Louis Riel, a controversial Metis mystic and visionary, fought for his people’s rights against an encroaching tide of white settlers. Hunter and Metis leader Gabriel Dumont, a man tested by warfare, was, in contrast, a pragmatic realist of the land. Celebrated novelist Joseph Boyden explores the tumultuous year when Riel and Dumont united the Metis while dividing a nation. Could Dumont have foreseen the impact on the Metis cause when he brought Riel home? While making rational demands of Sir John A. Macdonald, Riel seemed increasingly overtaken by a messianic mission. His controversial execution by the Canadian government in 1885 still reverberates today. Boyden, with his powerful narrative skill, creates an unforgettable portrait of two seminal Canadian figures who helped shape the country.