Luke Morgan is fifteen when he leave his native state of Kentucky and travels westward to California. His mission is to join his brother, Shelby, who works as a former on his father-in-law’s ranch north of San Francisco in a lush area known as the Enchanted Valley.

Luke is received warmly by everyone on the Gonzales ranch—everyone, that is, except Juan Gonzales, a proud Californio just Luke’s age. Wealthy and of Spanish descent, Juan’s mistrust of the Americanos is not, Luke soon discovers, totally unjustified. Gringo landgrabbers, expert in the art of forging deeds, are soon after the Gonzales ranch, and Luke is caught up in a near-war against a wagon train of Tennessee mountain men before he realizes a plan that will save both the men and the land.

All the conflict and fascination of the emerging West, from the brawling opulence of early San Francisco to the rugged appeal of the land and the settlers of diverse backgrounds who flocked to it, are here in this entertaining, fast-paced novel of early America.