Welcome to the Valley, a liminal landscape that lies somewhere in the fringes of the world; a place with such secret magic that only the very observant can see it. Into this world comes the Lone family. To them, the magic of the Valley is not at first apparent, at least not to all. But the youngest son Lucifer is the most open to the river''s pulse. He converses with the trees and an angel named Azrael, all the while being taught by the midwife Mother True to hone his talents. Meanwhile, Lucifer''s older brother Uriel rejects the valley altogether and, with the help of his lover-a raft boy named Roman-flees the place only to be caught up in the corrupt big city world of a madame named Ute Dragal.  And so begins a tale of wonder and danger, filled with a cast of characters ranging from the strong to the stoic to the sinister, in a place where a dark power awaits them all.  Venture again to the Valley in this prequel to Eric Arvin''s acclaimed epic The Mingled Destinies of Crocodiles and Men.