Nora Dearly, a young woman in New Victoria, a high tech society based on an ancient age, escapes her aunt's plans to marry her off for money when she is nearly kidnapped by a horde of walking corpses, and ends up battling them and the Laz, the fatal virus that raises the dead, while falling in love with Bram Griswold, a young soldier in a special undead unit that has availed itself of modern science in 2195 to hold onto his mind, manners, and body parts.