This prequel to the bestseller, The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, isa "spiritual journey [and a] creditable survival—adventure-coming-of-age story (Booklist).

In the heart of nineteenth century Tsarist Russia, an orphaned boy born of both Jewish and Cossack blood desperately seeks to find a place in a dangerous world. Sergei Ivanov's (Socrates') journey from a military academy to America is a spellbinding and tragic odyssey of courage and love. This riveting novel reveals how a boy became a man, how a man became a warrior, and how a warrior discovered peace. From his birth, this boy—Sergei Ivanov—is destined to become the peaceful warrior and sage who changed the life of Dan Millman and millions of readers worldwide.

"Intriguing. . . . Millman's fluid storytelling makes this an easy read." —Publishers Weekly