Set in the 1870s, the novel follows a young Harvard dropout named Will Andrews who ventures to the frontier town of Butcher's Crossing, Kansas, seeking a more authentic connection with nature. He joins a buffalo hunting expedition led by the seasoned and obsessive hunter, Miller. As they journey into the vast and unforgiving wilderness of the Colorado plains, the group faces harsh conditions, existential challenges, and the brutal realities of their quest. The novel explores themes of ambition, the destructive nature of humanity, and the tension between civilization and the wild, ultimately questioning the romanticized vision of the American frontier.
