Perry Adams has hit rock bottom, fed by the demons of too much alcohol and not enough patience. Hard knocks are driving his decision to skedaddle. Perry is the bane of his Indiana hometown and his only choice is to pack a saddlebag. The great-great-grandson of a pirate, Perry desires a fresh start far from the clutches of his abusive father. He steals his father's mule and trades his bottle of rum for adventure and freedom along a soulful trek of exploration and growth that takes him to the promised land of Kansas Territory. While his quest for self, serenity, and redemption is inspiring, his perils and adventures do not cease after reaching the region known as Bleeding Kansas.

Arriving in the new land as an unprepared squatter during a ruthless winter, Perry discovers life in the unfamiliar territory is cruel. Even before the war, beatings, pillage, lynchings, and murder stalk the region as brutal lines are drawn between those supporting and opposing slavery. Perry's dream of establishing a farm, finding love, and starting a family is beset by dramatic hurdles and soul-wrenching decisions at every turn.

As he struggles to carve a successful farm out of the wilderness, he grows through relationships with the local constable, a pair of freed slaves, a bartending couple, a shopkeeper, and a "genie." He meets the love of his life, an angelic but mysterious young schoolteacher who also plays piano at the bar. Surviving the war and winning her heart become his obsessions.