Barry James, the protagonist, is confined to a quarantine facility located in the sweltering Karoo desert. He lives in his room between two worlds: the unforgiving reality of confinement and the picturesque landscapes of his dreams. He has severed ties to everything associated with his former life, his health is failing, and he has lost all hope of ever living a carefree life. All he has to cling to are the demonic thoughts of his troubled mind and the daily cycle of taking drugs and reading the journals he reluctantly keeps as proof of his past life. Then comes the chance to escape. “A powerful and gripping novel that deftly blends the real and imagined worlds, and is brimming with brilliant invention. This gripping thriller should be the talk of the book circles.” - Nick Mhlongo, “South African journalist and novelist.” “A brutal vision of a world that is so possible... A profound and utterly original voice.” - Henrietta Rose Innes, “South African novelist and short story writer.” “The most believable, the most disturbing, and therefore the most miserable novel I have ever read.” - Sunday Times. “Thought-provoking, seductive, and sensitively written… Marcus Low is a very exciting new talent.”