Book 2 of the Barren Trilogy follows the continuing fantasy drama of Elenn, a barren uedin, who strives to meet the challenges and dangers that come to him and other barren as the syndrome epidemic rises in the threatened capital. The medical intervention devised to negate the symptoms of barren syndrome has had an unanticipated consequence, and syndrome-afflicted uedin must fight to avoid the descent into derangement. Note: "Version M" uses the masculine pronouns.