The story is a sequel to Anderson's fantasy/crosstime/alternate history novel Three Hearts and Three Lions.[2] However, the title is derived from an unrelated Anderson story, "The Man who Came Early".[3] The story takes place thirty years after the events of Three Hearts and Three Lions. Holger Carlsen finally returns to the world of the Carolingian cycle and meets up with his love Alianora. However, she did not know if he would ever return and so married and had children. Thus Holger becomes "the man who came late".