After the murder of his father, and a chance encounter with a mysterious Confessor named Kahlan, Richard Cypher learns of an ancient prophecy that has named him the first true Seeker in over a millennium. Along with an old wizard named Zedd, Richard and Kahlan must stop the ruthless tyrant Darken Rahl from unleashing an ancient evil.

Aided by the wisdom of wizards, Richard pursues Fane in the hope of recovering the Book of Counted Shadows.

Richard and Kahlan rescue a young child who can read a person's mind by looking into their eyes.

Zedd uses magic to outsmart Darken Rahl and steal the third and final Box of Orden

When Chase escapes a D'Harens labor camp, he finds Richard and Kahlan and tells them about the Gar invasion problems with the boundary open. The three return to Hartland but find that it is no longer the same place that Richard grew up in.

To protect his realm from the D’Harans, King Gregor persuades the sorcerer Shota to transform him into a vicious beast at sundown each day. But it leads to a dillema for Richard, when that viciousness takes an unintended and tragic turn.

Richard inadvertently opens an entry to the underworld, unleashing a terrible evil.