eyes in warm sunlight listening to wrens and the distance-softened rush of the river. When the first drops of rain wake him, a thunderstorm has crawled into the valley. Rain falls in a deluge, darkening the woods; Hogan loses the path. After wandering too long, he huddles down to wait and sees a foxfire green glow. He follows it to a cave where he discovers a black, stone-hard spear. When he touches it, blue light runs through etched lines, bright enough for him retrace his steps back. Hogan learns that a nick from the spear heals instantly, leaving insight and understanding of an enemy. The deeper the wound, the greater the insight. Stab someone through the heart and they will die, to awaken with a hairline scar and perfect understanding of their greatest enemy. The clarity transforms Hogan. He makes amends at work. He finally reaches out to the woman he's longed for and they marry. His life is full and wonderful. But the world is nearing the brink of war, of apocalypse, and Hogan fears the only hope is to give the President the spear's clarity. Hogan just needs to stab him through the chest with the Lazarus Spear to save the world.