The main character of the novel, Stan Przhevalsky, is a Vietnam War veteran who is tormented by nightmares of the past and feelings of guilt. Stan lives in a small town in Colorado, takes psychotropic drugs and works as the editor of the local newspaper. A murder occurs nearby, and fires rage in the surrounding forests, threatening to destroy the town. Against the backdrop of these disasters, Stan meets a strange animal who wears combat boots, loves rock, and, with the help of a real army equipped with the latest technology, wages war against a construction company that has invaded his territory. This meeting will entail a series of phantasmagoric adventures, and Stan will eventually have the opportunity to atone for his sins and find peace of mind.