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 recognise 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.