Three groups of humans seem to exist in this world - the Truth Speakers, the List, and the Angels. A young Truth Speaker, "Rush that Speaks" comes of age and sets out from the village of Belaire where he lives in pursuit of the girl he loves "Once a Day" who has left with a group of pedlars from the List. His journey leads him to spend a year living with a hermit who is a "avvenger" hunting out and trading useful items from the past. Rush thinks he might be a "saint" but he isn't. Eventually he joins the list and learns some of their secret.

The whole tale is told in the book to an Angel who is visiting from their giant (city sized) floating balloon which circles in the sky.

Totally weird.