Young Tom Barton and his uncle agree to help William Tyndale smuggle his new translation of the Bible from Europe across the Channel into 16th century England. In the process, Tom becomes involved in the powerful forces of intrigue that gather from all over Europe to prevent Tyndale's work from being published. Tyndale, the hawk that dare not hunt by day, was hunted, hated by many, a fugitive in several countries. The rich cast of characters is seen against a tumultuous background of political and religious turmoil.

From the reviews:

"It is a happy day when a compelling writer like Scott O'Dell meets a compelling subject like William Tyndale, the sixteenth-century martyr who first translated the Bible into English. Mr. O'Dell seems completely at home in Europe in a conniving, turbulent age, and his subject gives him the scope to examine a theme that has obviously haunted him for some time."

The New York Times Book Review

"A well-crafted narrative with several plot threads, informative as well as engrossing."

ALA Booklist

"A gripping story with marvelous vignettes."

Learning

"A vital and significant novel."

St. Louis Post Dispatch

"Plenty of action and historical detail. Recommended."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books