Daniel Pearse's journey from childhood to adulthood amid magic, mayhem and mysticism all guided by a mysterious organization named AMO, the Alliance of Alchemists Magicians and Outlaws. A series of apprenticeships teaches Daniel meditation, safecracking, poker, and the art of becoming invisible. The first edition has a blurb by Thomas Pynchon on the dust jacket. The 1998 edition includes a more lengthy Pynchon introduction.