This novelized account of the life of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, a married Chinese-Filipino layman, retraces the series of events that lead up to his violent martyrdom in 17th century feudal Japan. When Lorenzo becomes a scapegoat for murder, he must escape from the Philippines to avoid arrest and possibly execution. Leaving his family behind, he joins Dominican missionaries on their ocean voyage to Japan. Little does he know that the threats he is trying to escape from are nothing in comparison to the dangers that await him. Themes include: martyrdom, persecution, and history.