In the briefest of synopses, main character Doc is a cowboy pining for many years for a long lost love. The books in split into large sections where we follow Doc through different stages of his life. In the first section we follow him in forward-moving time on a cattle drive headed through the western states towards Canada and in flash-back time as he reminisces of his early years as a cowboy when Doc is learning the ropes, falls for and eventually loses his girl, and acquires a life-long enemy. In the next sections Doc is the lead ranch hand on an Alberta ranch and then we follow his adventures as he helps a fellow lost soul find stability and Doc settles into his own place and settles the score with his enemy.

Although the beginning was a little slow, once I caught onto the story, I was hooked. Stenson wrote a thoughtful, interesting, and unique portrayal of cowboy life before the west was heavily settled. I strongly recommend this book. ( )