In a remote, unexplored savanna in Kenya, American paleoanthropologist Ken Lauder discovers a boy whose physical characteristics match those of the so-called "missing link". This earthshaking encounter sets the course for a stunningly unique tale of adventure and wonder. Ken soon realizes that this place has escaped the progress of evolution and has stood still for several million years. Alone in the wilderness, Ken forms an extraordinary bond with the boy, and together, they must hunt in order to survive - while being hunted by the dangerous predators that haunt the beautifully primal savanna. Soon Ken figures out that he is not alone with the boy. The hideous, crablike Modibo, a self-interested poacher, is on his trail, determined to kill Ken and prevent him from uncovering the mystery behind the boy's existence. Modibo joins forces with Cyril Anderson, a headline-grabbing, world-famous anthropologist, who has been years without a significant "find". He will do anything to steal Ken's discovery. Anderson touches off a high-powered conspiracy to pierce the secret of the savanna. To escape, the boy leads Ken into the forest and introduces him to a hidden tribe of proto-humans. Ken quickly becomes a part of them, letting go of his modern self and forming a link with these beings so very like his own ancestors.