From his humble village beginnings, Asanka has risen to the prestigious position of court poet, delighting in a life of ease. But when the ruthless Kalinga Magha violently usurps the Lankan throne, Asanka's world is changed beyond imagination. To his horror, the king tasks him with the translation of an epic poem designed to snuff out the fires of rebellion... Asanka has always believed that poetry makes nothing happen, but as lines on the page become cries in the street he learns that true power lies not at the point of a sword, but in the tip of a pen.