The boys are virtually helpless in the normal world because they know nothing of it except the evil that will befall them should they venture away from Short Creek, the old name for the twin towns, Krakauer said. " 'You will be ground into native element' is one of their phrases. It is drummed into their heads they don't stand a chance out there," he said. "These kids are programmed to fail."

Sect members consider themselves fundamentalists because they continue to practice polygamy as Joseph Smith, founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commanded. The mainline church disavowed polygamy in 1890 and excommunicates members who practice or preach it. But an estimated 30,000 polygamists whose beliefs are rooted in Mormonism live in Utah and other parts of the southwest, Mexico and Canada. Smith's teachings on polygamy remain in Mormon scripture.

During his years researching the book, Krakauer traveled to polygamist communities in Mexico and Canada. One of his main sources for the book was Deloy Bates, who has been excommunicated from the FLDS but still lives in Short Creek. One of Bates' sisters is married to Fischer, who left the FLDS about a dozen years ago, Krakauer said.

Since then, Fischer has housed the castoff children and given them jobs in his company, Krakauer said.

Fischer wasn't available Friday for comment, said Diversity director Lynette Phillips.

Krakauer said his research and willingness to check out rumors passed on by FLDS sources has made him privy to chilling information about Jeffs.

"He's feared and despised and rules by fear. Warren is by far the scariest of the prophets to come along," Krakauer said. "Warren Jeffs has really got my goat."

As he's gotten more involved in the lives of the polygamists, "I guess maybe I've gotten sucked into their zealotry a bit, but mostly I try to cool their jets," he said. "I would love to find an exit strategy, believe me. I really would like to pass this on to someone else. Maybe when Warren is out of the picture."

Discord within the church has grown since early January after Jeffs excommunicated about 20 men, many considered to be his rivals, in an apparent effort to further consolidate power.

Jeffs, 48, assumed leadership of the church after the September 2002 death of his father, former prophet Rulon Jeffs. Many at the time thought one of two church elders, Louis Barlow or Fred Jessop, would have been named president. Both have now been excommunicated.

Utah and Arizona prosecutors have been investigating allegations of welfare and tax fraud, incest, child abuses and forced marriages of young girls to adult men. Anti-polygamy activists claim FLDS Church leaders often traffic young girls between Colorado City-Hildale to the church's enclave at Creston Valley in British Columbia.

On Thursday, former sect member Brent Jeffs, 21, filed a lawsuit that alleges Warren Jeffs and his brothers Blaine Jeffs and Leslie Jeffs sexually abused him when he was a child. Brent Jeffs claims the three told him the actions were a way to make him a man.

Ron Parker, an attorney for the church, said the church and Jeffs denied the allegations. Warren Jeffs' whereabouts are unknown to most outside his closed community, whose members are told not to speak to reporters.

Brent Jeffs' attorney Joanne Suder was with the Baltimore law firm that sued the Baltimore Catholic diocese over child sexual abuse.

"I just keep getting drawn deeper and deeper into this."