The book centers around Byzantine Emperor Justinian II. It is presented as the emperor's autobiography, as it is being read to one of his faithful aides, the blind soldier Myakes. The book follows Justinian's time before and after taking the throne, as well as his overthrow, mutilation and exile in the Crimea his subsequent return to power (following a possibly apocryphal nose-job), his insane quests for revenge, and finally being unseated a second time and executed.