The time of the novel is established as a future period, approximately three hundred years after the world has been almost totally destroyed by fire. Even though nuclear warfare is not specifically identified as the cause of the devastation, Hill makes a strong implication that this is the case. The action of the story begins in and around the woods of Finn's village and extends as he travels to the settlements of the Slavers. In the segments describing Finn's attempts to rescue Joshua from the Slavers' camp, the surroundings vary from dense forest to expanses of desert.

Finn is more comfortable in natural settings, but as he searches for Joshua and Jena, he is forced to explore the structures of the aliens. These are described in some detail to stress their mechanical nature, in contrast to the forests where the humans live. No geographical locations are specifically identified...