It is spring in a small port town on the shores of the Great Lakes, and seventeen-year-old Joseph Allenby is at the local marina, contemplating his life: his disapproving father wants him to find a job, his overbearing teachers are talking university, even the owner of the local diner wants to sign him on as summer help. All Joe wants is a place in the world where he feels he belongs.

When Joe interrupts his thoughts to help an aging hippie dock his unusual boat, the most he hopes for is a momentary distraction; some interesting conversation or, if he's lucky, a few sailing tips. But the instant Joe steps on board, everything changes. The Raconteur is no ordinary sailboat, and the "aging hippie" no ordinary skipper. Zen has piercing eyes, a disconcerting stare, and more than a few intriguing tales to tell - tales of high seas daring and danger, a legend as old as time, and an epic battle between god and evil.

When Joe finally realizes that there's more to Zen's stories than meets the eye, and that fact can truly be stranger than fiction, it's too late to turn back. Before long, Joe must embark on his own strange voyage - one that will lead him into uncharted territory, and, along the way, change his life forever.