"The past lived in songs, the present in their flashing swords,and the future in their hearts." This twentieth century myth about the ancient Magyar migration is stark in content yet poetic in style; some passages seem more like poetry disguised as prose. Seredy has recreated an era long swallowed in the mists of lost cultures, when the Roman Empire was disintegrating under the relentless attacks of various "barbarian" tribes.

The Huns and the Magyars followed the prophecy of aged Nimrod, leading their people ever westward from Asia to Eastern Europe. They needed bold, even ruthless leaders to accomplish this monumenal task, yet they were also inspired and championed by a mysterious animal protector--a magnificent white stag with supernatural power.

It is difficult for modern readers to admire the Huns, a name synonymous with bloodthirsty aggression and destruction of post-Romanic culture. Yet Seredy's goal is to justify this epic migration--a March of Terror spanning three generations, which enabled her ancestors to achieve their self-imposed dream.

They focused on steadfast obedience to their god, Hadur, who told them of a Promised Land "between two rivers, surrounded by mountains." There is both literary genius and respect in this saga of the birth and destiny of young Attila. This slender volume is actually a mini epic, piercing the curtain between History and Legend.