A disillusioned Jared Monroe rebels against the life chosen for him by his father and leaves Yale Divinity School. After he is forcefully rejected by his family Jared embarks on a journey with his dog, Brutus, to forge a new life and to regain self-respect in the West. Maggie Saunders, a high-class prostitute, acts in self- defense against a wealthy and cruel customer. With no hope for justice, she escapes St. Louis in search of safety and a decent life. Alex Stromberg, the ruthless son of a successful San Francisco merchant, is trapped by his domineering father and a shadowy past. After a series of impulsive savage acts Alex flees San Francisco hoping to be free of danger and his unforgiving father. These outcasts converge in Skagway, Alaska struggling to ride the crest of the Klondike Gold Rush. They are transformed by brutality and greed as they risk everything for the chance at wealth, freedom and salvation within the anarchy of Skagway and the unforgiving Yukon wilderness. In this historical novel, each is swept to fates they could never have imagined, challenged to survive using strength and character they never knew they possessed, and giving readers a surprisingly compelling adventure.