the novel's protagonist is percival "king" leary, a legendary retired ice hockey player living in a smalltown nursing home in south grouse, who is invited to toronto by a young hotshot advertising executive to record a ginger ale commercial. the novel tracks his experiences on the trip, as well as exploring his past career through flashbacks. included amongst these reminiscences are his times at a juvenile reformatory as well as his years with several hockey teams. the book's cast consists of various hockey players; an aged journalist, ‘blue’ hermann, who chronicled leary’s professional life; and members of leary’s family. in addition to chronicling his experiences on the trip, the novel explores his emotional life, as ghosts from his past come to confront him about his virtual withdrawal from any kind of life outside of the nursing home.