It is, basically, the tale of a small group of Monks who work to preserve technical knowledge through the dark ages after a nuclear war. It goes on several hundred years, basically following religions influence as mankind re-enlightens itself.

The story is wonderfully crafted, with enough religious dogma, comedic asides, and human nature insights to keep you glued to the text. And unlike many books that include a religious theme, it's not immediately clear what the author believes. He never pushes any belief on you. He only seemingly uses the religious backdrop to tie his story together, and present some questions.

The book manages to present a clean plot, but still leaves many questions open at the end of the tale. It works for the better in this case to leave your mind working at the end, and asking questions that everyone should ask of themselves.