In 1844, Quincy Sutton, a sixteen-year-old farm boy living near the town of Nauvoo, Illinois, is drawn into the area's violent disputes between Mormons and non-Mormons. In search of a different way of life, away from his farm and the enveloping religious troubles, he joins a secret expedition to locate and establish a new Mormon community in the northern wilderness. As a "gentile," as the Mormons refer to non-Mormons, Quincy has no stake in the future community. He does, however, have much to gain or lose. He falls for a Mormon girl with whom he seeks a bright future. He risks losing his farm. And he risks losing his life.

With the help of a pair of affable Métis backwoodsmen, as well as Native Americans, Quincy survives attempts on his life and comes to see the wider world for what it is―a dangerous place. He discovers in himself what it takes to get by in that world, and what matters most.