In the fullness of his life, Abdul Alhazred, author of the dreaded Necronomicon, was snatched into the air and devoured by an invisible demon in the marketplace at Damascus before hundreds of witnesses. But where necromancy is concerned, all is not always as it seems, and death is not necessarily the end.

Alhazred's lifelong companion, Martala, is determined to search for his remains so that he can be resurrected from his essential salts. But where to look? With the help of Hassid, son of a wealthy merchant and Alhazred's young student in the necromantic arts, and Anisah, the half-fairy daughter of the great Greek mage Harkanos, she sets off to find Alhazred's bones and restore him to life.

Alhazred's father, who is a djinn of the Ninth Circle, aids them in their search by lending them the fabled flying carpet of Solomon. Their perilous quest leads them across the face of the ancient world and to other worlds beyond comprehension.

Have the final words of Alhazred's story been written? Has fate closed the book of his life? Or is Martala's love strong enough to burst asunder the gates of time and space, and free his soul from everlasting torment?