This story follows John Colter, the main character, from Salyersville, Kentucky to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The excitement never slows; outlaws; Indians; a passenger who turns out to be a thief; gunfights; getting lost in the desert, etc. It seems that wherever Colter goes, trouble follows. However, he's a very resourceful character who can handle anything that comes his way. Although the story-line is fairly traditional, the main characters and some of the events are not. Colter is quite unusual for his time His appearance, personality, style of dress and the equipment and weapons he carries are very unique. He smokes a pipe and loves his coffee, and he is continually making something to suit his needs from what he has on hand. He has a unique rapport with his horse that is exciting, interesting and very often humorous, while his weapons and knowledge of hand-to-hand combat make for some exciting fight scenes.This is not just another "Western". It has humor, romance and suspense scenes that will keep a reader's heart pounding. The dialog and the never-ending excitement make a story that is hard to put down.