Shaken and mentally fragile after surviving Hurricane Katrina, fifty-something Michael Christopher abandons New Orleans and returns to his old home in Northern California. There, surrounded by redwoods and with his beloved cat for company, Michael attempts to heal the deep wounds left by the hurricane.

At first, Michael's life seems to be on the mend. He renews old friendships and reestablishes his art object restoration business. Then Alex appears, bringing with him an ancient T'ang dynasty horse for restoration-and then vanishing before Michael's eyes.

The experience makes Michael doubt his sanity. People simply don't disappear. Could he be hallucinating? His concerned friend Ellie thinks so, but Michael cannot shake the conviction that what he saw was real.

As for the T'ang horse, the story Alex tells of its origin is as impossible as his disappearance. According to Alex, the horse was a gift to his still-living grandfather from the T'ang emperor, twelve centuries ago.

Michael finds himself irresistibly drawn into Alex's strange world. A stranger in a strange land, the art restorer can only hope he's not going insane. As for Alex, it's becoming increasingly clear he's Not From Around Here.