From the publisher:
Bandits are a regular threat to the small Peruvian village Alfredo Garcia lives in. Government protection is scarce and the police never enforce the law. So the village men take it upon themselves to defend their village, but return unsuccessful when Alfredo's father is killed. Rico, Alfredo's brother, joins the Communist Shining Path guerrillas hoping to avenge their father's death.
But the terrorists prove to be more dangerous than the bandits they promised to protect the villaters from, and it's not long before they begin killing followers of Jesus Christ, too. When Alfredo also becomes involved with the guerrillas, he is forced to prove his loyalty or be considered a deserter and risk death. His orders are to kill the evangelist, Pastor Rómulo Sauñe, but when his mission fails, Alfredo begins asking harder questions.