Aaron Envelar is a jaded mercenary who trusts no one and believes in nothing beyond the next payday. A job gone wrong leaves him framed for murder and tangled in a kingdom-fracturing conspiracy, accompanied by Co — a floating orb of light who is literally the Virtue of Compassion and never stops nagging him to be a better man. Aaron's gradual, reluctant transformation from cynical loner to reluctant hero is the spine of the series.

Aaron is abrasive, self-deprecating, and frequently wrong about his own capabilities. His street-kid upbringing gave him survival instincts but stunted his capacity for trust, and the series is at its best when showing how his grudging connections to others crack that shell. He is neither the sharpest nor the strongest fighter, but his adaptability and his bond with Co give him an edge the villains cannot predict.

Across seven books, Aaron and his companions resist the conquering prince Belgarin, face an ancient evil wizard who creates armies of inhuman creatures, and ultimately lead a coalition of smugglers, thieves, and legendary Akalian shadow warriors into a final stand. Each book deepens Aaron's bond with Co and his found family while the threat escalates from political coup to existential war. The series closes with Aaron having earned the hope he once mocked.