Landover was a genuine magic kingdom, complete with fairy folk and wizardry, just as the advertisement had promised. But after he purchased it for a million dollars, Ben Holiday discovered that there were a few details the ad had failed to mention...

Such as the fact that the kingdom is falling into ruin. The barons refuse to recognize a king and taxes haven't been collected for years. The dragon, Strabo, is laying waste to the countryside, while the evil witch, Nightshade, is plotting to destroy no less than everything. And if that weren't enough for a prospective king to deal with, Ben soon learns that the Iron Mark, terrible lord of the demons, has challenged all pretenders to the throne of Landover to a duel to the death - a duel no mere mortal can hope to win.

But Ben Holiday has one human trait that even magic can't overcome. Ben Holiday is stubborn.