A seventh century Arab general, an American robotics engineer, a Tunisian activist and her journalist fiancé, and a famous Moroccan explorer; each have a tale bound together in a novel of exploration, self discovery, and betrayal that spans centuries.When Todd Wittry is invited to work on an astounding piece of technology -- a space elevator -- for an aerospace tech startup, he moves to the Middle East and learns firsthand the meaning of the term 'culture shock.' His journey intertwines with that of Amina Hannachi, a Tunisian activist and her journalist fiancé Ali ibn Abd al-Aziz, who are attempting to build on the success of Tunisia's Arab Spring revolution. Paralleling these modern day tribulations is the account of several of North Africa's most famous historical figures, whose adventures eventually shape the world Todd, Ali, and Amina fight to save.