This book follows the extraordinary life of Joseph, who is abducted from his American home as a toddler. Taken against his will to India, where due to a twist of fate he is raised by a Shaolin master. Under the master's strict guidance, Joseph is trained in martial arts, meditation, and philosophy. As Joseph grows into a young man, he comes to understand the harshness of the world beyond the monastery and the deep injustices that occur. Still a boy, Joseph, begins a quest for justice which leads him back to America, where he eventually becomes a Navy SEAL. As he is about to exit his time in the military, Joseph's personal demons and the knowledge of the horrors that happen in the world make him realize he must do something to help those who cannot help themselves.